IAEI News – January/February 2010 Digital Edition
January-February 2010
Not just in print, the current issue of IAEI News is also available online.
January/February 2010 is available now for you to flick through from cover to cover online! Try it out and give us your feedback. We would love to know what you think.
But remember, you can’t collect a website…
Edited on February 3, 2010 to fix link.
(No Ratings Yet)The Importance of the AHJ in Fire Pump Installations
Photo 1. As codes and standards get revised every Code cycle, evidence suggests that there is ever greater reliance upon the “AHJ Industry” for code compliance assurance. This is no more critical than in fire protection. This article draws attention to two requirements that affect reliability, safety and performance under fire conditions.
The services of the inspection community are of utmost importance to maximize safety and reliability. This is especially true when the inspector serves as the AHJ for the installation. This article addresses two such instances pertaining to fire pumps, one is covered by the National Electrical Code (NEC) in 695.4 and the other in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard for the Installation of Stationary Pumps for Fire Protection, NFPA 20.
In the interest of maximizing reliability, NFPA 20 has always preferred the direct connection which is to bring the supply conductors directly to the fire pump controller as described in NEC 695.4(A). However, NEC 695.4(B) does permit a supervised “single disconnecting means and associated overcurrent protective device” installed in these supply conductors. Based on a recent revision in 9.2.3.4, NFPA 20 (2010), NEC 695.4(B), which is extracted out of NFPA 20, will require the overcurrent protective device to be rated based on the LRC (locked rotor current) of the fire pump motor. Additionally, per NEC 700.27, “Emergency system(s) overcurrent devices shall be selectively coordinated with all supply side overcurrent protective devices.” In other words, a pump room fault is to be cleared by the fire pump controller circuit breaker rather than by an upstream overcurrent protective device which may very well be inaccessible for reset or fuse change during a fire. It is important that this coordination is based on the recognition that the circuit breaker in the fire pump controller is “set” to trip differently from protection values contained in NEC 430 covering ordinary motor circuits. Section 10.4.3.3 of NFPA 20 (2010) provides the electrical characteristics of the circuit breaker contained in the fire pump controller as follows:
(No Ratings Yet)GFCIs – Where are they?
Photo 1. GFCI kitchen counter
The 2009 Canadian Electrical Code is peppered with references to, and requirements for ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs). For very good reasons, GFCIs have become prevalent throughout many sections of the electrical code. And usually without our knowledge, they have no doubt prevented many injuries and saved many lives. This article provides a summary of these CEC rules.
(No Ratings Yet)Stray Voltage — Catching What We Cannot See
Photo 1
“Where the cow won’t give milk anymore” is a standard lyric in old classic country songs; perhaps you’ve wondered why. Well, back in the early days many strange and downright bizarre occurrences happened on the farm, most of which were thought to be the product of superstition, bad living or old wives’ tales; but that was before modern measuring equipment, grounding methodologies, equipotential planes, voltage gradient ramps (transition areas) and ensuring a low-impedance path to ground. Let’s compare what many have believed and what modern principles of electricity have proven to be the real culprit and, in many cases, the reason for these strange and often devastating occurrences that plagued many livestock farms in the U.S. and throughout the world.
In this article we will look at some of the effects of stray voltage and then see how we can try to mitigate those effects through a good understanding of the many sources of stray voltage and of how those voltages interact, along with the different degrees of sensitivity of not only animals but also humans to the flow of electrical current.
(2 votes, average: 1.00 out of 5)Circuit breakers and old panelboard; will anything work?
Question
I have an old panelboard made by a company that was sold and no longer produces panelboards or circuit breakers under their old name. How do I find circuit breakers listed for use in the panel when the manufacturer is no longer in business, can I use any circuit breaker that fits?
(No Ratings Yet)When is the UL White Book published every year?
(No Ratings Yet)UL and Installations of Alternative Power Equipment?
Question
Does UL have any additional information available to AHJs or installers regarding installations of photovoltaic systems, wind turbines and other alternative power source equipment?
(No Ratings Yet)Unmasking Hidden Dangers
Despite more than two hundred years of avid domestication, electricity is neither docile nor submissive. Underneath, it remains wild, unyielding and deadly; daring any to unmask its hidden dangers. Unperceived and unsuspected, these dangers lie in concealment, without motion, for long periods of time before savagely attacking.
Then it is often too late. Identifying these dangers is one of our responsibilities. In the March/April issue, we’ve identified six of them…
(No Ratings Yet)Money tight?
Did you know that IAEI continues to work on your behalf to devise ways to save you money? Right on the home page of www.iaei.org, there is a link to “Exciting New Member Benefits” that opens up a whole world of money savings opportunities right at our fingertips.
