The circuit(s) for the lighting and receptacles must be dedicated to the elevator area only. Additional branch circuits are to supply other utilization equipment not covered above. Flexible cords and cables that are components of listed equipment and used in circuits operating at 30 V (42 VDC) or less are permitted in lengths not to exceed 6 ft., provided the cords and cables are supported and protected from physical damage and are of a jacketed and flame-retardant type. He had been with Eaton (Cutler-Hammer and Bussmann) since 1993 and specializes in training on the design and application of overcurrent protective devices and equipment in electrical distribution systems in accordance with the National Electrical Code and equipment in accordance with the various product standards. It is also worth mentioning that the stated purpose of the NEC is the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity. Section 620.37 re-emphasizes that only wiring used in connection with the elevator is permitted within the hoistway, machine room, control room/machinery space or control space. By subscribing, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement. When the elevator car is at the top landing, it is the length of cable as measured from the point of suspension on the car to the bottom of the loop. The drain or sump pump discharge shall be into the sanitary or storm drainage system through an indirect waste connection. 2.2.6.1 This switch shall be so located as to be acces-sible from the pit access door. With heavy use on a hot day, the oil can overheat, causing elevator shutdown. In Part One of this series (ELEVATOR WORLD, April 2012), we began an examination of National Electrical Code (NEC) 2011 mandates for elevators and related equipment installations. As such, elevator controller manufacturers should make the effort to rethink their designs to avoid costly system design changes. However, it is likely that for many elevator controllers, this may not be high enough for the available fault current where they will eventually be installed. Elevator travel is far safer than an automobile trip, and the chance of experiencing disaster is on the order of being struck by lightning in ones own backyard. For this reason, the NEC provides for adequate working space around electrical equipment that may need to be serviced. You'll be responsible for specifying the items related to the fire alarm and some controls, as well as supplying lighting and power to the equipment room and elevator pit. [emailprotected] It is further specified the machine-room lighting switch be located at the point of entry. Have wiring identified for use in wet locations in accordance with the requirements in NFPA 70. We shall now take a look at the principle requirements of Article 620, with particular emphasis on wiring requirements for elevator shafts, machine rooms and cars. It is further stressed that no provision is to be made to open or close the disconnecting means from any other part of the premises. The disconnecting means is to be an externally enclosed, operable, fused motor circuit switch or circuit breaker capable of being locked in the open position. Accordingly, for this application, the minimum size is reduced to 20 AWG for lighting circuits. These conductors may be covered with suitable shielding for telephone, audio, video or higher-frequency communications circuits. The disconnecting means is to be in the machine room or similar location, with provision for being locked in the open position. These are part of Article 725, Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 Remote-Control, Signaling, and Power-Limited Circuits. It is worth noting that these NEC terms, used throughout Article 620, have been chosen to correlate with A17.1-2007 usage. When you consider that an elevator is an enclosed room with one or more doors that people voluntarily enter so they may travel hundreds of feet up or down, several observations are in order. Main feeders that supply elevator power must be kept outside the hoistway unless one of the following applies: Feeders for elevators are permitted within an existing hoistway (provided they are not spliced within the hoistway) by special permission of the AHJ. Doors must open in the direction of travel and be equipped with panic bars, pressure plates or other devices that are normally latched but open under simple pressure. If the disconnecting means is an integral part of the motor controller, it is to be operable without requiring opening of the enclosure. Follow the manufacturers instructions and precautions. