The Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) formerly known as The California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) has prescribed its own connected load policy to facilitate the rapid deployment of electrical equipment in medical facilities. This accelerated procedure, outlined in OSHPD Policy Intent Notice (PIN-38) allows for the conduct of a 72-hour load study to confirm the capacity of feeders whenever loads are to be added to existing panels “for other than where loads consist of primarily x-ray equipment or motors.”
Bruce sez, quoting from PIN-38, “OSHPD will require two levels of load capacity verification. Level-one is the panel or branch circuit to which load is being added, its supply conductors, and its overcurrent protective device. Level-two is the next panel which is electrically upstream towards the source from the panel or branch circuit where load is to be added, including its feeder and feeder overcurrent protective device." This 72-hour test is conducted twice, once before the equipment is installed and once after installation.
The ideal tool for conducting a connected load study is the METSyS Panel Capacity Analyzer (PCA), exclusively available in North America from POWERetc. The device has a built-in, rechargeable battery providing operation for a minimum of 72 hours (adequate for HCAI studies). The graph below is taken from POWERetc’s proprietary report generator designed to take the data recorded and produce a complete report including details of planned load additions and removals.
Hire POWERetc for your load study:
POWERetc offers a complete service for Power Quality monitoring, or Load Studies, or both. Our consulting service includes installation and setup of monitoring equipment, data analysis, and report preparation. Client reports and monitoring data can be posted on a password protected web site for access by the client or emailed directly.
Or, rent or purchase monitors from POWERetc for your load study and we'll train and support you:
POWERetc sells and rents a variety of monitoring equipment configured for the client's needs and provides training and application support. We can also review the data with you as part of the overall rental package. For specific information visit the Equipment section of the web site.
The METSyS Energy Logger was designed specifically for this application. This self-powered data logger measures 3 or 4 phase current complying with NFPA’s National Electrical Code (NEC) 2014 Article 220.87 and creates uniform load calculations in accordance with the requirements of the California Electrical Code (CEC).
Download METSyS Sample Report