Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 120-3-28-.20 - Electrical

Electrical conductors and electrical equipment installed and utilized on or around carnival rides shall conform to the latest adopted edition of National Electrical Code, NFPA 70. The following rules are stated for emphasis and clarification and are supplement to the National Code. If any conflict exists or appears to exist, the National Code shall have precedence.

(a) Installation. Portable electrical systems required by amusement rides shall be installed by a qualified electrician.

(b) Grounding. A carnival shall not operate until all grounding electrodes, equipment, and safety grounding connections are secured, polarized, and tested. The grounding conductors shall conform to the National Electrical Code, as revised. Article 250 Grounding, Paragraph 250-94 Alternating Current Systems and 250-95 Size of Equipment Grounding Conductors. The path to ground from circuits, equipment and conductor enclosures shall (1) be permanent and continuous and (2) shall have ample carrying capacity to conduct currents liable to be imposed on it, and (3) shall have impedance sufficiently low to limit the potential ground and to facilitate the operation of the over-current devices in the circuit.

1. Service Ground. Equipment or generators operating from a separate supply or supplies which are located closer than 8 feet and all service equipment within itself shall be bonded together. The service ground shall be established by connecting the grounding conductor to the service entrance neutral bar in the hot truck or generator and to an approved type service grounding electrode such as ground rods. A sufficient number of ground rods shall be spaced not less than 6 feet apart and at secure depth to obtain and maintain 25 ohms or less resistance to ground. A resistance of 3 ohms or less shall exist when grounding to a water system.

2. Generator Grounding. Where electrical power is supplied for an amusement ride by a privately operated generating system, the generator and all equipment shall be properly grounded if the system incorporated a ground.

3. Circuit and Equipment Safety. From the service entrance neutral bar, the circuit grounded and equipment safety grounding conductors shall be continuous and separate throughout the entire system. The portable outlet and terminal boxes shall contain a service ground through grounded receptacles for both circuit and safety. The equipment safety grounding conductors shall be attached to each ride such that a grounding resistance of 25 ohms or less is obtained. Separate steel tracks or steel framework, such as relief coaster tracks or big slides, shall have grounding the same as the service equipment.

(c) Current Limiting Devices. Conductors shall be fused or protected to their current carrying capacities. No more than 6 disconnect switches are to be in the hot truck or generator unless a main switch is provided. All distribution lines from hot trucks or generators shall be either 100 amp. capacity. No fuses or current limiting devices shall be installed in the neutral or grounding conductors. Motors and lighting circuits shall be fused separately.

(d) High Voltage Lines. The outlets of electric power lines carrying more than 120 volts shall be clearly marked to show their voltages.

(e) Outdoor Apparatus and Wiring. Electrical apparatus and wiring located outdoors shall be of such quality and so constructed or protected that exposure to weather will not interfere with its normal operation.

(f) Elevated Lines. Elevated power lines crossing access or other roads within the grounds of a carnival or fair shall be suspended as to provide minimum vertical clearance of 12 feet from the road surface and minimum horizontal clearance of 3 feet on each side of the normal passage space of vehicles.

(g) Bus Bars. Bus bars shall be located low or near the bottom of the cabinet. Separate bus bars shall be provided for grounding neutral and phase conductors. Color codes painted on inside and outside of box, but not on contact surfaces of bus bars, are to be:

Ground-Green With Yellow Strip 1st Phase-Black

Neutral-White or Natural Gray 2nd Phase-Red

3rd Phase-Blue

On a 4 wire delta connected secondary, the phase conductor having the higher voltage to ground shall be arranged. These color codes are to carry on through all connected wiring from service through portable power outlets and terminal boxes. Buses shall not be less than 200 ampere capacity. The load terminals in a switchboard or panel board shall be located so that it will be unnecessary to reach across or beyond a live bus (hot bus) to make a local connection.

(h) Portable Power Outlet and Terminal Box. Boxes are to be rain tight and kept locked during the time when the general public is in the area. Wood boxes may be used if insulated on all sides with fire resistant material or painted with insulating varnish. The service power shall be connected to the box by receptacles mounted on the exterior wall which includes the safety grounding. The distribution within the box shall be accomplished by neutral terminal bar(s) and circuit breakers or fuses. The branch circuits which include the equipment safety grounding shall obtain their power through receptacles mounted on the exterior of the box. The exterior openings of the receptacles must be at least 6 inches above ground level and provided with a protective cover, draining eave, or canvas that will avoid the possibility of rain on the receptacle. If it is required to run conductors directly through an opening on the wall of the box for additional service or to obtain required amperage, the opening(s) shall be color coded and shall be sized to prevent public accessibility to the interior of the box. The fuses or breakers in the boxes shall be secured permanently in place, and all connections to the bus bars within the boxes shall be made with threaded screws and lugs of the proper size to fasten in place.

(i) Power Sources. Electrical power sources shall be located in a manner permitting proper maintenance and shall be protected either by guards, fencing, or enclosure to prevent exposure to hazard and to secure the equipment from the public.

Notes

Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. R. 120-3-28-.20

O.C.G.A. Sec. 25-15-83.

Original Rule entitled "Electrical"adopted. F. Jan. 10, 2014; eff. Jan. 30, 2014.