ASSESSMENT REVIEW Review of Assessment Report WFRA C91415 Fire resistance performance of steel electrical wall boxes mounted in plasterboard partitions with modified mounting arrangements, box design and facia plates EWFA Report No: 28278-00 Report Sponsor: Schneider Electric () Pty Ltd 33-37 Port Wakefield Road Gepps Cross SA 5094 AUSTRALIA
Page 2 of 6 DOCUMENT REVISION STATUS Date Issued Issue No Description 11/03/2013 28278-00 Initial Issue CONTACT INFORMATION Exova Warringtonfire Aus Pty Ltd - ABN 81 050 241 524 NATA Registered Laboratory Unit 2, 409-411 Hammond Road Dandenong Victoria 3175 T: +61 (0)3 9767 1000 F: +61 (0)3 9767 1001 New South Wales Suite 2002a, Level 20, 44 Market Street Sydney NSW 2000 T: +61 (0)2 8270 7600 F: +61 (0)2 9299 6076 Victoria Unit 2, 409-411 Hammond Road Dandenong Victoria 3175 T: +61 (0)3 9767 1000 F: +61 (0)3 9767 1001 Queensland Northpoint, Unit 29, Level 6 231 North Quay Brisbane QLD 4000 T: +61 (0)7 3238 1700 F: +61 (0)7 3211 4833
Page 3 of 6 1 INTRODUCTION The assessment referenced WFRA C91415, dated 12th August 1996 and provided an opinion about the fire resistance performance of steel electrical wall boxes with Grafitex intumescent material when mounted in plasterboard partitions if tested in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 and AS4072.1-1992. 2 CONFIRMATION OF SPECIFICATION The sponsor of the tests and assessment was Gerard Industries Pty Ltd, which is now named Schneider Electric () Pty Ltd (recently changed from Clipsal Pty Ltd). Schneider Electric () Pty Ltd has confirmed in writing that there are no changes to the specification, design and material of the protection systems or components since the issue of the original formal assessment, i.e. WFRA C91415. Schneider Electric () Pty Ltd has given permission for the preparation of this review. Schneider Electric () Pty Ltd has however changed the names under which the assessed products are sold. The table below shows the names of the products assessed in C91415 and the equivalent name the products are currently sold under. Product Name as Assessed in C91415 Current Product Name 2157/3 2157/3F 2157/2 2157/2F 157/2 157/2F 157/1 157/1F The performance of various steel electrical wall boxes was assessed in reports C91357 and C91358, dated 24.5.1995 and 29.5.1995 respectively, in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 and AS4072.1-1992. Assessment report WFRA C91415 dated 12.8.1996 referred to C91357 and C91358 when assessing performance if tested in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 and AS4072.1-1992. Since the issue of the assessment report WFRA C91415, revised n Standards AS1530.4-2005 and AS4072.1-2005 have been issued. The assessment WFRA C91415 was prepared with respect to AS1530.4-1990 and AS4072.1-1992 and there are variations between these test methods and AS1530.4-2005 and AS4072.1-2005. These variations and the affect these differences have on fire resistance performance of the referenced test specimens are discussed below. Temperature Regime The furnace heating regime in fire resistance tests conducted in accordance with AS1530.4-2005 follows a similar trend to that in AS 1530.4-1990. The specified specimen heating rate in AS 1530.4-1990 is given by: Where; T t -T 0 = 345log (8t+1) T t = Furnace temperature at time t, in degrees Celsius. T o = Initial furnace temperature, in degrees Celsius, not less than 10 C nor more than 40 C. t = Time into the test, measured from the ignition of the furnace, in minutes. The heating regimes in AS1530.4-1990 and AS1530.4-2005 vary in that the former is an expression of the temperature rise in the furnace above an initial ambient temperature, and the latter although similar, assumes that the initial furnace temperature (T o ) is 20 C irrespective of the actual temperature. A test conducted in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 on a warm day (ambient temperature above 20 o C) could therefore be slightly more onerous than that in accordance with AS1530.4-2005.
