Electrical Shortz

Fire Pump Connections

Date: 01/2010 Author: Jim Pauley Document Number: 0100DB0707R01/10 Cedar Rapids, Iowa, USA www.schneider-electric.us/go/codes Keywords: Fire Pump, NEC, Switchboard, Switchgear, Taps

Many questions arise concerning how connections for fire pumps should be accommodated in power equipment products such as switchboards and switchgear. This document is intended to provide some insight from a codes and standards perspective to those connections.

Although this information is representative of the applicable codes and standards, there are instances where the user or engineer has received a waiver or special permission from local authorities for different arrangements. The key is to make sure that the customer needs are understood in each fire pump situation.

General Objective

NFPA 20 is the governing standard for centrifugal fire pumps. In addition to NFPA 20, NEC Article 695 contains requirements for the electrical installation portion of the fire pump. Relevant electrical portions of NFPA 20 are extracted to Article 695. In general, the electrical objective of NFPA 20 is to get power from the electric utility to the fire pump controller in a reliable manner with minimal (none, if possible) equipment, disconnects, or overcurrent protection. The rules also recognize a reliable utility connection (reliable is determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction) and where that cannot be obtained, an alternate source is to be supplied (usually a standby generator). The rules also recognize that it is not always feasible to come directly from the utility company transformer to the fire pump controller. Building design, fire pump location and ability to access the source of power are all issues that have an impact on how the power connection is made. Equipment manufacturers frequently receive requests to supply equipment (switchboards, panelboards, etc.) with a fire pump breaker. This request is generally at odds with the applicable codes and standards rules outlined below.
Situation #1When the switchboard or switchgear is the service equipment for the installation the following applies: 1. 695.3(A)(1) requires that the connection to the utility either be a separate service or be a tap ahead of the main service to the building. A. If the equipment were part of the separate service dedicated to the fire pump installation (this generally means that only one disconnect/overcurrent device is in the equipment) then the rules in 695.4(B) would govern the size of the overcurrent device. B. In the case of the tap ahead of the main service, key rules must be reviewed. 695.3(A)(1) only permits the tap to be made in the equipment, it does NOT allow the overcurrent device for the fire pump circuit to be part of the equipment. The tap in question must be made ahead of and not within the same cabinet, enclosure, or

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Fire Pump Connections

C. 695.3(A)(1) requires compliance with 230.82(5) that allows a tap ahead of the main, 230.82(5) also notes that this tap must terminate in a service disconnect and the tap is to be installed as a service entrance conductor. D. 695.3(A)(1) also requires that the separate piece of service equipment (as discussed in (C) above) must comply with the labeling requirements on 230.2 and the location requirements in 230.72(B). Specifically, 230.72(B) requires that the additional disconnecting means for the fire pump be installed remote from the one to six service disconnecting means for normal service to minimize the possibility of simultaneous interruption of supply. It is practically impossible to mount the fire pump breaker in the same switchboard or switchgear as the normal service and comply with the requirement that it be installed sufficiently remote from the other disconnects (See the figure shown below). Keep in mind that what is remote is determined locally and may be different from one jurisdiction to the next. E. 695.4(B)(3) makes it clear that the fire pump disconnect must be separate from other equipment. This text prohibits the fire pump disconnect from being in the same equipment that feeds loads other than the fire pump. 2. Where a single service is not considered reliable, a second source is required. This is typically a standby generator. In this case the automatic transfer must occur in transfer equipment approved for fire pump use. Generally this transfer switch will be a part of the fire pump controller. The addition of the generator does not negate the requirements for proper connection of the primary supply.

M Fire Pump Disc Tap in separate section Incoming Service

Balance of board (this is not intended to show how the switchboard is actually constructed)

To fire pump controller

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vertical switchboard section as the service disconnecting means. Generally a separate section must be supplied to accommodate the tap connection. This is often confused to allow the fire pump breaker to be part of the equipment, which is not the intent.

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Fire Pump Connections

Situation #2When the switchboard or switchgear is NOT the service equipment for the building the following applies: 1. The situation becomes more complicated. Generally, NFPA 20 (and consequently the NEC) does not allow a feeder to supply a fire pump. 695.3(B) and 695.3(B)(2) does recognize feeder sources for multibuilding campus style complexes. This is applicable in instances where a feeder supplies the building instead of the service (such is the case where the utility stops at the property line and the customer owns the distribution throughout the complex of buildings). Note that this is only permitted with approval of the authority having jurisdiction. 2. Even if permitted to be supplied by a feeder, the NEC does not allow the fire pump breaker to be part of the equipment. 695.4(B)(4) requires that the disconnect be located sufficiently remote from other buildingdisconnecting means that inadvertent operation at the same time would be unlikely. 695.4(B)(3) also is specific to state that the disconnecting means is not permitted to be mounted within equipment that feeds loads other than the fire pump.

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Fire Pump Connections Electrical Shortz

0100DB0707R01/10 01/2010

For More Information:

For more information on fire pump installations see the following references: 2008 NEC Article 695 NFPA 20 Standard for Centrifugal Fire Pumps

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http://www.schneider-electric.us/support/codes-and-standards/codes-standards-technical-library1/product-documentation

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Electrical Shortz are produced by the Schneider Electric North America Codes and Standards Group. These documents provide general guidance on a specific issue. Circumstances regarding particular installation issues may need furter consideration. 20082010 Schneider Electric All Rights Reserved