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Can I route sprinkler pipe over electrical equipment?
Today we are going to cover a common issue around electrical panels – Fire Sprinkler Pipe and the Dedicated Electrical Zone. NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code, is adopted in all fifty US States and is used internationally. NFPA 70 establishes the rules related to dedicated space for electrical equipment, which governs here. NFPA 70 REQUIREMENTS The 2023 NFPA 70 Section 110.26 Subsection E defines that all service equipment, switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, and motor control centers shall be located in dedicated spaces and protected from damage. For indoor installations (where we typically run across coordination between electrical systems and sprinkler pipe), these locations shall comply with NFPA 70 Section 110.26(E) (1)(a) through (E)(1)(d). a. Dedicated Electrical Space. The space equal to the width and depth of the equipment and extending from the floor to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) above the equipment or to the structural ceiling, whichever is lower, shall be dedicated to the electrical installation. No piping, ducts, leak protection apparatus, or other equipment foreign to the electrical installation shall be located in this zone. With the exception of: Suspended ceilings with removable panels shall be permitted within that 6-ft (1.8 m) zone. b. Foreign Systems. The area above the dedicated space required by Section 110.26(E)(1)(a) shall be permitted to contain foreign systems, provided protection is installed to avoid damage to the electrical equipment from condensation, leaks, or breaks in such foreign systems. c. Sprinkler Protection. Sprinkler protection shall be permitted for the dedicated space where the piping complies with this section. d. Suspended Ceilings. A dropped, suspended, or similar ceiling that does not add strength to the building structure shall not be considered a structural ceiling. WHY? Any drips or leaks that can fall by means of gravity onto the electrical panel or equipment can cause faults, damage, or unsafe conditions. Now also let’s take a moment to consider electrical panelboards, switchgear, or motor control centers. There can be many conduits leading in and out of the electrical equipment and having dedicated space allows enough room to transition around the other engineered systems of the building. NFPA 70 states foreign systems installed directly above the dedicated space reserved for electrical equipment are required to include protective equipment that ensures that occurrences such as leaks, condensation, and even breaks do not damage the electrical equipment located below. Sprinkler protection is permitted for the dedicated space. But the sprinkler or other suppression system must have piping that complies with Section 110.26(E)(1). WHAT DOES THIS MEAN? Sprinkler protection is allowed for the dedicated electrical space, but the pipes are required to meet the same requirements as any other foreign system. So, they need to be located above the 6-foot clearance mark and the piping is required to meet the requirements of Section 110.26 (E) in NFPA 70. But think, the piping for the sprinkler system is required to have a means of protection from drips or leaks and this could mean that the piping is accompanied by drip pans or shields which can complicate your design even further by causing obstructions to the sprinkler spray pattern and this just introduces another challenge to your design. WHAT OPTIONS DO WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS? Well, we can route the pipe in front or around the electrical equipment. This is often the best and easiest approach to comply with these requirements. One strategy is to route the pipe above the walkable portions of an electrical room and route the pipe to enter the room from above the door. The pipe essentially is only routed above walkable pathways. In this type of arrangement, the pipe wouldn’t be located within the dedicated space above a panel, switchgear, motor control center, or any other piece of standalone or wall-mounted electrical equipment. That’s our ideal situation, and perhaps our typical situation. But what if we have to run above electrical equipment? Perhaps there’s no other path but to run above electrical equipment. Well there is a less-preferred option, which would be to detail and provide a drip pan. Providing a drip pan would be one potential way to avoid damage to electrical equipment to meet Section 110.26(E)(1)(b). Drip pans can be relatively basic, like sheet metal with raised edges like a box, and could even be equipped with water sensing alarms. The intent here is to have a way of preventing any drips from the pipe from reaching the electrical equipment. With drip pans, we should consider where the pan slopes and where water goes when it leaves the pan. Can we slope it away from electrical equipment? Is it built to fill, or is it just drip out away from electrical equipment? Drip pans only add more cost and coordination to a job; that’s why they’re less-preferred than avoiding sprinkler pipe above a panel to begin with. What other possibilities are there? Could you route pipe around the room entirely? Use only sidewall sprinklers to serve the room? Possibly – that all would depend on the exact situation. SUMMARY So, can I route sprinkler pipe over electrical equipment? Yes, you could, but that approach would not in and of itself comply with NFPA 70. The best-case situation is to avoid routing pipe above electrical equipment altogether. It’s the cleanest, simplest way to comply with NFPA 70. One alternative approach, when it can’t be avoided, would be to provide a drip pan below sprinkler pipe but above the electrical equipment to avoid damage to the equipment from condensation, leaks, or breaks in the suppression system. In our next segment, we’ll cover when sprinklers are required in electrical rooms. I’m Ben Brooks, this is MeyerFire University.
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