Page 4 of 6 The parameters outlining the accuracy of control of the furnace temperature in AS1530.4-2005 and AS1530.4-1990 are not appreciably different. Furnace overpressure AS1530.4-1990 requires a minimum pressure differential of 8Pa above the laboratory atmosphere for both vertical and horizontal specimens. AS1530.4-2005 requires a minimum pressure differential of 15Pa ± 3Pa above the laboratory atmosphere at the centre of the lowest penetration for vertical specimens and 20Pa ± 3Pa at 100mm below the soffit for horizontal specimens. The increase in furnace overpressure is only expected to be significant if cracks or fissures had developed in the test specimen. Performance Criteria AS1530.4-2005 specifies the following performance criteria for building materials and structures: Structural Adequacy Integrity Insulation Structural Adequacy The structural adequacy criteria are not relevant to this test Integrity The specimen shall be deemed to have failed the integrity criterion in accordance with AS1530.4-2005 (in regard to service penetrations) if the specimen Collapses Sustained flaming on the non fire side in excess of 10 seconds. Ignites a cotton pad within 30 seconds when applied. The integrity criterion varies slightly between AS1530.4-1990 and AS1530.4-2005. The specimen is deemed to have failed to AS1530.4 1990 if the specimen Collapses The development of cracks, fissures or other openings through which flames or hot gases can pass. Sustained flaming on the non fire side in excess of 10 seconds. The integrity criterion in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 is generally more stringent and would normally occur prior to integrity failure in accordance with AS1530.4-2005. Insulation The insulation criteria of AS1530.4-1990 and AS1530.4-2005 remain the same, although the location of thermocouples has been revised. AS4072.1-1992 specifies thermocouples to be located 25mm and 400mm from the separating element on the penetrating element to the unexposed side. Although AS4072.1-2005 does not specify the location of thermocouples, it refers back to AS1530.4-2005 which only specifies thermocouples to be located 25mm from the separating element on the penetrating element. The insulation criterion in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 is generally more stringent and would normally occur prior to insulation failure in accordance with AS1530.4-2005. Applicability of Test Data in General In general the test specimen furnace exposure conditions of AS1530.4-1990 are not appreciably different from the requirements of AS1530.4 2005. The difference in specified furnace pressures between the revisions of AS1530.4 (1990 to 2005) is only expected to be significant if cracks or fissures had developed in the test specimen as higher furnace overpressure has a greater tendency to force hot gases from the furnace to the non-fire side, potentially adversely affecting both the integrity and insulation performance.
Page 5 of 6 Referenced test data in C91357 indicated that no integrity failure nor through gaps were observed in the service penetrations for the period of the assessed Fire Resistance Level of 60 minutes. Test results referenced in C91358 indicated that integrity failure of some test specimens occurred before 120 minutes. However, the failure was attributed to the premature collapse of part of the separating element cause by the presence of a large opening, independent to the protection system considered in this report. It is considered that the increased overpressure requirement specified in AS1530.4-2005 would not have a significant influence to the fire resistance performance of the test specimen. The integrity criterion in accordance with AS1530.4-1990 is generally more stringent and would normally occur prior to integrity failure in accordance with AS1530.4-2005 because under most circumstances, a through gap permitting an uninterrupted view into the furnace interior would first form to allow passage of a gap gauge and based on the above discussion with respect to furnace overpressure the differences in integrity performance requirements specified in AS1530.4-2005 would not have a significant influence to the fire resistance performance of the test specimen. Based on the above discussion it is considered that insulation and integrity results of the tests referenced in WFRA C91415 can be used to assess the insulation and integrity performance of specimen if subjected to a fire resistance test in accordance with AS1530.4-2005. 3 FORMAL OPINION SUMMARY Since the issue of assessment report WFRA C91415, n Standard AS1530.4-2005 and AS4072.1-2005 have been revised. The relevance of the differences between this and the earlier Standards have been discussed in Section 2 and not found to significantly affect the technical conclusions of the assessment. The procedures adopted for the original assessment have been re-examined and are similar to those currently in use. The specification used for the original assessment has been re-examined and found to be satisfactory. Therefore, with respect to the opinion about the fire resistance performance of steel electrical wall boxes with Grafitex intumescent material when mounted in plasterboard partitions referenced in Assessment Report WFRA C91415, it is confirmed that the assessed performance is considered valid with respect to AS1530.4-2005 and AS4072.1-2005, subject to the validity requirements in Section 4. 4 VALIDITY This assessment review does not provide an endorsement by Exova Warringtonfire Aus Pty Ltd of the actual products assessed. This review is based on information and experience available at the time of preparation. The published procedures for the conduct of tests and the assessment of test results are the subject of constant review and improvement and it is recommended that this report be reviewed on or before the stated expiry date. This review remains valid until the expiry date stated in Section 5.5 subject to compliance with the applicant undertakings and conditions in the original assessment and this review.
Page 6 of 6 5 AUTHORITY 5.1 APPLICANT UNDERTAKINGS AND CONDITIONS OF USE By using this report as evidence of compliance or performance, the applicant(s) confirms that: to their knowledge the component or element of structure, which is the subject of this review, has not been subjected to a fire test to the Standard against which this assessment is being made, and they agree to withdraw the reviewed assessment from circulation should the component or element of structure be the subject of a fire test by a test authority in accordance with the Standard against which this review is being made and the results are not in agreement with the reviewed assessment, and they are not aware of any information that could adversely affect the conclusions of the reviewed assessment and if they subsequently become aware of any such information, agree to ask the assessing authority to withdraw the reviewed assessment. there have been no changes to the materials and elements that are the subject of this assessment since the fire test other than addressed in the reports referenced in this assessment. 5.2 GENERAL CONDITIONS OF USE This report may only be reproduced in full without modifications by the report sponsor. Copies, extracts or abridgments of this report in any form shall not be published by other organisations without the permission of Exova Warringtonfire Aus Pty Ltd 5.3 AUTHORISATION ON BEHALF OF EXOVA WARRINGTONFIRE AUS PTY LTD Prepared by: Reviewed by: S. Hu K. G. Nicholls 5.4 DATE OF ISSUE 11/03/2013 5.5 EXPIRY DATE 31/03/2018