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. The architect has a choice of either traction or hydraulic elevators. In hoistways not longer than 6 ft., these additional wiring methods are permitted: A sump or oil-recovery pump located in the pit is permitted to be cord connected. Such cable groups are to be supported at intervals not over 3 ft. and located so as to be protected from physical damage. Pits shall be maintained in a clean and dry condition. z, /|f\Z?6!Y_o]A PK ! z!0: - [Content_Types].xml ( n0EUb*>-RxV=QUAl"93dFk%Y?l}MGDV However, space is frequently limited within the shaft and as such many ancillary components (shunt trip circuit breakers, fused disconnects) may need to be located outside of the elevator shaft. Years may lapse between the design and installation stages of a project. First, you'll need to install lighting in the elevator equipment room (Photo 1) and shaft pit (Photo 2). It is important to note, that these selective coordination tables can indicate a lack of selective coordination at a given fault current for circuit breakers that do not show overlap on the time-current curves of the circuit breakers. Fireman telephone jacks and telephone cabling are typically sufficient for each of these locations. However, when I've put in elevators, NEC seems to always take a back seat to ANSI, which seems . The floor specified as the designated landing, which must be approved by the Fire Marshal, is usually the floor on grade level so passengers can quickly exit to the outside. He has focused on writing since 2006, having written for such magazines as ELEVATOR WORLD, Electrical Construction and Maintenance, Cabling Business, Electrical Business, Nuts and Volts, PV Magazine, Electrical Connection, Solar Connection, Solar Industry Magazine, Fine Homebuilding Magazine and Engineering News. As mentioned, traditional installations of a traction or hydraulic elevator include a separate machine room. NEC Guidelines on Commercial Garages. Dec. 21, 2010. The AHJ is saying that this is a violation of 620.23. Accordingly, the supply wires are protected only for short circuit, and the overload protection is provided closer to the motor. You must locate this key switch at the main lobby or at the building fire command center. Metallic articles: Remove metallic articles such as watches, chains, bracelets, earrings, belt buckles and keychains before troubleshooting. NEC has a further note that the term wheelchair lift has been changed to platform lift.. Cables used in Class 2 power-limited circuits are permitted between risers and signal equipment and operating devices, provided they are supported and protected from physical damage and are of the jacketed and flame-retardant type. Within cars, these additional wiring methods are permitted: The following additional wiring methods are permitted on the car assembly in lengths not exceeding 6 ft.: Within machine rooms, these additional wiring methods are permitted: The following wiring methods are permitted on the counterweight assembly in lengths not to exceed 6 ft.: Having looked at NEC 2011 mandates for elevator and related equipment installations, we will cover wiring methods, overcurrent protection, grounding and other related NEC provisions in part two of this series , running in the April 2012 issue of ELEVATOR WORLD. In these installations, it is best to design the elevator controller so the elevator controller SCCR is adequate for the available fault current. Loss of voltage to the control circuit for the disconnecting means shall cause a supervisory signal to be indicated at the control unit and required remote annunciation. (Cross-sectional areas of conductors are given in Chapter 9, Tables 5 through 8. Each of these performs a different function, and the wiring mandates vary accordingly. Performance & security by Cloudflare. The most complex of these is the elevator. These 29 CFR 1910.146 (c) (8) requirements are: For just $7.99 per month, you can gain access to more than 5,000 articles from all Elevator World Publications, this includes EW Global, EW Europe, EW India, EW Middle East, EW Turkey, and EW UK. NEC Article 620 Part IV, Installation of Conductors, contains key mandates for elevator wiring. The vast majority of equipment serving the elevator is located within this room (i.e., elevator controller). NEC Article 620 covers elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, moving walks, platform lifts and stairway chairlifts. Fuses: Verify that the correct size, type and capacity are installed. Generally, it is decreed that the supply voltage is not to exceed 300 V between conductors (allowing for the familiar 240-V concept), although there are exceptions. Supports for cables or raceways in a hoistway or in an escalator or moving-walk wellway or platform lift and stairway chairlift runway must be securely fastened to the guide rail, escalator or moving-walk truss, or to the hoistway, wellway or runway construction. The electrical conductors and equipment for non-mine elevators that extend below grade are under NEC jurisdiction. Even though Edison grasped