Electrical: System design tips and tricks for switchgear and switchboards
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
While switchgear and switchboards are typical of electrical distribution equipment, they have many differences. Electrical system and room design includes a variety of components, outlined in NFPA 70: National Electrical Code. The requirements shown in the NEC for switchgear and switchboards are nearly identical whether discussing working clearance requirements, grounding/bonding requirements, arc energy reduction, egress requirements and other installation requirements.
Switchgear provides protection of electrical circuits and a means of disconnection. Medium-voltage (MV) switchgear and low-voltage (LV) switchboards might be specified for a project.
Learning objectives:
- Review the codes, standards and guidelines that engineers must use for electrical system design, including those from UL, NEMA, ANSI and NFPA.
- Understand the difference between switchgear and switchboards, and the financial implications of specifying one over the other.
- Know the basic components that make up switchgear and switchboards, and their relation to the overall electrical system.
- Learn about applications in which switchgear and switchboards were specified into an electrical system design.