Re: Low voltage wiring - NEC question

[Robert L Bass <sales@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

> 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

Good job, Marc.  I do have one suggestion regarding the work in
case you ever decide to do a similar project.  Consider making
each cable long enough to go from the entry point of the cabinet
to the opposite end (top/bottom) then back up/down to the
connection point making right turns at each point.  The result
will be neater looking (inspectors like that) and easier to
service.

For the benefit of some less experienced than Marc, I also like
to leave enough of the outer jacket on NM cables in place so that
I can write on the jacket an identification such as "Din Rm
Recessed Cans" or whatever.  It makes things much easier to
service.

> 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.

Asking for his advice and working with him on various projects
will almost always get you more flex room than quoting code.  :^)

> 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.

I was not aware of that one.  I know that you need to have
certain amounts of working clearance in front of a panel.  It
never even occurred to me that one could install a cabinet that
low though.

> (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).

Even in small houses, they can come in handy.  While redoing my
first house, a 1929 "ginger bread" in W Hartford, CT, I needed to
install about a half dozen new circuits on the second floor.
There wasn't a single grounded outlet in the house.  I replaced
the ancient, 40-Amp fuse panel in the basement, installed a new
meter pan, 200-Amp (what the heck) main panel, added a 60-Amp
load center in the attic and replaced all the knob and tube stuff
with Romex.  I also installed a manual transfer switch for a
generator.

The inspector passed my work after one slight change.  I had
forgotten to install a cut-off for the new A/C compressor.  Once
that was done we were all set.

We sold the house about a year after I finished fixing just about
everything in it.

> 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 :-(

Heh.  I could have warned you about that one.  :^)

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

Bass Burglar Alarms
The Online DIY Store
http://www.BassBurglarAlarms.com