[RE-wrenches] Fire Rating for Battery Room

[Vince McClellan]

One option to meet this code section is to build a battery room inside of a
basement or other utility space with the proper fire rating.  It's not an
inexpensive option, but it's often less expensive than drywalling the
intire basement ceiling.

And, as always, check with your AHJ before you move forward to ensure
they'll pass the inspection on what you plan on building.



Vince McClellan

President

NABCEP PV Professional

p: 541-485-8122

a: 860 Conger St. Suite 12,. Eugene, OR 97402

e: vince at solarenergydesign.com <vince at solarenergydesgin.com>

w: SolarEnergyDesign.com

CCB# 161672



If you have received this email and are not the intended recipient, please
delete this email. Copying or using any part, content, or attachment of
this email is strictly prohibited.


On Fri, Jun 6, 2025, 11:12 AM Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar via RE-wrenches <
re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org> wrote:

> Any thoughts from me would be not to have large batteries, unless detached
> from the living space.
>
> There is a ship out burning full of electric cars in the Pacific today.
> This is the 4th ship full of battery cars that I know of that has burned.
>
>
> https://gcaptain.com/coast-guard-overflight-footage-reveals-fire-spreading-on-morning-midas-car-carrier-off-alaska-coast/
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *Dave Angelini Offgrid Solar
> "we go where powerlines don't"
>    <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/>https://offgridsolar1.com/ <https://offgridsolar1.com/>  <http://members.sti.net/offgridsolar/>
> e-mail  offgridsolar at sti.net <offgridsolar at sti.net>
> text 209 813 0060*
>
>
> On 2025-06-06 6:17 am, Nicholas Ponzio via RE-wrenches wrote:
>
> For those of you installing batteries inside homes how are you treating
> this poorly-worded section of Code?
>
> *NFPA 855 - 15.4.2:*
> *If the room or space where the ESS is to be installed is not finished or
> non-combustible, the walls and ceilings of the room or space shall be
> protected with not less than 5/8 in. Type X gypsum board.*
>
> This section of fire code has given us much consternation over the years.
> Most installations in this climate are going into unfinished basements. Are
> you all installing 5/8 sheetrock for the entire basement? Just the area
> around the batteries? Something else?
>
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts.
>
>
> --
> Nicholas Ponzio
> Building Energy
> 1570 South Brownell Road
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1570+South+Brownell+Road+Williston,+VT+05495?entry=gmail&source=g>
> Williston, VT 05495
> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/1570+South+Brownell+Road+Williston,+VT+05495?entry=gmail&source=g>
> http://www.BuildingEnergyVT.com <http://www.buildingenergyvt.com/>
> "Building Solutions for a Sustainable Future"
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the
> other:
> https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> List sponsored by Redwood Alliance
>
> Pay optional member dues here: http://re-wrenches.org
>
> List Address: RE-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org
>
> Change listserver email address & settings:
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/options.cgi/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> There are two list archives for searching. When one doesn't work, try the
> other:
> https://www.mail-archive.com/re-wrenches@lists.re-wrenches.org/
> http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org
>
> List rules & etiquette:
> http://www.re-wrenches.org/etiquette.htm
>
> Check out or update participant bios:
> http://www.members.re-wrenches.org
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20250606/56fa038f/attachment-0001.htm>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 34f41ced.png
Type: image/png
Size: 955854 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20250606/56fa038f/attachment-0002.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 34f41ced.png
Type: image/png
Size: 955854 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://lists.re-wrenches.org/pipermail/re-wrenches-re-wrenches.org/attachments/20250606/56fa038f/attachment-0003.png>