Class A.

STATIONS AND DYNAMO ROOMS.

Includes Central Stations; Dynamo, Motor and Storage Battery Rooms; Transformer Sub-Stations; Etc.

1. Generators.

a. Must be located in a dry place.

b. Must never be placed in a room where any hazardous process is carried on, nor in places where they would be exposed to inflammable gases or flyings of combustible materials.

c. Must, when operating at a potential in excess of 550 volts, have their base frames permanently and effectively grounded. Must, when operating at a potential of 550 volts or less, be thoroughly insulated from the ground wherever feasible. Wooden base-frames used for this purpose, and wooden floors which are depended upon for insulation where, for any reason, it is necessary to omit the base frames, must be kept filled to prevent absorption of moisture, and must be kept clean and dry. Where frame insulation is impracticable, the Inspection Department having jurisdiction may, in writing, permit its omission, in which case the frame must be permanently and effectively grounded.

d. Constant potential generators, except alternating current machines and their exciters, must be protected from excessive current by safety fuses or equivalent devices of approved design.

For two-wire, direct-current generators, single pole protection will be considered as satisfying the above rule, provided the safety device is located in the lead not connected to the series winding. When supplying three-wire systems, the generators should be so arranged that these protective devices will come in the outside leads.

For three wire, direct-current generators, a safety device must be placed in each armature, direct-current lead, or a double pole, double trip circuit-breaker in each outside generator lead and corresponding equalizer connection.

In general, generators should preferably have no exposed live parts, and the leads should be well insulated and thoroughly protected against mechanical injury. This protection of bare live parts against accidental contact would apply also to any exposed, uninsulated conductors outside of the generator and not on the switchboard unless their potential is practically that of the ground.

Where the needs of the service make the above requirements impracticable, the Inspection Department having jurisdiction may, in writing, modify them.

e. Must each be provided with a name-plate, giving the maker's name, capacity in volts and amperes, and the normal speed in revolutions per minute.

f. Terminal blocks when used on generators must be made of approved non-combustible, non-absorptive insulating material, such as slate, marble or porcelain.

2. Conductors — From generators to switchboards, rheostats or other instruments, and thence to outside lines:—

a. Must be in plain sight or readily accessible.

b. Must have an approved insulating covering as called for by rules in Class "C" for similar work, except that in central stations, on exposed circuits, the wire which is used must have a heavy braided, non-combustible outer covering. Bus-bars may be made of bare metal.

Rubber insulations ignite easily and burn freely. Where a number of wires are brought close together, as is generally the case in dynamo rooms, especially about the switchboard, it is therefore necessary to surround this inflammable material with a tight, non-combustible outer cover. If this is not done, a fire once started at this point would spread rapidly along the wires, producing intense heat and a dense smoke. Where the wires have such a covering and are well insulated and supported, using only non-combustible materials, it is believed that no appreciable fire hazard exists, even with a large group of wires.

Flameproofing should be stripped back on all cables a sufficient amount to give the necessary insulation distances for the voltage of the circuit on which the cable is used. The stripping back of the flameproofing is necessary on account of the poor insulating qualities of the flameproofing material now available. Flameproofing may be omitted where satisfactory fireproofing is accomplished by other means, such as compartments, etc.

c. Must be kept so rigidly in place that they cannot come in contact.

d. Must in all other respects be installed with the same precautions as required by rules in Class "C" for wires carrying a current of the same volume and potential.

e. In wiring switchboards, the ground detector, voltmeter, pilot lights and potential transformers must be connected to a circuit of not less than No. 14 B. & S. gage wire that is protected by an approved fuse, this circuit is not to carry over 660 watts.

