Commercial Electrical Plan Review and AIC ratings

[jar546]

How many of you plan reviews ask for AIC rating information during plan review?

How many electrical contractors question designers on AIC when they see the prints or have meetings with the RDP?

How many inspectors ask for AIC info and check the equipment during inspections?

 

[ICE]

It depends on the area the project is located in. If it is SFR there's not much to know but commercial/industrial has to have it.....even temporary power poles.

Edison has an unusual set of rules for providing the AIC on paper. They charge a lot of money to do that. I'm not sure why but I suspect that if you ask for it in writing, they get it down to the amp and otherwise it is within the ballpark.

 

[raider1]

I require an available fault current study for every commercial plan.

I then verify that the fault current study is accurate and follow up with inspections to verify that the AIC rating of the OCPD's are correct and the SCCR rating of equipment is also correct.

A lot of people fail to look at SCCR ratings of equipment that does not contain overcurrent protective devices. Disconnects, Motor starters, Contactors and other equipment intended to carry current but not interrupt that current during a fault.

Chris

 

[Dennis]

In Durham, NC it cost a contractor big money as he had to redo his temp. service to meet the 50K rating of the power company transformer. Ouch

 

[rnapier]

Always ask and look. Here the utlities will give you a number at their transformer and you have to calculate the rest. I ask for the utility fax and calc results. I have had contractors make repairs after the fact either they did the work without permits first or they failed to follow the plans and repairs are expensive.