the basic ideas of fusing and overcurrent protection, many hazards remained. Traditionally, the electrical system design engineer has given little attention to the elevator controller. This may be countered by providing good machine-room ventilation. hbbd```b``+3dL `Y[gw9`RLJO*A$w$@L`F*{|0 P These are covered for generic, non-elevator specific use in earlier articles, 376 and 378, in Chapter 3, Wiring Methods and Materials. Limit switches placed throughout the height of the shaft communicate with the controller and stop the cab at each landing. Hydraulic elevators are typically more cost effective and used for buildings up to 5-6 stories. I've never run into this before. Part III, Wiring, looks at the types of wiring that may be installed in hoistways, cars, machine rooms and related spaces. High-rise buildings pose additional concerns. Requirements for commercial garages per the National Electrical Code. The feeder OCPD needs to remain closed so the remaining elevators have power and continue to function. Moreover, because motors have a higher starting current than other loads, the overcurrent protection protocol is unique to them and somewhat counterintuitive. Marking the elevator controller short-circuit current rating (SCCR) by the elevator controller manufacturer. So, we see that for elevator work, greater fill is allowed. Other building loads, such as power and lighting, may function as the energy absorbing means, provided these loads are automatically connected to the emergency or standby power system operating the elevators and large enough to absorb the regenerative power. This is especially true in an elevator shaft where measures have to be taken to ensure that a hazardous situation is not created. But by understanding how these items fit together and what purpose they serve, you can have a successful project. A few years later, in 1880, Werner von Siemens built the first electric elevator, setting the stage for a new industry that would change the world by making the practical use of tall buildings possible. It employs specialists in Mobile, Alabama, and has technical and news correspondents around the world. These are: remote machine room and control room (for elevator and dumbwaiter), and remote machinery space and control space (for elevator and dumbwaiter). The main impetus for the creation of the NEC in the closing years of the 19th century was the collective anguish experienced by insurance underwriters who were losing vast amounts of money due to liability and physical damage claims resulting from Edisons electrification of, first, Lower Manhattan and then the world. Other requirements: Spa's and Hot Tubs 1996 NEC 15-20 Amp 120 volt Receptacle Requirements for Dwelling units: All outdoor The simplest option is to use a shunt trip circuit breaker in either the feeder supplying the elevator or the elevator disconnect. Three wiring categories within hoistways are allowed in addition, each with exceptions. A separate 120VAC, 15A circuit is required for cab lighting and accessories, and it must have its own local disconnect and OCPD in the equipment room as well. Article 511 provides the requirements for commercial garages areas used for the storage or repair of self-propelled vehicles that use combustibles (liquid or gas) for power. Hazards created by water, snow or condensation in the work area can cause slips, falls and accidental contact. It is stated that traveling cables are to be suspended at the car and hoistway ends, or counterweight end where applicable, so as to reduce the strain on the individual copper conductors to a minimum. Where necessary, it is mandated that suitable guards be provided to protect the cables against damage. The pump sends hydraulic fluid from the reservoir to the cylinder, buried deep below the elevator shaft. 68 | WWW.ELEVATORWORLD.COM | June 2012 Continuing Education . Click to reveal or larger, not over 6 ft. in length. In contrast to the lighting, these receptacles must be connected to GFCI devices. Flexible cords and cables in lengths not to exceed 6 ft. of a flame-retardant type and located to be protected from physical damage are permitted in machine rooms without being installed in a raceway. You need to Subscribe to continuing reading. Where voltages exceed 600, a sign reading DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE is required. Thus, the need for door interlock functionality is recognized. A single dedicated receptacle supplying a permanently installed sump pump does not have to be a GFCI type. But the lights don't have to be in the pit itself. 