# Data Center Specification



## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

whats a E.P.O.?:blink:


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Emergency Power Off?


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

Thats what i was thinkin. i've heard it called " E.C.O.".


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

We may never know, however.........


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

You are only NEC required to install an EPO if you wire the datacenter to article 645. If you don't take advantage of the special stuff article 645 lets you get away with, then you don't need an EPO. Many people mistakenly believe that if it's a datacenter or some other similar raised floor installation that you must have an EPO. That's simply not the case all the time.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

Sometimes the fire inspector will require the UPS to be shut down along with the building power shunt-trip. 

There was a huge fight between the fire inspector and the sheriffs department over this issue on an emergency command center. Seems the sheriff didn't want any possibility of losing power to critical emergency equipment. Like the entire county-wide communication network, among other things. 

The fire inspector eventually lost, mainly because the command center is manned 24/7. It was fun to watch though!

Rob


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

So now for Paul Harvey's Rest-Of-The-Story........

What's EPO?


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

480sparky said:


> So now for Paul Harvey's Rest-Of-The-Story........
> 
> What's EPO?


A fancy word for an "emergency stop switch" that shuts down the power to a datacenter. Emergency Power Off. It normally controls a shunt trip breaker or breakers. They sometimes might call the pump island shutdown switch "EPO's" in gas station work.


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## brian john (Mar 11, 2007)

I have worked in the Data/Computer room business for 30 plus years. I can truly say I have more stories about data centers losing power from accidental operation of the EPO than just about anything else I can think of. I cannot think of any cases were an EPO has been beneficial.


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## paul d. (Jul 13, 2008)

brian, you're right on the accidental shut -down. last 3-4 EPO switches i put in we put one of thoseclear LEXAN -type covers on to prevent accidental shut off.


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