Two different emergency power sources in same building

[storeytime]

I am working on a lab at a hospital that was brought in as a modular building. It is a 6 section modular. It has it's own generator for emergency power and it's own service. (1PH, 120/240) When it was brought in there was only going to be a covered walkway between the main building (Main service with its own generator for emergency power, 3PH, 120/208).

Now, they made a permanent structure between the two buildings, connecting them with the middle area being used as a waiting area. The waiting room feeds off of the main building power.

The lab is bringing in more equipment than initially anticipated and if they bring in any more, I'm concerned that the load may exceed the generator's capabilities.

Can an emergency power source be brought in from the main hospital's emergency system and used in the lab as long as there is a clearly labeled disconnecting means at the entrance point of the lab, and clearly labeled face plates where this equipment is located, along with any junction boxes?

So, why did they bring in a different kind of service and a generator so small? Because this was going to be a less permanent situation than it ended up being. They didn't need or want 3 phase. They already had the generator at another location, so they were trying to utilize what they had.

I have been checking the NEC all day and can't find a definite answer, or at least one that I'm clear on.

 

[charlie b]

I think the answer is yes you can do this. 230.2(A) says that additional services can be brought to a building for the list of things that follows. It does not say you can only bring one of each. It says "additional services," plural. I would wonder, though, whether you are really talking about "emergency" equipment, as opposed to "optional standby." Both are allowed, but I just wonder if you are using the right term.

As to the extra disconnect and labels, they seem to me to be good ideas. But I don't think the NEC would require them. You are dealing with different rooms within the same building now. So you don't need a special disconnect at the wall of what used to be a separate building.

 

[storeytime]

I wasn't sure about that either. The reason is that if the power went down while they were testing samples, they would lose the samples.

There is going to initially be one mass spectrometer (240, 30A). Now they're going to bring in two more in the future. They tell me these can't go down because of loss of samples.

They also have refrigeration that can't go down, as well as some other analyzer equipment that can't go down with the samples in them. The lighting has battery packs.

 

[GoldDigger]

Is a generator going to pick up fast enough for the instruments, or do they just need power for a longer period than their UPS can sustain?

 

[storeytime]

Is a generator going to pick up fast enough for the instruments, or do they just need power for a longer period than their UPS can sustain?

I'm pretty sure the generator will pick up fast enough.

 

[GoldDigger]

I'm pretty sure the generator will pick up fast enough.

Unlike a motor, the power supply for instrument electronics will usually sense a power failure and do a controlled or uncontrolled shutdown in less than a second. I do not know of any generator that can start that fast.

 

[storeytime]

I will check into that today. Thanks.

 

[storeytime]

The equipment has a UPS that is it's first line of defense in case of loss of power. The lab people tell me they are good for 2 hours.

 

[GoldDigger]

The equipment has a UPS that is it's first line of defense in case of loss of power. The lab people tell me they are good for 2 hours.

That is what I expected to hear. Sounds good.
They would only lose samples if a run takes longer than 2 hours or if they decide to keep on working routinely while on the UPS.