3. Switchboards.

a. Must be so placed as to reduce to a minimum the danger of communicating fire to adjacent combustible material.

b. Must be made of non-combustible material, or of hard wood in skeleton form, filled to prevent absorption of moisture.

c. Must be accessible from all sides when the connections are on the back, but may be placed against a brick or stone wall when the wiring is entirely on the face.

d. Must be kept free from moisture.

e. On switchboards the distances between bare live parts of opposite polarity must be made as great as practicable, and must not be less than those given for tablet-boards. (see Rule 53 a)

4. Resistance Boxes and Equalizers.

(For construction requirements, see Rule 60.)

a. Must be placed on a switchboard or, if not thereon, at a distance of at least one foot from combustible material, or separated therefrom by a non-combustible, non-absorptive, insulating material, such as slate or marble.

b. Where protective resistances are necessary in connection with automatic rheostats, incandescent lamps may be used, provided that they do not carry or control the main current nor constitute the regulating resistance of the device. When so used, lamps must be mounted in porcelain receptacles upon non-combustible supports and must be so arranged that they cannot have impressed upon them a voltage greater than that for which they are rated. They must in all cases be provided with a name-plate, which shall be permanently attached beside the porcelain receptacle or receptacles, and stamped with the candle power and voltage of the lamp or lamps to be used in each receptacle.

c. Wherever insulated wire is used for connection between resistances and the contact plate of a rheostat, the insulation must be slow burning (see Rule 43). For large field rheostats and similar resistances, where the contact plates are not mounted upon them, the connecting wires may be run together in groups so arranged that the maximum difference of potential between any two wires in a group shall not exceed 75 volts. Each group of wires must either be mounted on non-combustible, non-absorptive insulators giving at least ½ inch separation from surface wired over, or, where it is necessary to protect the wires from mechanical injury or moisture, be run in approved lined conduit or equivalent.

5. Lightning Arresters.

(For construction requirements, see Rule 63.)

a. Must be attached to each wire of every overhead circuit connected with the station.

b. Must be located in readily accessible places, away from combustible materials, and as near as practicable to the point where the wires enter the building. In all cases kinks, coils and sharp bends in the wires between the arresters and the outdoor lines must be avoided as far as possible.

c. Must be connected with a thoroughly good and permanent ground connection by metallic strips or wires having a conductivity not less than that of a No. 6 B. & S. gage copper wire, which must be run as nearly in a straight line as possible from the arresters to the ground connection. Ground wires for lightning arresters must not be attached to gas pipes within the buildings.

d. All choke coils or other attachments, inherent to the lightning protection equipment, shall have an insulation from the ground or other conductors equal at least to the insulation demanded at other points of the circuit in the station.

6. Care and Attendance.

a. A competent man must be kept on duty where generators are operating.

b. Oily waste must be kept in approved metal cans and removed daily.

7. Testing of Insulation Resistance.

a. All circuits except such as are permanently grounded in accordance with Rule 13 A must be provided with reliable ground detectors. Detectors which indicate continuously and give an instant and permanent indication of a ground are preferable. Ground wires from detectors must not be attached to gas pipes within the building.

b. Where continuously indicating detectors are not feasible, the circuits should be tested at least once per day, and preferably oftener.

c. Data obtained from all tests must be preserved for examination by the Inspection Department having jurisdiction.

8. Motors.

a. Must, when operating at a potential in excess of 550 volts, have no exposed live metal parts, and have their base frames permanently and effectively grounded. Motors operating at a potential of 550 volts or less must be thoroughly insulated from the ground wherever feasible. Wooden base frames used for this purpose, and wooden floors which are depended upon for insulation where, for any reason, it is necessary to omit the base frames, must be kept filled to prevent absorption of moisture, and must be kept clean and dry. Where frame insulation is impracticable, the Inspection Department having jurisdiction may, in writing, permit its omission, in which case the frame must be permanently and effectively grounded.

b. Motors operating at a potential of 550 volts or less must be wired with the same precautions as required by rules in Class "C" for wires carrying a current of the same volume. Motors operating at a potential between 550 and 3,500 volts must be wired with approved multiple conductor, metal sheathed cable in approved unlined metal conduit firmly secured in place. The metal sheath must be permanently and effectively grounded, and the construction and installation of the conduit must conform to rules for interior conduits (see Rule 25 and Rule 49 a, j and k), except that at outlets approved outlet bushings shall be used.

The motor leads or branch circuits must be designed to carry a current at least 25 per cent. greater than that for which the motor is rated, in order to provide for the inevitable occasional overloading of the motor, and the increased current required in starting, without overfusing the wires; but where the wires under this rule would be overfused, in order to provide for the starting current, as in the case of many of the alternating-current motors, the wires must be of such size as to be properly protected by these larger fuses.

