Red Bluff Municipal Code Div. 2 Air-Conditioning Systems

It shall be unlawful for any person to have installed or to operate any air-conditioning system or evaporative cooler using city water as its medium without first conforming to the provisions of this article and the building and electrical codes of the city.

(`61 Code, § 24.38) (Ord. 305, passed 5-21-1956; Am. Ord. 966, passed 2-7-2006)

All persons who desire to install any air-conditioning system or evaporative cooler after the effective date of this article shall obtain approval of their equipment and a permit therefor in advance from the Building Inspector and shall give notice of completion of the installation.

(`61 Code, § 24.39) (Ord. 305, passed 5-21-1956; Am. Ord. 966, passed 2-7-2006)

All persons who have installed air-conditioning systems or evaporative coolers prior to the effective date of this article shall, in lieu of a permit, notify the Building Inspector of the existing installation. Failure to give the notice shall be a violation of this code.

(`61 Code, § 24.40) (Ord. 305, passed 5-21-1956; Am. Ord. 966, passed 2-7-2006)

All air-conditioning systems or evaporative coolers installed prior to the effective date of this article and in nonconformity herewith shall be converted, modified, adjusted or otherwise made to comply.

(`61 Code, § 24.41) (Ord. 305, passed 5-21-1956; Am. Ord. 966, passed 2-7-2006)

Before issuing a permit as required herein, the Building Inspector shall find that the system or cooler complies with the following standards of operation:

(A) Water which has been used as a cooling medium in refrigeration plants, refrigerator air- conditioning units or similar apparatus in which water is passed through cooling jackets or heat exchangers for the purpose of removing heat collected or generated by the apparatus shall be so piped as to permit circulation through a cooling tower or spray pool or other means of cooling in order that its heat content may be dissipated and the water sanitary sewers of the city with only the frequency as to maintain the cleanliness of the water in the system:

(1) There shall be provided in the water supply line to the refrigeration unit the following valves installed in this sequence: a check valve and a pressure relief valve set at 45 pounds. In lieu of the above valves in the water supply line, the refrigeration unit may be connected to the supply line through an air gap.

(2) There shall be installed in the refrigerant line a pressure relief valve which shall be set to open at 150% of the head pressure of the refrigerator unit. A pipe line shall be provided to conduct refrigerant released by this valve to the open air. The provisions of this division shall not apply to sealed seven and one-half ton units or less.

(3) A manually or electrically-operated valve shall be installed in the drain line from the collector pan of the cooling tower or from the spray pool, the valve to normally be kept closed, and which permits no leakage. In addition to the manually or electrically-operated valves, a stand pipe overflow installed in the drain line of the collector pan or spray pool and which permits an overflow bypass of the main drain valve, shall meet the requirements of this section.

(4) The drain line from the cooling tower or spray pool shall terminate above the rim of a properly installed plumbing fixture or shall be arranged to drain through an air gap into a properly installed and vented trap.

(B) In any and all cases where evaporative coolers are supplied with water from the city water system to be used as a cooling agent, the coolers will be fitted with a pump by means of which the water may be raised from the drip pan to the filter pads of the cooler. The pump may be an integral motor- driven unit or may be driven by the fan motor of the cooler but in any case will be of sufficient capacity to obviate the necessity of a continual supply of water from the city water line to the cooler:

(1) The water supply line to an evaporative cooler shall be equipped with a manually or electrically-operated valve or float valve which shall normally be kept closed and without leakage. It shall be opened only when make up water is being supplied to the cooler.

(2) (a) The drain line from the drip pan of the cooler may be conducted to the sewer installation on the premises provided that the drain line is fitted with a manually or electrically-controlled valve which is normally kept closed and without leakage.

(b) A stand pipe overflow installed in the drain line of the drip pan and which permits an overflow bypass of the main drain valve shall meet the requirements of this section.

(3) (a) The drainage water may enter the sewer through a pipe, the end of which is above the rim of a properly installed plumbing fixture into which the line is to drain, or drainage water may be conducted into the sewer through a specially installed and vented trap; provided, that a unable air gap is, maintained between the end of the pipe and the trap entrance.

(b) At the discretion of the owner or the installer, it is not essential that the drainage water from the cooler be conducted to a sewer.

(4) In cases where evaporative coolers are installed on roofs, the drainage of circulating water to the sewer after passing through the valve required by division (B)(2) above, may be led directly through a trap into a plumbing stack.

(`61 Code, § 24.42) (Ord. 305, passed 5-21-1956; Am. Ord. 966, passed 2-7-2006)