definition of electrical equipment per 110.26

[Noodles]

On a new hospital job site where we are debating if a BMS cabinet that houses a small 120/24 vac 100va output xfmr and a 24v input/output board is qualified as electrical equipment per 110.26 that requires clear working space. IMO I say no, In my career I have seen these cabinets shoe horned into an array of tight spots an never has an IOR questioned it. I have always understood the code to require working space for distribution equipment, panelboards, disco's, VFD's and even motors. Usually a BMS box would just need to be accessible but not require the space described in 110.26. Any one else ever debate this or have further insight?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The only issue I can say is that if the equipment needs regular servicing then I see it as needing to comply with 110.26. Some members feel if there is OVERCURRENT PROTECTIVE DEVICE involved then it should comply.

 

[Volta]

I would say that it could be considered unlikely that the 120 volt primary would be examined while energized, this would not require 110.26 clearances. Especially if the primary had leads rather that terminals, and no primary OCPD is present.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

This is a problem with the code rule in 110.26. It uses the term equipment and that includes almost everything electrical. As far as if it is likely to be worked on or examined while energized, if it is likely that the "equipment" can fail in some manner, then in my opinion, it is likely to be examined while energized.

 

[iwire]

This is a problem with the code rule in 110.26. It uses the term equipment and that includes almost everything electrical. As far as if it is likely to be worked on or examined while energized, if it is likely that the "equipment" can fail in some manner, then in my opinion, it is likely to be examined while energized.

Likely but not required to be. Both words are used in 110.26.

 

[Volta]

This is a problem with the code rule in 110.26. It uses the term equipment and that includes almost everything electrical. As far as if it is likely to be worked on or examined while energized, if it is likely that the "equipment" can fail in some manner, then in my opinion, it is likely to be examined while energized.

Yes, it could be written better. I would say that a receptacle is likely, without defining the word anyhow, to be examined while energized at some point in its life. But with the phrase "equipment operating at 600 volts, nominal, or less to ground", I think we can at least exclude all items that are not reasonably considered to "operate" at a voltage, such as boxes, conduits, GECs, etc. I also expect that nobody has ever been turned down for installing an under-cabinet light that "is likely" to have a lamp changed while energized, though the text may support a red tag.

A list of exclusions ending with 'or similar' sure would be helpful.

Likely but not required to be. Both words are used in 110.26.

True. But in very different ways. "Likely" is certainly describing the situation at hand, but "required" is simply allowing other Code sections to overrule or perhaps even underrule 110.26(A), (B), or (C).

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Likely but not required to be. Both words are used in 110.26.

What exactly does "required" mean in that code section? I have no idea and I don't think CMP 1 does either.