The insulation of the several conductors for high-potential motors, where leaving the metal sheath at outlets, must be thoroughly protected from moisture and mechanical injury. This may be accomplished by means of a pot head or some equivalent method. The conduit must be substantially bonded to the metal casings of all fittings and apparatus connected to the inside high-tension circuit. It would be much preferable to make the conduit system continuous throughout by connecting the conduit to fittings and motors by means of screw joints, and this construction is strongly recommended wherever practicable.

High-potential motors should preferably be so located that the amount of inside wiring will be reduced to a minimum.

Inspection department having jurisdiction may permit the wire for high-potential motors to be installed according to the general rules for high-potential systems when the outside wires directly enter a motor room (see Section f). Under these conditions there would generally be but a few feet of wire inside the building, and none outside the motor room.

c. Each motor and resistance box must be protected by a cut-out and controlled by a switch (see Rule 17 a), said switch plainly indicating whether "on" or "off." With motors of one-fourth horse power or less, on circuits where the voltage does not exceed 300, Rule 21 d must be complied with, and single pole switches may be used as allowed in Rule 22 c. The switch and rheostat must be located within sight of the motor, except in cases where special permission to locate them elsewhere is given, in writing, by the Inspection Department having jurisdiction.

The use of circuit-breakers with motors is recommended, and may be required by the Inspection Department having jurisdiction.

Where the circuit-breaking device on the motor starting rheostat disconnects all wires of the circuit, the switch called for in this section may be omitted.

Overload release devices on motor-starting rheostats will not be considered to take the place of the cut-out required by this section if they are inoperative during the starting of the motor.

The switch is necessary for entirely disconnecting the motor when not in use, and the cut-out to protect the motor from excessive currents due to accidents or careless handling when starting. An automatic circuit-breaker disconnecting all wires of the circuit may, however, serve as both switch and cut-out.

In general, motors should preferably have no exposed live parts.

d. Rheostats must be so installed as to comply with all the requirements of Rule 4. Auto starters must comply with requirements of Rule 4 c.

e. Must not be run in series-multiple or multiple-series, except on constant potential systems, and then only by special permission of the Inspection Department having jurisdiction.

f. Must be covered with a waterproof cover when not in use, and, if deemed necessary by the Inspection Department having jurisdiction, must be enclosed in an approved case.

g. Must, when combined with ceiling fans, be hung from insulated hooks, or else there must be an insulator interposed between the motor and its support.

h. Must each be provided with a name-plate, giving the maker's name, the capacity in volts and amperes, and the normal speed in revolutions per minute.

i. Terminal blocks when used on motors must be made of approved non-combustible, non-absorptive, insulating material such as slate, marble or porcelain. j. Variable speed motors, unless of special and appropriate design, if controlled by means of field regulation, must be so arranged and connected that they cannot be started under weakened field.

9. Railway Power Plants.

a. Each feed wire before it leaves the station must be equipped with an approved automatic circuit-breaker (see Rule 52) or other device, which will immediately cut off the current in case of an accidental ground. This device must be mounted on a fireproof base, and in full view and reach of the attendant.

10. Storage or Primary Batteries.

a. When current for light and power is taken from primary or secondary batteries, the same general regulations must be observed as apply to similar apparatus fed from dynamo generators developing the same difference of potential.

b. Storage battery rooms must be thoroughly ventilated.

c. Special attention is directed to the rules for wiring in rooms where acid fumes exist. (See Rules 24 i to 24 k)

d. All secondary batteries must be mounted on non-combustible, non-absorptive insulators, such as glass or thoroughly vitrified and glazed porcelain.

e. The use of any metal liable to corrosion must be avoided in cell connections of secondary batteries.

11. Transformers.

(For construction rules, see Rule 62.)

(See also Rules 13, 13 A and 36.)

a. In central or sub-stations, the transformers must be so placed that smoke from the burning out of the coils or the boiling over of the oil (where oil-filled cases are used) could do no harm.

b. In central or sub-stations casings of all transformers must be permanently and effectively grounded.