electric fire pump connection

[sparkyca]

If I connect a electric fire pump a head of the main my understanding is that satisfies a realiable source and I do not need generator backup for the fire pump. Is this correct? Thanks.

 

[davidbeach]

It depends. Your local fire marshal will have the definitive answer.

 

[EEJaime]

Any Fire Pump feeder is required to be reliable and thus cannot be fed with any overcurrent protective devices ahead of the device directly feeding the Fire Pump which complies with the provisions of Article 695 of the NEC,(assuming that is that you are in the USA-or by the CEC if your handle implies California). We were recently required by the City of LA to reconfigure a fire pump feed that had been in place for 20 years because we had to work on an emergency power system at the facility. This involved relocating the feeder tap ahead of the Main Normal Power service disconnect AND providing a feeding breaker ahead of the Emergency Power Distribution Switchboard so that a fault on the emergency system which would trip the Main Emergency Power Circuit Breaker, would still not trip the Fire Pump feeder.

I would recommend that you thoroughly review NEC Article 695 and even more closely NFPA 20-Chapter 6,"Electric Drive for Pumps" and then consult the local Fire Marshall and Electrical AHJ.

Good Luck

 

[peebee]

It's definitely up to your local AHJ. If your statment were true, they'd never sell any fire pump transfer switches.