Subject 218 (218A)

Bulletin Dated: October 29, 2012

SUMMARY OF TOPICS

The following topics were discussed at the meeting of the Standards Technical Panel for Fire Pump Controllers:

1. Update on activities of CANENA THSC 17B WG4.

2. Marking of Fire Pump Controllers for Arc-flash hazard.

3. Marking of Residential Fire Pump Controllers for NFPA 13D Applications.

4. Revision of requirements for Limited Service Controller to harmonize with the 2013 Edition of NFPA 20.

5. Revision of requirements for Residential Fire Pump Controllers.

6. Review of requirements for Fire Pump Controllers used with upstream Automatic Transfer Switch Assembly where all equipment is located in the pump room.

7. Review of Low HP motor Locked Rotor/Full Load current ratios for accuracy with current motor designs.

8. Extending ratings for Medium Voltage Fire Pump Controllers to 15KV.

9. Review of UL 218 to determine revisions needed as a result of the publication of the 2013 Edition of NFPA 20.

10. Defining the application of an instantaneous trip circuit breaker in a fire pump motor circuit.

11. Review of definitions for correlation with corresponding definitions in the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70).

12. Update requirements for Service Equipment markings to include a reference to NEC Article 230.

13. Revision to 6.9.1 to change the term "line voltages" to "phase-to-phase voltages."

14. Review references to "Locked rotor" in 6.16.1 for appropriateness.

15. Revise requirements for the Emergency Manual Operator in 6.21.3 to harmonize with the 2013 Edition of NFPA 20.

16. Review of requirements for pressure transducers as a result of the CPSC product recall.

17. Revise pressure transducer test requirements to align with current industry practices.

18. Revise "High Voltage" to "Medium Voltage" where referenced in UL 218 to correlate with UL 347.

19. Consideration of load break interrupters requirements for use in High Voltage Fire Pump Controllers.

20. Revise requirements for Diesel Engine Fire Pump Controllers to harmonize with the 2013 Edition of NFPA 20.

21. Addition of interconnection diagrams for fire pump controllers and diesel engines to correlate with recent revisions to UL 1247.

22. Review of requirements for Diesel Engine Fire Pump Controllers relative to controllers in the automatic mode, where an operator can crank and start the engine manually at the controller without cooling loop water being provided automatically through the engine.

23. Addition of requirements for Variable Speed Diesel Engine Fire Pump Controllers.

24. Add "Symmetrical rms amperes" as a footnote to Table 10 similar to footnote "a" in Table 6.

25. Addition of thicknesses to Table 15 to provide cross-sectional areas.

26. Developing a new Standard for Safety for Water Mist Positive Displacement Pumping Units, UL 3218.

27. Reaffirmation of UL 218A.

28. Requirements that are being proposed to be revised include the construction requirements, dielectric voltage withstand test, disconnecting means, diesel engine drive controllers, dump valves, variable speed fire pump controllers, markings, limited service controllers for electric motor driven fire pumps, and the addition of Section 17, Routine Tests.

29. Additions and clarifications to section 12.6 "Auxiliary Contacts For Remote Sensors."

30. Revising the requirements contained in Subsection 9.1, General, of Section 9, Residential Fire Pump Controllers.

31. Aligning the standard with NFPA 20.

32. Loss of phase and phase reversal.