Change Summary

• A listed surge protection device (SPD) is now required to be installed in or on fire pump controllers.

Expert Analysis

For the 2017 NEC, SPD protection is being added for items such as critical operations data systems and industrial machinery. Joining these crucial operations needing SPD protection for the 2017 NEC will be fire pump controllers. The location and type of SPD is a design issue and remains with the designer and/or installer.

The SPDs for fire pump controllers are required to be listed devices as already required by former 285.5 (now 285.6). Type 2 SPDs would typically be the type of device associated with this Code article.

A study titled, “Data Assessment for Electrical Surge Protective Devices,” commissioned by the National Fire Protection Research Foundation, provided results of a 2013 and 2014 survey of facility managers concerning surge damage. This study shows that twelve percent of the fire pumps involved had damage due to voltage surges. Much of this damage could have been prevented with properly sized and listed surge protective devices. The new requirement for listed SPD for fire pump controllers is vitally important as fire pumps are so critical for life-safety.

Surge Protection Required For Emergency Fire Pump Controllers

To satisfy NEC 695.15 Leviton offers several Surge protection options from a comprehensive suite of Type 2 Surge Protective Panels that provide the required surge protection and additional noise filtering to improve power quality. The line includes models appropriate for both 3-phase and single-phase electrical systems up to 600-Volts AC, with maximum surge current ratings up to 640kA per phase. Surge panels with modular platforms incorporate easy-to-replace surge modules — eliminating the need to change out the entire surge panel following a damaging surge event. All Leviton surge protective panels are listed to UL 1449 3rd edition standards, and are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Please visit www.leviton.com/surge for more information.