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Tuesday, June 14, 2022
Question:
Good Morning CQD,
Does a bollard need to be installed when installing a Tesla power wall inside a garage? The power wall would be installed on a side wall about three feet off the floor.
Sayed Kaleem
A
Answer:
Thanks Sayed,
Great question. The answer lies in whether or not the equipment is subject to physical damage. This would be a judgment by the applicable AHJ. Obviously, the concerns are for vehicles moving in and out of the garage bay spaces and running into the energy storage system equipment causing damage. One bollard or more could certainly provide physical protection, but that may not necessarily be the only method of achieving protection. While a car may fit, a truck or other vehicle may not because of different sizes of the vehicles. Section 110.27(B) of the NEC provides a general requirement indicating that In locations where electrical equipment is likely to be exposed to physical damage, enclosures or guards shall be so arranged and of such strength as to prevent such damage. This equipment is also required to be listed as indicated in Section 706.5 (2020 NEC) which means installation instructions must be included. These instructions typically include general information about mounting and physical protection and should be followed. See Section 110.3(B). This is a good example of when the AHJ is needed to assist with applying the requirement for protecting the equipment. Check with them first, since there is probably a required permit and inspection related to this installation.