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// CODE SNIPPET

503.0 Motors, Fans, and Filters

California Mechanical Code 2016 > 5 Exhaust Systems > 503.0 Motors, Fans, and Filters
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503.1 General

Motors and fans shall be sized to provide the required air movement. Motors in areas that contain flammable vapors or dusts shall be of a type approved for such environments. A manually operated remote control installed at an approved location shall be provided to shut off fans or blowers in flammable vapor or dust systems. Equipment used in operations that generate explosive or flammable vapors, fumes, or dusts shall be interlocked with the ventilation system so that the equipment cannot be operated unless the ventilation fans are in operation. Motors for fans used to convey flammable vapors or dusts shall be located outside the duct or shall be protected with approved shields and dust-proofing. Where belts are used, they shall not enter the duct unless the belt and pulley within the duct are enclosed. Motors and fans shall be accessible for servicing and maintenance.

503.2 Fans

Parts of fans in contact with explosive or flammable vapors, fumes, or dusts shall be of nonferrous or nonsparking materials or their casing shall be lined or constructed of such material. Where the size and hardness of materials passing through a fan are capable of producing a spark, both the fan and the casing shall be of nonsparking materials. Where fans are required to be spark-resistant, their bearings shall not be within the airstream, and parts of the fan shall be grounded. Fans in systems handling materials that are likely to clog the blades, and fans in buffing or woodworking exhaust systems, shall be of the radial-blade or tube-axial type.

    Equipment used to exhaust explosive or flammable vapors, fumes, or dusts shall bear an identification plate stating the ventilation rate for which the system was designed.

    Fans located in systems conveying corrosives shall be of materials that are resistant to the corrosive or shall be coated with corrosion-resistant materials.

503.3 Filters

[BSC-CG], [DSA-SS & DSA-SS/CC] In mechanically ventilated buildings, provide regularly occupied areas of the building with air filtration media for outside and return air that provides at least a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 8. MERV 8 filters shall be installed prior to occupancy, and recommendations for maintenance with filters of the same value shall be included in the operation and maintenance manual in compliance with Chapter 5, Division 5.5. of the California Green Building Standards Code (CALGreen).

Exceptions:
  1. An ASHRAE 10-percent to 15-percent efficiency filter shall be permitted for an HVAC unit meeting the 2013 California Energy Code having 60,000 Btu/h (17.6 kW) or less capacity per fan coil, if the energy use of the air delivery system is 0.4 W/cfm [848 W/(m3/s)] or less at design air flow.
  2. Existing mechanical equipment.

503.3.1 Labeling

Installed filters shall be clearly labeled by the manufacturer indicating the MERV rating.
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