[RE-wrenches] NEC 480 - battery enclosure question

[Ray Walters]

110.11 Deteriorating Agents. Unless identified for use in
the operating environment,no conductors or equipment
shall be located in damp or wet locations; where exposed to
gases, fumes,vapors, liquids, or other agents that have a
deteriorating effect on the conductors or equipment; or
where exposed to excessive temperatures.
Informational Note No. 1: See 300.6 for protection against
corrosion.

110.18 Arcing Parts. Parts of electrical equipment that in
ordinary operation produce arcs, sparks, flames, or molten
metal shall be enclosed or separated and isolated from all
combustible material.

300.6 Has a lot of good info on corrosion that we in the solar biz 
should be all over, as well.

So that's 3 pretty specific code references.

Ray Walters

On 12/13/2011 7:03 PM, boB at midnitesolar.com wrote:
> On 12/13/2011 5:47 PM, Dan Fink wrote:
>> Esteemed Wrenches;
>> An email question from my recent Home Power article on charge 
>> controllers that I'm unsure of.
>> Does NEC specifically forbid mounting other gear, such as charge 
>> controllers, inside a battery enclosure? How about shunts?
>> It's not in 480 that I can see, and 480 doesn't seem to treat the 
>> interior of a battery enclosure as particularly explosive, because as 
>> per 480 it has to be adequately vented anyway.
>> Of course there are a zillion common-sense reasons not to actually DO 
>> that -- even an MX60 has a relay that can spark-- and of course 
>> corrosion on the controller terminals, circuit board, etc. Bad news 
>> all around and I never do it.  I learned this as an apprentice back 
>> in the 1990s, and I just don't do it. But I do put shunts in there 
>> sometimes...is this a no-no? The shunt terminals are brass, I've 
>> never seen any really nasty corrosion build up, but I'm quite curious.
>> BUT I'm wondering  if I'm missing something obvious in some other NEC 
>> section etc.
>>
>> Thanks in advance!
>>
>
>
> Hi Dan.   Nice article, BTW !
>
>
> The NEC doesn't say that you CAN do this, but it does not dis-allow it 
> either.
>
> It will come down to what the battery manufacturer says, is what we 
> have found.
>
> Sealed batteries are the only ones that can be mounted in a battery 
> box with
> arc and spark equipment.
>
> Look at UPS's that you buy from COSTCO for instance.  They are UL 
> listed, usually.
>
> boB
>
>
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