Surge Protection for Emergency Radio Communication Enhancement Systems
The latest release of NEC/NFPA 70 edition 2023 (NEC 2023) has placed a greater emphasis on increasing personnel safety by mandating the use of Surge Protective Devices (SPDs).
From 2014 to 2023, the number articles now requiring SPDs has increased significantly for applications ranging from Modular Data Centers, Fire Pumps, Elevators, Critical Power Systems, Dwellings (Dormatories, Homes, Hospitals, Hotels), etc. This article will focus on Emergency Systems and how they are defined by NFPA 70 Article 700.
What are Emergency Systems
As stated by Article 700, Emergency Systems consists of circuits and equipment intended to supply, distribute, and control electricity for illumination, power, or both, to required facilities when the normal electrical supply or system is interrupted.
Emergency systems will be identified by labels and use transfer equipment (such as automatic transfer switches) to switch from normal power to the emergency power source.
Emergency Radio Communication Enhancement Systems will be supplied power by the emergency circuit. Protection at the power source and alternate power sources are important. We also recommend protection at the equipment which may use lower voltage.
| Article 700.8 | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Requirement | "A listed SPD shall be installed in or on all emergency system switchgear, switchboards, and panelboards.” |
Selecting an SPD for Emergency Systems
The NEC/NFPA 70 also mentions the protection of the fire pump controller which is considered part of the emergency system.
| Article 695.15 | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Requirement | "A listed surge protective device (SPD) shall be installed in or on the fire pump controller.” |
CITEL has a range of UL listed, NEC compliant, Surge Protective Devices (SPDs). This means selecting a surge protector is easier than it has ever been. There are only a few choices available for SPDs that are UL Listed for any of the most commonly used surge standards including UL1449 5th Edition, UL497B, and UL497E.
Recommended SPD for Emergency Systems
| Location | Equipment | System | Surge Protector Model# | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Entrance | Switchgear | 277/480Vac | MDS750E-277Y |
|
| Service Entrance | Switchboard | 480Vac | MDS750S-480D |
|
| Distribution Panel | Panelboard | 120/208Vac Power Input | MS200-120Y |
|
| Distribution Panel | Panelboard | 240Vac Power Input | ${ITEM_LINK#2178920}<-No Item, #2178920 M50-240D-A | ${ITEM_LINK#2178920}<-No Item, #2178920
|
| Local Equipment | Control Panel | 480Vac Power Input | DS74US-480D |
|
| Local Equipment | Power Supply | 120Vac Power Input | DS40S-120/G |
|
| Local Equipment | Power Supply | 24Vdc Power Output | DS220S-24DC |
|
| Local Equipment | Network Switch | Ethernet Cat 6A | MJ8-C6A |
|
| Local Equipment | Communication Signals | RS-485 | DLA-12D3 |
|
| Building Rooftop/Cell Tower | Radio | Wireless | P8AX09-6G-N/FF |
|
