COMPEX EXi

[vivas]

hey guys,just a few questions regarding some Exi kit..... firstly, you can get ia enclosures to house other ex kit in haz areas..... but for eg, if it was a jb then the atex number had a U at the end, would that label be for the jb or the kit inside?

Just that today we inspectedajb, which looked like any other exe jb but the label stated ex ia, but on the inside of the lid, on a sticker was another EX sticker saying it was exe then the atex number had a U on the end, so am i to think the jb is intrinsicly safe while the kit inside is exe? and if so am i right in thinking exi enclosures do not require rated glands

 

[micknew]

Is this a computer related question?

 

[vivas]

no its for ex equipment on an oil platform

 

[Engineer54]

As stated before, i'm not that well up on the European Ex stuff, but would imagine that all Ex cable glands need to be of the high rated type on a working oil platform!!!

 

[R4BOE]

hey guys,just a few questions regarding some Exi kit..... firstly, you can get ia enclosures to house other ex kit in haz areas..... but for eg, if it was a jb then the atex number had a U at the end, would that label be for the jb or the kit inside?

Just that today we inspectedajb, which looked like any other exe jb but the label stated ex ia, but on the inside of the lid, on a sticker was another EX sticker saying it was exe then the atex number had a U on the end, so am i to think the jb is intrinsicly safe while the kit inside is exe? and if so am i right in thinking exi enclosures do not require rated glands

the U on an atex certification mark is for component certification. EXe is a sutible junction box for IS circuits,. and you right IS junction boxes do not require certified glands but the IP rating would be the key part on a Platform and also regarding the junction boxes and quoted from my ex compex notes " items such as junction boxes may be used in iS circuits with out further certification"

 

[Knobhead]

Going back in the horrible dark residences of my mind. IS enclosures do not require special glanding. By nature the circuits are IS.

The one problem we came across was the instrument gang using our IS enclosures for EX circuits. No amount of argument would convince them they were in the wrong.

Written warnings were issued like confetti.



Instrument cabinets grew legs very rapidly as they moved to safe zones. Air valves and any measurement were “instruments” and so belonged the instrument gang. PX’s on a valve were “electrical” as it was IS. Changing a valve would also involve the fitters.
It was a fun time for me, I was shop steward for both the electrical and instrument gangs.
I couldn’t do right for doing wrong.

The fight ring had the usual four corners:
Corner 1 electrical gang (strongest, so therefore right)
Corner 2 engineering management (out of their depth)
Corner 3 instrument gang (think the world owes them a living)
Corner 4 H&S officer (not a clue what was going on other than it’s 423 days to retirement)

I felt sorry for the management! Nine times out of ten I was in their camp trying to keep the two warring factions apart!
I know this is supposed to be about safety but once rivalry gets involved you can forget it. Demarcation ruled then!
This is going back 30+ years ago, I wouldn’t trust the IS stuff we had then as far as I could throw it now.

 

[vivas]

nice answers lads, were progressing ontheinspections but as u say its the management and the comissioners who when we turn to for answers, aint got them...... so i sumerise, EXi boxes are in the zone 2 on the platform which i know is acceptable, its the fact that the kit inside is meant to be
exe thats still throwing me, surely exi boxes can only take exi circuits, therefore the label with exe stamp on the inside of the lid but atex suffix U.... what is that refering to.... i think the problem is that alot of the compex **** is open to interpritation and its how u read it which leads to alot of grey areas

 

[listener]

Pre 2007 then as long as the glands were able to meet IP and mechanical impact strength then they would be fine. However, after 2007 if the enclosure is certified then the glands must also be certified. As for your kit being in zone 2, has it been risk assessed as the engineer may determine the EPL differs from the convention method of assigning kit. I hope this help.