Los Angeles County Municipal Code § 1207.11 ESS in Group R-3 and R-4 occupancies

ESS in Group R-3 and R-4 occupancies shall be installed and maintained in accordance with Sections 1207.11.1 through 1207.11.9. The temporary use of an owner or occupant's electric-powered vehicle as an ESS shall be in accordance with Section 1207.11.10.

Permits shall be required in accordance with Section 1207.1.2.

ESS shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL 9540. ESS listed and labeled solely for utility or commercial use shall not be used for residential applications.

Individual units shall be separated from each other by at least 3 feet (914 mm) of spacing unless smaller separation distances are documented and approved to be adequate for the ESS model(s) in question based on large-scale fire testing, in accordance with Section 1207.1.5.

ESS shall be installed only in the following locations:

Inside detached garages.

Inside attached garages when separated from the dwelling unit living space and sleeping units in accordance with Section R302.6.

Outdoors or on the outer side of the exterior building walls in accordance with Section 1207.11.3.1.

ESS shall not be installed inside any of the following locations:

Dwelling units, including accessory dwelling units (ADU's).

Sleeping units.

Spaces opening directly into sleeping rooms or units.

Closets.

Bathrooms.

Basements.

Accessory structures that are not garages.

Vaults.

ESS shall be permitted to be installed outdoors, or on the outer side of exterior building walls, when all of the following conditions are met, in addition to those otherwise required by Section 1207.11:

The ESS shall be installed and maintained a minimum of 5 feet (1524 mm) from all of the following:

1.1.

Lot lines.

1.2.

Public ways.

1.3.

Other buildings.

1.4.

Stored combustible materials.

1.5.

Hazardous materials.

The ESS shall be installed and maintained a minimum of 10 feet (3048 mm) from vegetation, as specified in Section 1207.5.7.

The ESS shall be installed and maintained a minimum of 3 feet (914 mm) from all doors, windows, operable openings, HVAC inlets and other penetrations directly or indirectly into habitable or occupiable spaces, or bathrooms.

Exception: The fire code official shall have the authority to authorize smaller separation distances where such distances are documented and approved to be adequate for the ESS model(s) in question based on large-scale fire testing, in accordance with Section 1207.1.5.

Individual ESS units shall have a maximum rating of 20 kWh. The aggregate rating per Group R-3/R-4 occupancy shall not exceed:

80 kWh in attached or detached garages.

80 kWh on outer side of exterior building walls.

80 kWh outdoors on the ground.

Energy capacity is the total energy capable of being stored (nameplate rating), not the usable energy rating.

ESS installations exceeding the permitted individual or aggregate ratings shall be installed in accordance with Sections 1207.1 through 1207.9 of the California Fire Code.

In addition to any disconnects and signage required in accordance with the California Electrical Code, disconnects, signage, and access shall be provided in accordance with Section 509, et seq.

Access and working space shall be provided and maintained about all electrical equipment to permit ready and safe operation and maintenance of such equipment in accordance with the California Electrical Code, the manufacturer's instructions, and Section 603.

ESS installed within attached garages shall be protected by one of the following:

An approved heat alarm.

An approved heat detector that is a component of a fire alarm system in the residence that will activate a notification device that will alert the residents of an emergency.

A fire sprinkler, properly spaced and integrated to a residential fire sprinkler system outfitted with a flow detector that activates a notification device that will alert the residents of an emergency.

Notification in all three options shall be provided in locations within dwelling units, sleeping units and attached garages.

ESS installed in a location subject to vehicle damage in accordance with Sections 1207.11.7.1 through 1207.11.7.3 shall be provided with impact protection in accordance with Section 1207.11.7.4. For the purposes of vehicle impact protection, an energy storage management system that controls an ESS, if located remotely from the ESS unit(s) it controls, shall be treated as an ESS unit.

Exception: Impact protection is not required for an ESS unit where no portion of the ESS unit is less than 36 inches (914 mm) above the finished floor, unless determined necessary per Section 1207.11.7.3.

For ESS unit(s) installed inside a garage or similar structure, impact protection shall be provided in accordance with Figures 1207.11.1(1) through 1207.11.7.1(3), and as described herein.

