Battery cables in conduit?

[Amy@altE]

I'm trying to get a definitive answer about if a 48V battery bank has to have its cables in conduit. 2014 NEC 690.71(B)(2) said "Live parts of battery systems for dwellings shall be guarded to prevent accidental contact ..." But then in 2017, it went away and referred to Article 701 for Legally Required Standby Systems, and has no mention of conduit or physical protection as far as I can see.

It's a no brainer to install conduit if it is in a battery box or a self contained enclosure like a Powerwall. But is it required by code? And for battery banks not in an enclosure, I don't see how it would be done if it is, other than going most of the way to the bank and then free air to the terminals. What is the code compliant way?

[Mike90250]

I think the cables have to be protected until the OCP device. At least that what I had to do in 2010.

[Amy@altE]

Ah, that makes a lot of sense. So from inverter to breaker in the ePanel, but after the breaker, it's dealer's choice. Interested to see if people have more recent experience, since the code has changed.

[bob-n]

Would it make sense to ask the NFPA directly? They have a discussion forum of their own called NFPA XChange.

https://www.nfpa.org/electricalsolutions

[Amy@altE]

Thanks. I was embarrassed to ask here, reassuring to know I'm not the only one with the question. I'll report back what I find.

[Sunking]

Been installing -48 VDC plants in telecom and data for 40 years. Not a single battery conductor is in conduit, none, never will, and passed thousands of electrical inceptions. However that is not to say the conductors are not in a raceway because they are. We use cable ladder and trays to run and secure conductors. You have to have something to secure and protect the cables.

What is different for you is the environment in which you work. You do not install your equipment where the users are qualified, or even be around the equipment. That is why commercial equipment you install is in cabinets to keep the owner out of the equipment. Think of your home AC electrical system, homeowner cannot touch it. It is hidden and protected in walls and electrical panels.

[Amy@altE]

Hey Sunking, I was hoping to hear from you. All of the grid tied battery backup systems our homeowners have installed over the past 20 years are inspected to be allowed on the grid. I'm just trying to find if there is actual NEC code that I can reference saying if the conduit is required. Based on the fact that not everyone uses an enclosure and yet passes, and other feedback, I'm going to say NEC 2017 and up doesn't call it out specifically.

I just got this reply from the NFPA forum, "Article 690.71 in the 2017 NEC sends the code user to Article 706 for ESS. The ESS will have to be wired with an appropriate Chapter 3 wiring method based on the conditions of use. "

Thanks all for your help.

[SunEagle]

Hey Sunking, I was hoping to hear from you. All of the grid tied battery backup systems our homeowners have installed over the past 20 years are inspected to be allowed on the grid. I'm just trying to find if there is actual NEC code that I can reference saying if the conduit is required. Based on the fact that not everyone uses an enclosure and yet passes, and other feedback, I'm going to say NEC 2017 and up doesn't call it out specifically.

I just got this reply from the NFPA forum, "Article 690.71 in the 2017 NEC sends the code user to Article 706 for ESS. The ESS will have to be wired with an appropriate Chapter 3 wiring method based on the conditions of use. "

Thanks all for your help.

I agree with Sunking. As long as the wiring and connections are not exposed to non qualified personnel I do not feel they need to be in conduits.

Batteries that already come installed in boxes or cabinets usually require the wires to be in conduits as they enter the "box" but if the batteries are sitting on a platform or deck then the wires just need to be as neat as possible and the entire system should not be accessible to just anyone.