I was able to take advantage right away, as I had recently planned a long weekend trip to North Carolina back at the beginning of February and was to able enjoy a 10% discount for two nights stay at a Ramada Inn. All I had to do was follow the links to my Member Benefits Program page and from there, open the door to limitless possibilities. After downloading the Wyndham Hotel Group savings card, I simply provided the coupon number when I made my reservations with the hotel. This provided an instant savings of $18! This really made me stop and think about how quickly I could recoup my annual membership dues, by simply taking advantage of these expanded benefits. A rather interesting concept when we consider the value we’re already receiving with IAEI membership.
As a longtime member, I have come to enjoy the invaluable resources IAEI membership provides, such as educational opportunities through seminars and publications, along with having a voice in the code development process, or networking with industry professionals, to name a few. While these are some of the more well-known benefits, I’m finding in my travels that members across the country are not aware of our expanded benefits. As a result, I plan to share the not-so-familiar benefits, but will also touch on the well-known benefits as well in the coming weeks.
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)PV Certification: Improving the Quality of Renewable Technology
TEMPE, AZ and NEWTOWN, CT/February 12, 2010 — In an important decision, Solar America Board for Codes and Standards (Solar ABCs, www.solarabcs.org ) recommended the adoption of IEC quality standards for all modules purchased in the U.S. marketplace.
The aim of this initiative is to improve the quality and reliability of the photovoltaic technology in the U.S. marketplace.
(No Ratings Yet)Intertek offers a complimentary seminar session on HAZLOC and EMC
Plano, TX, February 18, 2010 — Intertek, a global leader in testing, inspection and certification, will be hosting a complimentary seminar (including lunch and tour) on HAZLOC and EMC product requirements for U.S. and international markets. This seminar is pertinent if you are an engineer testing in potentially explosive environments or testing appliances, medical equipment, industrial, or telecom equipment for EMC. The half-day event will begin with HAZLOC presenters, Lisa-Marie Martin and Ryan Parks, followed by EMC presenters, William Cullen and Sadish Campbell.
(No Ratings Yet)Blog — Product Safety Incidents: “I told you so” just isn’t good enough!
Explosion and deaths in North Carolina from non-certified industrial machinery.
In 2004, the West Pharmaceutical plant exploded killing several people and injuring many more. The cause of the explosion was non-certified equipment operating in an area containing explosive dust. The incident was a tragedy that likely could have been avoided.
In the beginning, West Pharmaceutical opened the plant and got their certificate of occupancy (CO) after all the local inspections were complete. NC inspectors have been informed and vigilant for many years, so it’s likely that their equipment was initially inspected for the certification status (e.g., UL, CSA, MET, ETL, TUV, etc.). At some point, more machinery was added, maybe even without the need to pull an electrical permit. This is when the non-certified equipment was installed.
Sometime in 2002, representatives from our office visited West and asked the plant managers if the equipment used in the facility was all certified by third party agencies. The question was never answered, and they were plainly told, “We’re not interested.”
Around 2003, NC OSHA received a complaint and did an inspection of West. OSHA cited their usual litany of non-compliances, including machine guarding and some other wiring problems. There was no mention of non-certified equipment. OSHA had once again walked through a facility with blinders on when it came to the listing and labeling status of equipment.
The OSHA non-compliances were “corrected,” and then several months later the plant exploded, causing a personal, economic, and environmental disaster that is still under investigation. In 2004, a newspaper interview revealed non-certified equipment as the cause of the explosion (http://www.nciaei.org/section/pdfs/WestPharmUnapEquip.pdf).
But why wouldn’t West listen when the electrical safety experts asked them about their equipment? Most likely it was the cost, and a perception that the service was not necessary, that it was only an added expense. So… would you hesitate to consult your doctor about an important surgery because you suspect he’s making money from providing this service?
In electrical safety, we take criticism from people who don’t understand electrical hazards. What they don’t know is this: We may have already saved their lives with the correct building wiring and systems, with restaurant equipment that didn’t start a fire, with the paint booth or coating system that didn’t explode in their workplace, or with the medical equipment that didn’t electrocute them during a doctor or hospital visit.
Did we see any improvements after the West Pharmaceutical disaster? Ironically, even after all this, the NC Building Codes Council, the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce, the Catawba County Economic Development Council, ZF Lemforder’s attorney and the NC Legislature and Governor allowed an exemption of “Industrial Machinery” for building and electrical inspections. Maybe someday the families of the dead and injured employees of West will understand how our own government and special interest groups are working hard to allow another disaster like this one.
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Recent Comments