How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn’t identify? Here’s your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else’s work from the safety of your living room or office. Can you identify the specific Code violation(s) in this photo? Note: Submitted comments must include specific references from the 2014 NEC.
Hint: Campsite craziness
Tell Them What They Have Won...
Using the 2014 NEC, correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month’s photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win an Arlington Industries TVL508 Low Profile TV BOX™. E-mail your response, including your name and mailing address, to [email protected], and Russ will select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Note that submissions without an address will not be eligible to win.
DECEMBER WINNERS
Our winners this month were: Dino Giulianelli, an electrical engineer with Nuclear Services Power for CB&I of Moorestown, N.J.; Chuck Yost, a project manager for RPM Engineers of Irvine, Calif.; and Luis Lazogue, principal of Lazog Electric LLC, Union, N.J. They each knew the supporting methods used in this installation were not quite right.
Liquidtight flexible metallic conduit (LFMC) is generally not permitted to be supported by another raceway. According to 300.11(B), raceways may only be used for supporting other raceways, cables, or other equipment if the raceway providing the support is identified as a means of support. Raceways may also provide support for Class 2 circuit conductors or cables where the raceway encloses the power conductors for the equipment being controlled by the Class 2 circuit. Boxes and conduit bodies may also be supported by raceways in accordance with 314.23, and luminaires may also be supported by raceways in accordance with 410.36(E).
One violation that cannot be fully seen in the photo is the total number of bends in the LFMC. Section 350.26 permits no more than 360° of bends (four quarter bends) between pull points. The LFMC in this installation continues downward and contains several more 90° bends. The total degrees of bend easily exceed the 360° limit.