{"id":26204,"date":"2024-10-17T09:43:03","date_gmt":"2024-10-17T14:43:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/?p=26204"},"modified":"2024-10-17T09:43:40","modified_gmt":"2024-10-17T14:43:40","slug":"what-is-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/issue\/2024-fall\/what-is-it\/","title":{"rendered":"What is it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Today’s quickly evolving technology makes it impossible for the NEC<\/em> to keep up with every possible thing that you may find on an inspection.\u00a0 What do you do when you encounter equipment that you have no idea what it is or how it should be properly installed?<\/p>\n

First, ask.\u00a0 Most people love to have you ask about their jobs, and the equipment that they work with, if you present as being really interested.\u00a0 If you come across as being derogatory or judgmental, they will get defensive.\u00a0 What does this equipment do?\u00a0 How long does it operate without shutting down?\u00a0 Even if you don\u2019t understand what they are talking about, it will provide time for you to closely look at the equipment.<\/p>\n

While looking, is there a label?\u00a0 Note who the manufacturer is, voltage and ampacity requirements, and is it NRTL-listed?\u00a0 Not all equipment will have an NRTL listing.\u00a0 Standards committees have as much trouble keeping up with new technology as the NEC<\/em>.\u00a0 And NRTL-listing is not necessarily mandatory for AHJ approval.\u00a0 Articles 90.7, 110.2, and 110.3 make it clear that an NRTL-listing is a preferred option for AHJ approval, but not the only option.<\/p>\n

As the AHJ, you have the authority to require a field evaluation\/certification before you accept the equipment if it is not NRTL-listed.\u00a0 Make sure that this is completed by an NRTL that is OSHA-approved to inspect to the most likely standard.\u00a0 An NRTL that evaluates storage containers may not be appropriate to evaluate the batteries and inverter that are in the Battery Energy Storage System.\u00a0 Further information on NRTLs can be found at OSHA\u2019s Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL) Program – Current List of NRTLs | Occupational Safety and Health Administration<\/u>.<\/p>\n

If you, as the AHJ, decide to approve the equipment yourself, reviewing the UL Standard that seems most appropriate for the equipment will provide assistance with what you should look for.\u00a0 Many of the UL Standards are available in a read-only version on www.ul.com<\/u>. The equipment is required to have a label that lists voltage, ampacity, and frequency.\u00a0 Equipment rated for 50 hertz, or non-US voltages will generally not work properly on US systems.\u00a0 A frequency converter can help with the hertz mismatch.\u00a0\u00a0 A buck\/boost transformer may be required to correct the voltage.\u00a0 If you have equipment from overseas, they will occasionally add a transformer at the factory to make it US-ready.\u00a0 Check the configuration, as zigzag transformers are sometimes used.\u00a0 Art. 450.5 states that \u201czigzag transformers shall not be connected on the load side of any system grounding connection\u201d.\u00a0 Most of our building systems are solidly grounded systems.\u00a0 Equipment with a zigzag transformer would require an isolation transformer first to create an ungrounded system for a code-legal installation.\u00a0 From a practical standpoint, a zigzag transformer will not operate as expected unless installed on an ungrounded system.<\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/a>
Figure 1.<\/strong> High Temperature Furnace with water-cooled electrical conductors<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is there a wiring diagram or specs provided by the manufacturer?\u00a0 Always assume that equipment can run continuously unless you have proof otherwise, calculating ampacity at 125% of nameplate.\u00a0 Is there any internal overcurrent protection that would operate in the event of equipment malfunction?\u00a0 If not, your branch circuit fuses or breakers would now be expected to protect the internal parts of the equipment, not just your branch circuit wiring.\u00a0 The 15-amp breaker in the panel cannot be expected to prevent the circuit boards in the equipment from going up in flames.<\/p>\n

