§ 95.15-10 - Controls.

§ 95.15-10 Controls.

(a) Except as noted in § 95.15-20(b) all controls and valves for the operation of the system shall be outside the space protected, and shall not be located in any space that might be cut off or made inaccessible in the event of fire in any of the spaces protected.

(b) If the same cylinders are used to protect more than one hazard, a manifold with normally closed stop valves shall be used to direct the carbon dioxide into the proper space. If cylinders are used to protect only one hazard, a normally closed stop valve shall be installed between the cylinders and the hazard except for systems of the type indicated in § 95.15-5(d) which contain not more than 300 pounds of carbon dioxide.

(c) Distribution piping to the various cargo spaces shall be controlled from not more than two stations. One of the stations controlling the system for the main machinery space shall be located as convenient as practicable to one of the main escapes from the space. All control stations and the individual valves and controls shall be marked as required by §§ 97.37-10 and 97.37-13 of this subchapter.

(d) Systems of the type indicated in § 95.15-5(d) shall be actuated by one control operating the valve to the space and a separate control releasing at least the required amount of carbon dioxide. These two controls shall be located in a box or other enclosure clearly identified for the particular space. Those systems installed without a stop valve shall be operated by one control releasing at least the required amount of carbon dioxide.

(e) Where provisions are made for the simultaneous release of a given amount of carbon dioxide by operation of a remote control, provisions shall also be made for manual control at the cylinders. Where gas pressure from pilot cylinders is used as a means for releasing the remaining cylinders, not less than two pilot cylinders shall be used for systems consisting of more than two cylinders. Each of the pilot cylinders shall be capable of manual control at the cylinder, but the remaining cylinders need not be capable of individual manual control.

(f) Systems of the type indicated in § 95.15-5(d), other than systems for tanks, which are of more than 300 pounds of carbon dioxide, shall be fitted with an approved delayed discharge so arranged that the alarm will be sounded for at least 20 seconds before the carbon dioxide is released into the space. Such systems of not more than 300 pounds of carbon dioxide shall also have a similar delayed discharge, except for those systems for tanks and for spaces which have a suitable horizontal escape. This paragraph shall be applicable only to systems installed on or after July 1, 1957.

(g) All distribution valves and controls shall be of an approved type. All controls shall be suitably protected.

(h) Complete but simple instructions for the operation of the systems must be located in a conspicuous place at or near all pull boxes, stop valve controls and in the CO₂ cylinder storage room. On systems in which the CO₂ cylinders are not within the protected space, these instructions must also include a schematic diagram of the system and instructions detailing alternate methods of discharging the system should the manual release or stop valve controls fail to operate. Each control valve to branch lines must be marked to indicate the related space served.

(i) If the space or enclosure containing the carbon dioxide supply or controls is to be locked, a key to the space or enclosure shall be in a break-glass-type box conspicuously located adjacent to the opening.

[CGFR 65-50, 30 FR 17001, Dec. 30, 1965, as amended by CGD 74-100B, 40 FR 6209, Feb. 10, 1975; USCG-1999-6216, 64 FR 53226, Oct. 1, 1999]