4.0 (2 Reviews) (2) CLAIMED . N _rels/.rels ( j0@QN/c[ILj]aGzsFu]U ^[x 1xpf#I)Y*Di")c$qU~31jH[{=E~ NEC 620.62 requires the elevator disconnecting means (fused switch or circuit breaker) to selectively coordinate with all supply-side overcurrent devices. The branch circuit supplying these units is to be similarly dedicated, with the associated overcurrent device located in the machine room or similar location. EazyLift Elevators, Stairlifts, Wheelchair Lifts & Ramps. As always, the best advice in all instancesdo your homework, communicate often, and document decisions made. A raceway that comes loose on the inside of a hoistway could catch on a moving car, causing immense damage and hazard to users. All rights reserved. A section on branch circuits for car lighting, receptacles, ventilation, heating and air-conditioning contains a number of important provisions. Because they need to move and flex, traveling cables are not required to be in a raceway. tC|[S9G?+uJP>&/TOy o PK ! The demand factor ranges from 1.00 for one elevator on a single feeder to 0.72 for 10 or more elevators on a single feeder. In all cases, the working space must permit at least a 90 opening of equipment doors or hinged panels. Related Code Sections 802.1.8 Indirect/Special Waste, Elevator Pit Drain or Sump Pump The action you just performed triggered the security solution. Next, with multiple elevator banks, the controller will usually allow only one elevator at a time to operate, reducing the amount of emergency power required. Additionally, duty on elevator and dumbwaiter motors is rated as intermittent, whereas duty on escalator and moving-walk motors is considered continuous. Traveling cables are to be supported by one of these means: Looping the cables around supports for unsupported lengths less than 100 ft. Hard-service cords are permitted only as flexible connections for the top-of-car operating device or the car-top work light. Something went wrong. He also required GFCI protection for the hard-wired sump pump that did not require it. For example, it is stated that the cross-sectional area of the individual conductors in a wireway are not to exceed 50% of the interior cross-sectional area of the wireway. This is something that can be easily accomplished if the elevator controller manufacturer uses components in combination with overcurrent protective devices that are tested and listed with high combination SCCRs. Use the below learning-reinforcement questions to study for the Continuing Education Assessment Exam available online at www.elevatorbooks.com or on page 81 of this issue. Which equipment requires a separate branch circuit in the elevator car? Is lighting required to be GFCI protected in the machine room? Where is the lighting switch to be located in the machine room? What is the maximum raceway conductor fill in an elevator hoistway? How many disconnecting means are required for an elevator power supply? The condition is that all conductors must be insulated for the maximum voltage applied to any conductor within the cables or raceway system, and all live parts of the equipment must be insulated from ground for this maximum voltage. charlie b. : inspecting; troubleshooting; observing; etc.) NEC Article 620 contains numerous other disconnect provisions, which must be carefully scrutinized prior to design work so the installation is compliant. Marking the available short-circuit (fault) current on the controller by the equipment installer. You are a subscriber that needs to Sign In. The proposals resulted in adding new requirements in the 2017 NEC for: Marking the elevator controller short-circuit current rating (SCCR) by the elevator control-ler manufacturer. Be sure to provide a horn/strobe alarm in large equipment rooms because they can be noisy, isolated places. Additionally, ampacities of the individual conductors and flame-retardant properties of the overall cable are important factors. These must also be insulated for the maximum voltage applied to any conductor within the cable or raceway system. Always verify all conditions and requirements with the state and the AHJ where the installation is taking place. Traction elevators are typically faster and more energy efficient than hydraulic elevators, and are often used for high-rise buildings. We generally think of the 19th century as the great age of building codes. Reinforcing NEC 110.3(B) and NEC 110.10 to require the elevator controller marked SCCR to be equal to or greater than the calculated and It is noted that the article covers the installation of electrical equipment and wiring for elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, moving walks, platform lifts and stairway chairlifts. Section 620.62, Selective Coordination, is central to multi-elevator installations and must be closely observed. [emailprotected] NEMA 4 : All electrical equipment, located less than 1225 mm (48 in.) Car air-conditioning and heating units 3. Section 620.43, Location of and Protection for Cables, provides that traveling cable supports are to be located so as to reduce the possibility of damage due to the cables coming in contact with the hoistway construction or equipment in the hoistway to a minimum. For just $7.99 per month, you can gain access to more than 5,000 articles from all Elevator World Publications, this includes EW Global, EW Europe, EW India, EW Middle East, EW Turkey, and EW UK. Weight (passengers, freight, car and attendant machinery) may be fairly substantial, and speed is significant. This room is to be secured against unauthorized access (kept locked). 