Switchgear Replacement (Real Life)

[jar546]

Condo High-Rise

Existing switchgear from 1958 needs to be replaced, as per the engineer and the electrical contractor. No parts available, gear won't turn off.

The existing location does not meet NEC 110.26(A) for workspace.

The existing location is now too low for the FEMA FIRMS as the BFE has changed over the decades.

The new gear can't be raised high enough to be compliant.

The new gear can't be installed in a way that complies with NEC 110.26(A)

The electrical room where the existing switchgear/service disconnects are is on the other side of the POCO vault, so the location of the electrical room is critical.

What do you do as the AHJ? There is a floodplain ordinance/FEMA rule that can't be complied with, along with an NEC compliance issue.

 

[steveray]

If it is not an increase in hazard (more Amps or worse clearance sort of) I say replace it in place as is...Flood gets weird...

 

[Joe.B]

What does your existing building code say in 115? Specifically, do you have:

[A] 115.5 Restoration or abatement. The structure or equipment determined to be unsafe by the code official is permitted to be restored to a safe condition. The owner, the owner's authorized agent, operator or occupant of a structure, premises or equipment deemed unsafe by the code official shall abate or cause to be abated or corrected such unsafe conditions either by repair, rehabilitation, demolition or other approved corrective action. To the extent that repairs, alterations or additions are made, or a change of occupancy occurs during the restoration of the structure, such repairs, alterations, additions or change of occupancy shall comply with the requirements of this code.

 

[walker.t]

My thoughts as a non-building official…

gear won't turn off

Sounds like the new equipment makes for a safer installation so that’s very desirable, even if it violates updated regulations.

The new gear can't be raised high enough to be compliant.

If “can’t” really means “can’t” and not “we just really don’t want to spend some extra money,” sounds like that can be considered technically infeasible, so exceptions to current regulations could be allowed.

I would wonder if there was a way to add some sort of flood protection to the electrical room (such as a flood gate at the door) but without the walls being sealed to avoid water working through the wall the flood gate only slightly delays the inevitable flooding of the room. And then if you did seal the walls from water intrusion you would have hydrostatic pressure pushing inward - can the walls resist that? Then there is even some amount of buoyant force acting upward on the “boat” of the room to make it float.

Do they make some kind of switching equipment that uses a float or sensor so that power can be shut off before reaching the equipment when water gets to a certain elevation in the room?

 

[jar546]

So the issue is that there may be an option for flood proofing the room to at least 1 foot above base flat elevation. The other issue is the working clearance that is a safety factor under the national electrical code.

Something that can be done could be they could simply build a structure adjacent to this and attach it to the building like a small addition and create a properly sized electrical room and turn the existing room into a wall full of junction boxes. Or do you just ignore all of the requirements and let them put it back to where it was and screw your entire community with their CRS rating through the NFIP?

 

[BN4537]

Make them put it on the roof (or on a balcony), mounted on a rack if there is no available wall. Conductors on secondary side of POCO transformer to be kept "outside of the building" per NEC 230.6. It will be expensive on a high rise, and won't really be immediately accessible to firefighters, but I think it would technically comply with the code.

In real life, I will do the best that can be done within the constraints of the site, including safeguards that improve the situation but may not be required or acknowledged by code, and then let go any requirements that I am personally convinced truly cannot be made to work. This type of situation is exactly where the discretion given to the building official by the code is really supposed to be used.

Something that can be done could be they could simply build a structure adjacent to this and attach it to the building like a small addition and create a properly sized electrical room and turn the existing room into a wall full of junction boxes.

If this is possible, I believe requiring that is entirely reasonable.

 

[steveray]

Here is how you could beat flood...
IEBC

[BS]503.2​

For buildings and structures in flood hazard areas established in Section 1612.3 of the International Building Code, or Section R322 of the International Residential Code, as applicable, any alteration that constitutes substantial improvement of the existing structure shall comply with the flood design requirements for new construction, and all aspects of the existing structure shall be brought into compliance with the requirements for new construction for flood design.

For buildings and structures in flood hazard areas established in Section 1612.3 of the International Building Code, or Section R322 of the International Residential Code, as applicable, any alterations that do not constitute substantial improvement of the existing structure are not required to comply with the flood design requirements for new construction.

 

[Paul Sweet]

A lot of coastal McMansions are built right up to the setback line, so there might not be space for a new electrical room, unless they put it upstairs in a living area.
Do FEMA regulations have a safe harbor to allow installations that met FEMA regulations when constructed to be continued even though the BFE might have been raised?

 

[jar546]

Here is how you could beat flood...
IEBC

[BS]503.2​

For buildings and structures in flood hazard areas established in Section 1612.3 of the International Building Code, or Section R322 of the International Residential Code, as applicable, any alteration that constitutes substantial improvement of the existing structure shall comply with the flood design requirements for new construction, and all aspects of the existing structure shall be brought into compliance with the requirements for new construction for flood design.

For buildings and structures in flood hazard areas established in Section 1612.3 of the International Building Code, or Section R322 of the International Residential Code, as applicable, any alterations that do not constitute substantial improvement of the existing structure are not required to comply with the flood design requirements for new construction.

Floodplain ordinances are more restrictive.