Why Anchoring Battery Racks to Floor & Wall is Not Recommended

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the recommendations in the NESC regarding the anchoring of battery racks in substations, specifically the advisability of not anchoring them to both the floor and the wall. The scope includes safety considerations in the context of earthquake zones.

Discussion Character

  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant notes that anchoring a battery rack to both the floor and wall in an earthquake zone could lead to structural failure due to relative movement during minor quakes.
  • Another participant agrees with this reasoning and expresses appreciation for the insight gained from the discussion.
  • A further contribution questions whether the explanation provided aligns with the NESC's reasoning, indicating a lack of clarity in the official guidelines.
  • An additional viewpoint suggests that a very strong rack could potentially prevent wall movement, which might cause damage to the building itself.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the potential risks of anchoring to both the floor and wall in earthquake-prone areas, but there is uncertainty regarding the specific reasoning provided by the NESC and the implications of a strong rack.

Contextual Notes

There is a lack of explicit references to the NESC guidelines in the discussion, and assumptions regarding the structural integrity of the battery rack and the building are not fully explored.

MitYeltu
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I am working on putting a new battery rack into a substation. I was re-reading the NESC and came across section 143. This section suggests it is not recommended to anchor my rack to both the floor and the wall. Can anyone explain why this is not recommended?
 
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If you are in an earthquake zone, the wall and floor could move relative to each other in minor quakes.
This could tear your rack apart if it was connected to both of them.
 
vk6kro said:
If you are in an earthquake zone, the wall and floor could move relative to each other in minor quakes.
This could tear your rack apart if it was connected to both of them.

Brilliant. I learn something new every dang day here on the PF.
 
That makes sense. I hadn't thought about that, but I agree now that I have. Now, don't be angry for my asking it this way, but, is that the NESC reason for not attaching it to both? I have not seen that specified anywhere.
 
It could work the other way, too.

If the rack was very strong, it could stop part of the wall moving and cause damage to the building.
 

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