354 Morgan Ave. ), advise the building owner to correct the condition. q!^mDtsnEX3_ shvqu+X9@w3gSj`g Some elevator controller manufacturers believe this is an issue for the electrical system designer and installer to address and remedy by adding impedance to the system for lowering the available fault current. Conductors supplying a single motor controller are to have an ampacity not less than the motor controller nameplate current rating plus all other connected loads. (All intentionally grounded elements must be held at equal potential.) The fan should be on a dedicated circuit. It employs specialists in Mobile, Alabama, and has technical and news correspondents around the world. Corporate Office 2. If the smoke detector at the designated landing goes into alarm, the elevator will stop at a predetermined alternate floor, which is usually the floor above the designated floor. Traction elevators are typically installed in a bank of elevators where fused switches, or circuit breakers in a panelboard are located in the machine room serving the bank of elevators. Examples of PPE that may be appropriate are non-conductive eye protection, clean leather or fire-resistant gloves, and natural-fiber or fire-resistant-rated long-sleeved shirts and pants, or fire-resistant-rated long-sleeved coveralls. The party responsible for procuring the elevator control panel must state the minimum acceptable SCCR or the maximum available fault current where the controller will be installed. Lights and convenience outlets in elevator pits shall be installed to comply with the requirements of CCR, Title 24, Part 3, Article 620. These are the principle NEC 2011 Article 620 mandates. Use Underwriters Laboratories or Canadian Standards Association-labeled scopes tested for 1,000 V. Lockout/tagout: When troubleshooting is complete and further work can be accomplished without the equipment being energized, follow the lockout/tagout procedures in Section 7 of the. It states an elevator is permitted to be run by an emergency or standby power system. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. For platform lifts and stairway chairlifts, the duty is intermittent. The disconnecting means must disconnect the elevator from the emergency, standby and normal power systems. The code notes that elevator rails or other hoistway equipment are not to be used as the grounding conductor for lightning-protection systems. Article 620 follows this pattern by opening, in Section I, General, with a statement of scope and definitions applicable to the topic under consideration. The surest means of avoiding an arc-flash hazard is to lockout and tagout the electrical service to a controller. Freight Elevator Door Control: An Opportunity for Wireless Technology. 836 Troy Schenectady Road ; Latham, NY 12110 . In a time when increasing value is placed on even small amounts of real estate, elevator design must strive to configure, efficiently control and drive elements to whatever degree possible, and that is the thinking behind some alternate locations for these structures. Elevator motors are inherently intermittent duty. Furthermore, at least one 125-V, single-phase, 15- or 20-amp duplex receptacle is to be provided in each machine room or similar location. Nevertheless, the primary NEC focus is on elevators, and the intention is to mitigate the hazards associated with the use of electricity. Here are 23 ways that both chapters and the national office can meet todays major challenge of making members feel valued, IAEIs Online Training allows you to learn at your own pace or live with an expert instructor, from the comfort of your laptop or PC. From the website: Mohawk Lifts offers car lifts and auto lifts for purchase, including 2 post lifts, 4 post lifts, storage lifts, heavy duty mobile column lifts, parallelogram lifts, and other specialty items. My reasoning comes from 620.24 (A) and (C). The fan should be on a dedicated circuit. Something went wrong. These requirements, found in Article 620 (part of Chapter 6, Special Equipment), are in addition to NEC Chapters 1-3, which stipulate general wiring protocols applicable in most residential, commercial and industrial venues. The basic rule for conductor fill of a metal wireway, as given in Article 376, is that the sum of the cross-sectional areas of all contained conductors at a cross section of a wireway is