[RE-wrenches] NEC 480 - battery enclosure question

[jay peltz]

Hi Dan

OK I'll bite.
1. By mechanical do you mean passive or active air movement?

2. If by hazardous you mean a hydrogen explosion, correct?

Thanks

Jay 

Peltz power








Sent from my iPad

On Dec 14, 2011, at 4:46 PM, <dan at foxfire-energy.com> wrote:

> I've mentioned it in the past, and got the impression it went over like a fart in church, but it seems to me buttoning up a battery box tighter than a bull's ass in fly season, and (hoping) mechanical ventilation mitigates this creation of a hazardous environment creates a Class I, Division 2 location. (NEC 500.5 (B)(2)(2)).
> Any takers?
> db
> 
> 
> Dan Brown
> Foxfire Energy Corp.
> Renewable Energy Systems
> (802)-483-2564
> www.Foxfire-Energy.com
> NABCEP #092907-44
> 
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] NEC 480 - battery enclosure question
> From: Ray Walters <ray at solarray.com>
> Date: Wed, December 14, 2011 11:52 am
> To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> 
> 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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