ECN Forum
Posted By: Edward What classification is this location? - 12/22/02 03:18 PM
I am working in a warehouse/production warehouse where the company makes wooden garage doors. There are many table saws,dust collectors,routers,sanders...Anotherwords it is a huge wood working shop.
What class is this location classified?
Class1,2 or 3?
Posted By: dana1028 Re: What classification is this location? - 12/23/02 01:33 AM
prob. class II

(1999) 500-8 Class II Locations: 'are those that are hazardous because of the presence of combustible dust....see 500-8(a) & (b) for Div. 1 & 2 conditions.... Art. 502 then gets into the wiring methods for each division.
Posted By: JBD Re: What classification is this location? - 12/23/02 06:34 PM
Normal saw dust is not enough to justfy a Class II environment.

We have a door manufacturer, down the road, and nothing in the production area is "explosion-proof" rated.

However, we let the local fire department determine all of our classifications.
In our wood and metal shops we don't have any special requirements set by the Fire Marshall, but we take it an extra step and make everything NEMA 3 or better; no NEMA 1 enclosures. We do have dust collection and fume extraction, though.
Posted By: nesparky Re: What classification is this location? - 12/25/02 02:05 AM
This depends on several factors Number of air changes/minute, is the dust collected and routed away from electrical equipment, layout of the equipment, etc.
This is why we ask the fire marshal to make the determination. They usually can get the designers to do all the engineering necessary to properly make the call. The fire marshal's office usually has a big enough hammer to get this done- if they care to.
© ECN Electrical Forums