Re: Low voltage wiring - NEC question

[MFHult@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

On Sun, 4 Sep 2005 12:33:01 -0500, "B Fuhrmann"
<b-fuhrmann-usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
<11hmbui1eoma965@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>:

>"Robert L Bass" <sales@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>news:7cklh1le6k5t7bnbu8o9ah6b133lauhrqc@xxxxxxxxxx
>>> NEC doesn't apply for low voltage...
>>
>> That's not correct, friend.  NEC applies to all current carrying
>> conductors installed in a building.  There are different
>> requirements for low voltage systems but NEC definitely covers
>> them.
>>
>> Whether NEC applies in your specific community is a matter of
>> state code.  How it is applied and interpreted is subject to the
>> discretion of the "authority having jurisdiction" -- fire
>> marshal, building inspector, etc.
>
>BINGO!  I was wondering how long it would take someone to mention that NEC
>IS NOT THE FINAL ANSWER.
>
>State codes will generally say that they are based on the NEC ... EXCEPT ...
>and then go on to list things that loosen some items and add additional
>restraints in other areas.
>
>Then city and county codes will do the same thing.
>
>The final answer is you need to read all the codes or ask your inspector (or
>a good local electrician).
>
>- - - -
>
>I have had very good luck asking inspectors for help.

My recent experience also.

When I was designing and building a homebrew hard-wired lighting system (still
in constant flux ;-), the inspector came over and examined my dimmer panel
while it was still on the work bench. He explained what he did and didn't want
to see. Seems to me that some decisions/details were a matter of professional
preference/judgement and not predictable based exclusively on the NEC no matter
how many times I might have read it. I did as he suggested and things went
swimmingly.

Picture and description here:

http://www.econtrol.org/ssr_panel.htm

More recently I redid the kitchen. Working in old houses is more complicated
than new construction. The inspector was again very sympathetic and helpful and
showed flexibility within NEC constraints.

I learned for example, that one can place a load center at floor level. Who
would have thunk !  So a load center can be hidden inside a 36" kitchen base --
potentially a design life-saver.   (A load center is like an entrance panel
except it is fed from the main entrance panel instead of the "street". They are
very useful in retrofits as well as large houses).

But he also made me tear down and replace an entire partition wall because I
only had 28" instead of the required 30" clearance in front of the proposed
location for new load center :-(

... Marc
Marc_F_Hult
www.econtrol.org