Is there an installation or owner\u2019s manual?\u00a0 Hopefully, it is in English.\u00a0 If not, be very careful in obtaining a translation.\u00a0 Going from Mandarin to English in a romance novel is not the same as translating technical specifications.\u00a0 Did they properly convert from meters to feet?\u00a0 Or only change the units and not the number?\u00a0 Are they giving ampacity requirements based on 400 volts or our US 480 volts?<\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/a>
Figure 2.<\/strong> Homemade AC to DC power supply (Did not get approved)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Is the equipment acceptable for the location it is being installed in?\u00a0 Is it outdoors, indoors, wet or damp location?\u00a0 What is the ambient temperature in which it will be operating?\u00a0 Is it a dusty, possible Class 2 hazardous location?\u00a0 Are there tanks of fuel and gases in the area that may require Class 1 consideration?\u00a0 Is the area subject to frequent flooding or tidal considerations?\u00a0 Lightning?\u00a0 If you have the installation manual, it may not give you this information.\u00a0 Is the enclosure sealed and gasketed?\u00a0 Does it have open vents that would allow bugs and other critters to enter?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Is there anything that would give you a reason to question if this equipment can be located in this area?<\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/a>
Figure 3.<\/strong> Never did figure out what it does<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/a>
Figure 4.<\/strong> Klystron, high voltage DC to higher voltage pulsating DC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Figure<\/a>
Figure 5.<\/strong> Cockcroft-Walton Generator (recently de-commissioned, note ground straps on lower capacitors)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You will encounter the occasional item that was built in someone\u2019s garage.\u00a0 The first inclination is to tell them \u201cNO.\u201d\u00a0 But then you are going to hear how the equipment they need isn\u2019t made anywhere in the world, there is no testing standard that covers it, and their process will fail without it.\u00a0 You alone will be solely responsible for their failure in life if you don\u2019t approve this installation.\u00a0 You can either be firm and not let them use it, cut the end off the cord, red tag it, or any other means to prevent its use.\u00a0 Or require a field evaluation.\u00a0 Or approve it yourself as the AHJ.\u00a0 I strongly caution against the last option.\u00a0 Your reputation, your livelihood, is at stake.\u00a0 If you approve it, and someone gets hurt, the building burns down, or other catastrophes, you will end up in court.\u00a0 You most likely will be sued.\u00a0 You may be found liable.\u00a0 These all depend on who you are working for, their liability, and your contract language.\u00a0 I am not a lawyer, but you may want to consult one to see if this is the path you should take.<\/p>\n

For some of us, because of our clientele, saying no isn\u2019t an option.\u00a0 If you are stuck in that position, statement (9) in Article 110.3(A) sums up what you need to consider: any \u201cfactors that contribute to the practical safeguarding of persons using or likely to come in contact with the equipment.\u201d\u00a0 Ultimately, the NEC<\/em> isn\u2019t a design guide; it is a safety manual.\u00a0 Is there any possibility that someone could get hurt by this equipment?\u00a0 If so, is there anything that can be done to protect people and property?\u00a0 Anything operating below 50 V and 5 mA is considered safe by many governmental institutions.\u00a0 Adding guarding to prevent inadvertent contact with energized electrical components or hot or moving parts will be required.\u00a0 Are all electrical parts and pieces rated for the maximum voltage and ampacity that they may be exposed to?\u00a0 Are the internal components listed or recognized by an NRTL?\u00a0 Make sure that everything is documented.\u00a0 Take lots of pictures, and send an email to follow up on ALL personal conversations.\u00a0 Keep ALL your documentation.\u00a0 In today\u2019s paperless society, this is even easier.\u00a0 Scan everything, put it in a digital folder, and save it on a flash drive.\u00a0 Then, back up the flash drive.<\/p>\n

Finally, enjoy the stories you get to tell everyone about that really crazy gizmo that you got to look at and might be what saves the world.\u00a0 Just don\u2019t show off pictures that have been deemed a security risk by the FBI or CIA.\u00a0 That will get you in trouble.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What do you do when you encounter electrical equipment in the field that you have no idea what it is or how it should be properly installed? <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":482,"featured_media":26205,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23336],"tags":[23117,23337,1075],"class_list":{"0":"post-26204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-2024-fall","8":"tag-electrical-equipment","9":"tag-fall-2024","10":"tag-listing-and-certification"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/482"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26204"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26204\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":26213,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26204\/revisions\/26213"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iaeimagazine.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}