not to exceed 20% of the interior cross-sectional area of the wireway. endstream endobj 954 0 obj <. Of particular importance is the location of the disconnecting means so it can be found by an individual who may not be familiar with the installation. In order to aid enforcement, the panel additionally required marking the available fault current at the elevator controller. Described below are several work practices that may be used to reduce arc-flash hazards when working on energized equipment: David Herres holds a New Hampshire Master Electricians license and has worked as an electrician in the northern part of that state for many years. The same figure applies to nonmetallic wireways. Traditional wiring methods and materials come into play, as always, but it is necessary to rethink their deployment. Traveling cables are to be approved for hazardous locations and must comply with the appropriate sections for each hazardous-location class that covers use of flexible cords. As stated in Section 7 of the Elevator Industry Field Employees Safety Handbook: Unless it is not feasible, (i.e. If you can illuminate the pit using lights that are "above the top of the pit" (whatever that . This is typically accomplished via a shunt trip device. Cross-sectional areas of conduits are given in Chapter 9, Table 4. Conductors supplying a single power transformer are to have an ampacity not less than the nameplate current rating of the power transformer plus all other connected loads. +;-mka|7! On existing or listed equipment, conductors are permitted to be grouped together and taped or corded without being installed in a raceway. Another location that requires a separate branch circuit for lighting and receptacle(s) is the hoistway pit. Please check your entries and try again. GET YOUR CEUS TODAY, 1998-2021. Similarly, motor branch-circuit short circuit and ground-fault protection must be as required in Article 430, Part IV, for all motors. or larger is permitted to be installed in lengths in excess of 6 ft. Where motor-generators, machine motors or pumping-unit motors and valves are located adjacent to or underneath control equipment and provided with extra-length terminal leads not exceeding 6 ft. in length, such leads are permitted to be extended to connect directly to controller terminal studs without regard to carrying-capacity requirements. Machine room-less elevator installations incorporate the elevator controller and often the primary disconnecting means in a convenient package that is located within the elevator shaft. 974 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<64E135C225F1064D91BC8119D14516A9>]/Index[953 36]/Info 952 0 R/Length 105/Prev 204101/Root 954 0 R/Size 989/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream With these new NEC requirements, there is now the potential that an elevator controller SCCR may be required thats higher than what elevator manufacturers have historically furnished. C.1.4 ELEVATOR PIT REQUIREMENTS 1. Such vehicles include, but are not . 2.2.2.6 . 23.254.250.15 Personal protective equipment (PPE): Use appropriate PPE to protect body parts within the range of 3-16 in. Where a feeder powers more than one elevator, you need selective coordination; the OCPDs must be series-designed so a fault at one of the elevators will be cleared by only the OCPD serving it. Therefore, there will be two signals to the elevator control panel related to smoke detectors: one from the designated floor smoke detector and another combined signal from the smoke detectors at the other lobby landings and in the equipment room. Motors for traction elevators were traditionally DC or synchronous, but new installations use AC motors and VFDs for speed control. After such an event, it is important that the affected worker is able to escape the area and get to help. If a smoke detector goes into alarm, it signals the elevator to go into Fire Recall Function, at which point the controller directs the elevator cab to travel to its pre-programmed designated landing, open its doors, and remain stopped there until the alarm clears. Hydraulic elevator installations are typically supplied from the main switchboard and have an elevator fused switch or circuit breaker in the machine room that serves as the elevator disconnect. You need to Subscribe to continuing reading. Pit drainage must be designed to eliminate a minimum capacity of 3,000 gallons per hour (or 50 GPM) per elevator car. In some cases, it may require a means to test the shunt trip operation or have one contact operate the shunt trip of more than one elevator. (f) Illumination of Pits. They must be in enclosures with doors or removable panels that can be locked in the closed position. Hint: Duct Tape to the Rescue, NEC: Air Conditioning and Refrigerating Equipment Part 5. -inch conduit is needed to the sump pump.