"L" represents the length of the garage-entrance return wall and is measured from the inside corner where the return wall meets the adjacent "side" wall that runs roughly parallel to the driving path.

Where any portion of the ESS unit is installed outside of the triangles created in accordance with Figure 1207.11.7.1(1), impact protection shall be provided.

Exceptions: Where the ESS unit is located within one of the aforementioned triangles, but any of the following are true, impact protection requirements shall be evaluated on a case-by-case basis:

L > 6 feet (1829 mm). See Figure 1207.11.7.1(2).

The driving path within the garage is deeper than 25 feet (7620 mm). See Figure 1207.11.7.1(3).

FIGURE 1207.11.7.1(1) GARAGE INTERIOR—INSTALLED ESSa

For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm.

a

Impact protection is not required for an ESS unit (or for a remote Energy Storage Management System) that is entirely located 36 inches or greater above the finished driving surface.

Exception: Where determined necessary by the fire code official due to special circumstances.

FIGURE 1207.11.7.1(2) LONG GARAGE RETURN WALLa,b

For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm.

a

Impact protection is not required for an ESS unit (or for a remote Energy Storage Management System) that is entirely located 36 inches or greater above the finished driving surface.

Exception: Where determined necessary by the fire code official due to special circumstances.

b

Where this figure is applicable, this case-by-case evaluation shall be in addition to the requirements of Figure 1207.11.7.2.1(1).

FIGURE 1207.11.7.1(3) DEEP GARAGEa,b

For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm, 1 foot = 304.8 mm.

a

Impact protection is not required for an ESS unit (or for a remote Energy Storage Management System) that is entirely located 36 inches or greater above the finished driving surface.

Exception: Where determined necessary by the fire code official due to special circumstances.

b

Where this figure is applicable, this case-by-case evaluation shall be in addition to the requirements of Figure 1207.11.7.2.1(1).

Impact Protection shall be required for any ESS unit(s) that are located within 36" of the full width or depth/length of any vehicular path of travel, and subject to vehicular impact, per Figure 1207.11.7.2.

FIGURE 1207.11.7.2 EXTERIOR-INSTALLED ESSa

For SI: 1 inch = 25.4 mm.

a

Impact protection is not required for an ESS unit (or for a remote Energy Storage Management System) that is entirely located 36 inches or greater above the finished driving surface.

Exception: Where determined necessary by the fire code official due to special circumstances.

The need of impact protection for any ESS unit installation scenario not specifically addressed in Sections 1207.11.7.1 and 1207.11.7.2 and associated figures, shall be determined by the fire code official.

All impact protection shall be of the pipe-bollard type complying with Section 1207.11.7.4.1, or retrofit-bollard type complying with Section 1207.11.7.4.2, unless provided by other approved structures (e.g., concrete wall).

Spacing between bollards shall not exceed 4 feet (1219 mm) on center and be no closer than 6 inches (152 mm) from an ESS unit. Bollards shall not encroach upon the working clearances required by Sections 1207.11.5.1 and 603. The need for multiple bollards for an ESS unit or a series of ESS units shall be determined by the fire code official.

Pipe-bollard type impact protection shall be 48 inches (1219 mm) in length, by 3 inches (76 mm) in diameter, schedule 80 steel pipe, embedded in a concrete pier 12 inches (304 mm) deep and 6 inches (152 mm) in diameter with 36 inches (914 mm) of pipe exposed, filled with concrete.

Retrofit-bollard type impact protection shall be 36 inches (914 mm) in height, by 3 inches (76 mm) in diameter, schedule 80 steel pipe fully welded to an 8-inch-square (203 mm) by ¼-inch-thick (6.4 mm) steel plate and bolted to a concrete floor by means of four 4½-inch (114 mm) steel anchors. The anchor bolts shall be suitable for use in concrete and shall obtain a minimum of 3-inch (76 mm) nominal embedment per the manufacturer's installation instructions.

Indoor installations of ESS that include batteries that produce hydrogen or other flammable gases during charging, discharging, or other normal use conditions shall be provided with exhaust ventilation in accordance with Section 1207.6.1.

2007 - HELISTOPS AND HELIPORTS