Electric fire pump transfer switch location

[DavidCR]

A high rise building whit one NFPA 20 electric fire pump, the pump is located in a pit beside the water tank in the lowest basement, the alternate power supply is the building diesel generator, which is big enough for the pump.

The automatic power transfer switch is not located in the pump room, but a flor above, in the main electric room cabinets. I´m not sure if it is listed for fire pump.

Does NFPA 20 allows the transfer switch to be located far from the pump room? I´m not an electric engineer and I got lost in the NFPA 20 terms about alternate power supply issues.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

 

[rbulsara]

Only authority to ask would be the local fire marshal.

Having said that, I have seen FP ATS in separate rooms in older installations, but do not recall any in new. If the feeder from ATS to the pump is a 2 hr rated fire enclosure AND protected from physical damage, it may be acceptable to your local FM.

Personally, I would strive to find a way to place it in or adjacent to the FP room, just to avoid liability.


Rafiq Bulsara

http://www.srengineersct.com

 

[cdafd]

DavidCR

new building??

new existing building??

older existing building??

 

[DavidCR]

It´s a new building under construction the fire water system is already installed.

The AHJ does not not know about it.

I think from the electric point of view it is a safer design, but in case a manual operation is needed, if it would be complicated to go to check to the transfer switch.???

 

[cdafd]

Not sure but do not think it has to be in the pump room, and do not remember seeing one in a pump room before.

have you asked the spinkler company installing it, they should know.


Not sure if this is what you are looking for:::

I think this is more if the place generates its on electric


A.9.2.3 An on-site electrical power production facility located on the premises served by the fire pump is considered an acceptable facility if it is in a separate power house or cut off from the main buildings. It can be used as one of the two sources of current supply. Where two sources are used with power transfer switches, see NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Article 695.

 

[cfibob3721]

A transfer switch isn't always required by NFPA 20 but where required or provided, transfer of power must occur within the pump room. See NFPA 20 - 10.8.2.1.1 Self-Contained Power Switching Assembly. Where the power transfer switch consists of a self-contained power switching assembly, such assembly shall be housed in a barriered compartment of the fire pump controller or in a separate enclosure attached to the controller and marked “Fire Pump Power Transfer Switch.”

 

[cdafd]

http://www.lake-shore-electric.com/catalog files/07507 Fire Pump Control.pdf

cfibob3721

I maybe geting the terms mixed up, been awhile since I did a pump.


Now is all this in the fire pump controller, which does have to be in the pump room??


see page 8

http://www.mastercontrols.com/Standards/ICS-14-2007.pdf