Power System Studies and ArcFlash

[hidalgoe]

Who can legally perform power systems and arcflash studies?
Can they be performed by technicians who will then use the study results to set protective relays and select fuses.

 

[Ron]

In my state, anything over 600 amps requires engineering involvement. It probably varies with states.

Seems to me, and I'm not a sparky, that something of this nature would require engineering involvement for public protection.

 

[rbulsara]

Hidalgoe:

Only qualified and "experienced" engineers and some laws may require PE license. It requires special engineering skills and experience. Coordination/ arc flash is as much an art as science and always a trade off between selectivity, degree of protection of equipment and personnel safety.

It is much more than just putting some data in a software and spitting our reports.

Technicians without engineering degrees? I would say No.

Regards,
Rafiq


Rafiq Bulsara

http://www.srengineersct.com

 

[stevenal]

It may depend on whether you are doing it in house for a business that operates under the industrial exemption, or performing the function as a contractor.

Legal issues are tough to answer in an international forum without any clue to what law you are operating under.

 

[alehman]

Some equipment manufacturers and testing firms that do arc flash studies have lobbied against proposals in the NEC for professional oversight. That seems very wrong to me, but as a PE, I could be biased.

Alan
“The engineer's first problem in any design situation is to discover what the problem really is.” Unk.

 

[rbulsara]

I would be more than happy to have manufactures or anyone else taking on professional liability instead of me!

Rafiq Bulsara

http://www.srengineersct.com

 

[Electic]

Arc flash studies are a combination of system protection and an understanding of operations; and the results can govern life safety.......MUCH.

That this type of work is routinely completed by non-engineers is ample indication of how neutered our engineering Boards and the profession itself really are.