Code or Good Practice to cover 48 Volt battery terminals

[peakbagger]

This question is for a commercial install but hoping the battery pros on this site will weigh in. There is backup power supply installed in room with 2 racks of four 12 volt batteries. They are VRLA batteries with the terminals and bus bars exposed. the exposed compoents are recessed slightly but in no way are they covered of protected. They are held in a metal frame so there are plenty of spots to short to. As the unit is 48 volts, in theory the NEC does not apply. In many similar applications and my former employer who built these for remote oil installations, there normally is plexiglass shield with stand offs in front of exposed conductors to prevent someone inadvertently contacting live circuits. The company that installed this unit claims that there is no code covering it and as in a locked room with limited access that a shield is not needed. So the question is, Are there any codes or standards requiring energized bus or terminals be covered or is it just Good Practice?

 

[Bobert]

I would be concerned about accidental shorting. Dropping a wrench or that sort of thing

 

[Bobert]

Nec might not apply but osha may here’s a q and a link you might want to check out. https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/stan...bject depends on the resistance of the object.

 

[peakbagger]

My concern also, A set of 4 VRLA batteries can still cause quite an arc if grounded.

 

[Bobert]

My concern also, A set of 4 VRLA batteries can still cause quite an arc if grounded.

Yup

 

[Steve_S]

NEC is not the "be all end all" they are just for their part in the US.

Best practices is general but common world-wide to varying degrees and of course "common sense".

If by accident you arc a 1000a you will be enlightened ! This is DC and no forgiveness. Ever hear of Murphy's Laws.

I have "boots" on all battery posts and where appropriate like the main Negative blocks. Bus bars are all shielded/covered.... Even the terminal lugs are heat shrink covered so that only the contact surface is exposed.

Note that my system can do a 6000A burst dump for 30 seconds ! And I "vaporized" an insulated screw driver. Talk about a piss your pants flash.

This is DC and has huge potential. Used for serious welding for a reason.

Hope it helps.

Btw: I do this in final stage of buil perfect MilSpec being ex mil eng.