Standards briefs

Electrical Apparatus, Jun 1999

NFPA soliciting standards proposals

The National Fire Protection Association is accepting proposals for revisions to two standards. For the National Electrical Code, NFPA 70, proposals should be submitted by Nov. 5, 1999. For NFPA 75, Electronic Computer/Data Processing Equipment, proposals must be in by June 30, 2000. Submittals must be made, on forms available from NFPA headquarters, to Codes and Standards Administration, NFPA, 1 Batterymarch Park, P.O. Box 9101, Quincy, Mass. 02269-9101.

ARI sets heat pump rating standard

The Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute has published ARI 870-99, Direct Geoexchange Heat Pumps, covering testing and rating of ground source units. Copies are available for $15 to ARI members ($30 to nonmembers) from ARI at 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, #425, Arlington, Va. 22203; (703) 524-8800.

Public comment sought on ANSI revisions

The American National Standards Institute seeks public comment by June 22, 1999, on several proposed standards revisions. They include:

- BSR/IEEE C37.14-1999, Low-Voltage D-C Power Circuit Breakers Used in Enclosures, which revises the present 1000 V rating to 1200 V and clarifies endurance test requirements. Order copies from IEEE Customer Service, 445 Hoes Lane, P.O. Box 1331, Piscataway, N.J. 08855-1331; single copy price $31 to IEEE members, $39 to nonmembers. Send comments to Cindy Tiritilli at that address, with copy to ANSI Board of Standards Review, II W. 42nd St., New York, N.Y. 10036.

BSR/IEEE 1100, Recommended Practice for Powering and Grounding Electronic Equipment (the Emerald Book). Ordering and comment information as above; single-copy price $75.

- BSR/IEEE 141-1993 (R1999), Recommended Practice for Electric Power Distribution for Industrial Plants (the Red Book). Ordering and comment information as above; single copy price $74 to IEEE members, $93 to nonmembers.

BSR/UL 1446, Standard .for Safety for Systems of Insulating Materials-General, covering insulation system component substitution and test procedures. Order from Terry Hill at Underwriters Laboratories, 12 Laboratory Drive, Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27709-3995; single copy price $30. Send comments to that address with copy to ANSI Board of Standards Review.

Standards information on the Internet

Most organizations writing electrical standards now have one or more Web sites at which their activities can be reviewed. Here is a listing of such sites that were up and running as of the end of May 1999:

The Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers has a home page at http://standards.ieee.org/, where options include checking the status of new, revised, or withdrawn standards. At http:/standards.ieee.org/db/status/, you can consult standards abstracts, see what documents are in preparation, or find out how to contact the working group involved.

National Electrical Manufacturers Association: http:ll/www. nema. org.

American National Standards Institute: http://www.ansi.org.

Canadian National Standards Association: http://www.csa. ca.

International Electrotechnical Commission: http://wv.iec. ch.

National Fire Protection Association: http://www.nfpa.org.

Underwriters Laboratories: http://www.ul.com.