Building department request of equipment certification

[baronnahmias]

We are getting our distilling equipment from Germany (KOTHE) and the building department here in Yonkers, NY is requesting proof that the equipment meets U.S. safety standards and is certified in NYS and the United States. Has anyone on this forum encountered something similar with their local building department?

Any comments, suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,

Dorit

[bluestar]

What certification are they asking for? For electrical, NRTL or UL? ASME for pressure or mechanical? Latter normally applies only for above 15 psi. Kothe has sold fair number of stills in USA, so they should be able to tell you what they have been able to provide in the past. NYS? What safety requirements does the state have?

[Oregon Spirit Distillers]

I had similar issues in Bend, OR with Kothe equipment. I presented the information from Graumer Process that provided most of the electrical. Additionally, I had Kothe add a weld to the legs of the mash tun so that it bolts to the floor (this may now come standard now). These two things satisfied our local guys. Good luck,

Brad Irwin

Oregon Spirit Distillers

[Brian]

I assume that you are operating or intend to operate with low pressure steam. We operate in NY though as an agricultural operation.

Since the steam is low pressure, you may be able to avoid permits.

The furnaces would need to be installed per the manufacturers guidance of combustion air, exhaust gases, and distance to flammables. Harvest Spirits up near Albany operates an electrically powered still.

You should ask which sections of the code you need to comply with...you should have your answers ready for the fire code person and the waste control (sewage), too.

You are probably the first distiller this person has ever seen and hopefully the questions are from a lack of precedence.

[Palmetto Coast]

Try talking with Brad at Breukelen Gin. I think they have a Kothe still as well. He may have already tackled this problem.

Todd

[hawk]

State of WA did not accept the European electrical certification. We had to hire a certified electrical engineer to go over the still and certify that it met US Underwriter standards.

Engineer said that the European standard is not enforced same way as Underwriter's Lab, so that while German stills will be exemplary electrically, something with the same label coming from another country could be completely inferior.

One more way to spend money!

[Zeke]

My first thought was is it NSF? Look for NSF marks or a statement stating it is food grade safe. Just a thought......

[absaroka]

When we first started up we had several "issues" with local compliance officials. This instigated a prolonged educational process on the distilled spirits world to our code officials and eventually everything worked out.

One thing that was brought up by the ICC official and forwarded to our local officials was exactly what you are talking about, EU vs US certifications for equipment. Basically they said one certification doesn't automatically mean it will pass for the other (like our DOT and the EU's TUV).

The only reason we side-stepped this issue was that our equipment was made by Vendome and all certifications could be traced back to them (either on CAD drawings or other digging).

I can post the exact email from the ICC rep sans the direct references to our operations and names of individuals involved if that helps.

Good luck!

[baronnahmias]

Thank you for all of your input.

[whiskeytango]

Just wondering how this turned out? we are getting some of the same questions.

[MG Thermal Consulting]

What certification are they asking for? For electrical, NRTL or UL? ASME for pressure or mechanical? Latter normally applies only for above 15 psi. Kothe has sold fair number of stills in USA, so they should be able to tell you what they have been able to provide in the past. NYS? What safety requirements does the state have?

There are local codes for NYC like MEA for instance that make construction a nightmare for owners.

You will have to find out what code they are referring to and see if it can be "field certified". This of course means extra $$$.

Good luck.