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Posted By: watersparkfalls health care bed receps - 09/10/08 10:46 PM
what is the intent of art 517.18 (A)

moreover the blueprint calls for 2 e-power recep at the bed location 43" AFF this is above the headboard and the second recep at 18" AFF for the bed to plug into.

is the intent to have two receps available for everyday use?
or is it just as it says two branch circuits, practicle or not?

what say you guys?
thanks as always,
H20



Posted By: electure Re: health care bed receps - 09/10/08 11:47 PM
I'd say the "practicality or not" of 517.18(A) would become apparent when one system failed, and you didn't have the other for backup.
Just as it says.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: health care bed receps - 09/10/08 11:51 PM
It is saying you need receptacles on the normal system and also from the emergency system. If you have outlets of any kind from the normal system on different branch circuits they need to come from the same panelboard.
Posted By: Roger Re: health care bed receps - 09/11/08 11:10 AM
Be sure to continue reading through 517.18(B) for the number of receptacles and the requirements for how they are served from the circuits in 517.18(A), this may help explain the intent.

Basically there must be receptacles from both the Normal and Critical branches available for use at the bed, this is over and beyond any dedicated receptacles for items such as the bed for example.

As an aside, these must be HG receptacles and they must have an Equipotential of less than .01 ohm per NFPA 99 4.3.3.1.6.2, the meter used should be a medical/bio type analyzer and may be scrutinized closely be the AHJ

Roger
Posted By: gfretwell Re: health care bed receps - 09/11/08 07:32 PM
In Florida, after the electrical inspector is done they have an ACHA inspection that enforces everything but NFPA70 and the standard building code.
Those guys are the ones who have the Medical/Bio analyser.
Posted By: Roger Re: health care bed receps - 09/11/08 09:35 PM
Originally Posted by gfretwell
In Florida, after the electrical inspector is done they have an ACHA inspection that enforces everything but NFPA70 and the standard building code.
Those guys are the ones who have the Medical/Bio analyser.


They don't need the the analyzer, the installers must show these results, the form must include the meter used, (it used to have to include the last calibration date)location of device tested, path around room, ground reference point, leakage in millivolts, and impedances.

This is true of everywhere I have done hospitals or healthcare facilities including Fl, ACHA was HRS back then.

This is no different than the Isolation Power System commissioning that is required by ACHA, they do not show up on site with the necessary meters and test sets for this either, it must be done or contracted out by the EC doing the project.

You are right that they do not inspect for NFPA 70 but, these requirements are not NFPA 70 requirements.

Roger
Posted By: gfretwell Re: health care bed receps - 09/12/08 01:53 AM
That sounds right. I know when I was walking the final with the contractor, engineer and EC they told me what I was looking at was trivial compared to what was going to happen next. My inspections were all just what it looked like, not how it performed.
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