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680.12 and 680.14 Equipment Rooms and Pits. (Swimming Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations) and 680.14 Corrosive Environment

New

Change Summary

  • A new requirement for protection against a corrosive environment for electrical equipment installed in equipment rooms and pits was added at 680.12 and 680.14.
NEC® Text

680.11 12 Equipment Rooms and Pits.
Electrical equipment shall not be installed in rooms or pits that do not have drainage that prevents water accumulation during normal operation or filter maintenance. Equipment shall be suitable for the environment in accordance with 300.6.

Informational Note: Chemicals such as chlorine cause severe corrosive and deteriorating effects on electrical connections, equipment, and enclosures when stored and kept in the same vicinity. Adequate ventilation of indoor spaces such as equipment and storage rooms is addressed by ANSI/APSP-11, Standard for Water Quality in Public Pools and Spas, and can reduce the likelihood of the accumulation of corrosive vapors.

680.14 Corrosive Environment.
(A) General. Areas where pool sanitation chemicals are stored, as well as areas with circulation pumps, automatic chlorinators, filters, open areas under decks adjacent to or abutting the pool structure, and similar locations shall be considered to be a corrosive environment. The air in such areas shall be considered to be laden with acid, chlorine, and bromine vapors, or any combination of acid, chlorine, or bromine vapors, and any liquids or condensation in those areas shall be considered to be laden with acids, chlorine, and bromine vapors, or any combination of acid, chlorine, or bromine vapors.
(B) Wiring Methods. Wiring methods in the areas described in 680.14(A) shall be listed and identified for use in such areas. Rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, rigid polyvinyl chloride conduit, and reinforced thermosetting resin conduit shall be considered to be resistant to the corrosive environment specified in 680.14(A).

Copyright© 2016 National Fire Protection Association
(See NEC for complete text)

Expert Analysis

When installing electrical equipment in a room or pit, it is important to make sure that proper drainage and corrosion protection is provided.

Quite a few places in Article 680 discuss things like metal conduits needing to be corrosion resistant and suitable for the location, but corrosion protection was not addressed in previous editions of the Code in Article 680  for electrical equipment in designated rooms or pits. This situation was rectified for the 2017 NEC with the revision of 680.12, which was 680.11 in the2014 NEC, and the creation of new 680.14. Code language was added at 680.12 and 680.14 requiring electrical equipment located in equipment rooms or pits or areas where pool sanitation chemicals are stored to be suitable for the environment in accordance with 300.6. A look at 300.6 reveals that “raceways, cable trays, cable bus, auxiliary gutters, cable armor, boxes, cable sheathing, cabinets, elbows, couplings, fittings, supports, and support hardware shall be of materials suitable for the environment in which they are to be installed.”

The new provisions at 680.14 identify areas where pool sanitation chemicals are stored, as well as areas with circulation pumps, automatic chlorinators, filters, open areas under decks adjacent to or abutting the pool structure, and similar locations as being considered to be a corrosive environment. The air in such areas is also considered to be laden with acid, chlorine, and bromine vapors, or any combination of acid, chlorine, or bromine vapors. This new section also requires wiring methods in these areas to be listed and identified for use in such areas.

This new corrosion-resistance requirement at 680.12 addresses the suitability of the equipment for these locations and will allow the to address these issues from a Code standpoint.

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