ECN Electrical Forum
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The conduit and jake are connected to the pillar that holds the canopy. The box to the left is a trash can, but the pumps are within 3 ft. of this area.

'66 & Bill

I guess it does sound like a challenge. I don't think I could afford to take pictures of all that I see. I absolutely have to get a digital camera.

Just so folks don't get a totally skewed idea about coal mine electricians. I wouldn't want their job. When they work underground, they are usually in total compliance with all state & federal mine electrical laws. It's just that they are weak on the NEC when they work aboveground.

By a strange quirk in the mining laws, I hold licenses good for all voltages, all locations. You won't catch me doing underground electrical work. My work would probably be as/more dangerous than what the coal miners do aboveground.

Tom,

I think the same is true in a lot of aspects of our trade. When going to trade school befor getting my license I was in class with experienced utility workers that worked with 13kv and more every day, but had no idea how to do anything inside the building.

By the way, if you should get a digital camera, don't try and go too cheap, do not get anything less than 1 megapixels resolution.

Bill

Sparky,
The only Div 1 areas are inside the pump cabinet and pits or other below grade areas. The area in question is Div 2 and Div 2 does not require explosionproof fittings.
Don(resqcapt19)

Don,this may be but......reading 501-5 section c , class 1 div 1 & 2 goes on about seals etc...
so the reality is if there is a seal, and your piping up the job, the Class 1, div 1 & 2 area's will probably be treated the same.

Sparky,
If you are installing explosion proof equipment in a Div 2 area you are losing a lot of money. The seal is permitted on either side of the boundary, so in this case it must be inside the pump as it is not outside(of course that would assume that a seal was actually installed as required). I work at a chemical plant and if my electricians are installing explosion proof fittings in the Div 2 areas, I'll soon go broke. In this case the area in question is Div 2 and there is no requirement to install explosion proof fittings in a Div 2 area. Your reference to 501-5(c) applies to the seals only. The wiring methods are in 501-4(a) for Div 1 and 501-4(b) for Div 2.
Don(resqcapt19)

I does say that Don, having done a number of gas stations, i will say that we have installed more explosionproof than required.

We even did up the tank monitors as such, an intrisically safe system!

So in reality, this did cost more than it should have. The problem with doing gas stations in an area of 3 states is that many "powers that be" view the job, not all as savey as you with the NEC.

So it's a small price to pay to keep the peace.