Refrigerant Monitoring System Codes

Try 2007 (or later) California Fire Code part 606.8

http://ftp.resource.org/bsc.ca.gov/title24_part09_dice/title24_part09_page0081.pdf

Also look in Calif Building Code and Calif Mech Code for machinery room requirements, or google refrigeration machinery rooms or machinery rooms or machinery room refrigerant detectors, etc. Might try the Electrical Code also.

Not familiar with Calif requirements - there are other codes there so maybe some Calif folks can help.

What "main panel" are you referring to: a gas detector panel, or refrigeration machine controls, or ventilation controls, or something else?

Have you tried talking to the AHJ? Unless you have an adversarial relationship with them, they would probably direct you to the applicable codes for thier jurisdiction and even give you some pointers on what they will be looking for.

Another source would be your chiller supplier. Not necessarily the mechanical contractor but the manufacturers rep. I've had good luck there as well in the past.

I am not familiar with CA codes. In Canada we have a national code system with Provincial amendments.

As for the main panel. If you mean the notifier panel, it has to be outside of the chiller room. You do not want a person to enter a room that may be flooded with oxygen displacing refrigerant in order to check on an alarm. If not mandated by code you may want to consider venting the pressure relief on the chiller to the outside and automatic ventilation for the room tied into the alarm.