On September 15, 2009 at 14:25, Mr. Stanley said...
Zip cord is NOT CL-3 fire rated. It's jacket is flammable and produces toxins.
On September 15, 2009 at 15:01, Ernie Bornn-Gilman said...
BINGO! THAT is the issue.
So if i say..."You cant install lamp cord aka ZipCord in walls or ceilings because it is not CL-3 fire rated because its jacket is flammable and produces toxins."
Is that statement true and complete? ________________________________________________________
What about this statement...On September 15, 2009 at 12:33, Eastside A/V said...
To my knowledge, the issue is it is not coated in a fire retardent (CL2/CL3 rated) material, and as such if there were a fire, it would heat up almost instantly, and become essentially a fuse with a high heat melting plastic sheath...accellerating the progress of a fire to other parts of a house.
This statement leads me to believe its also relivent...On September 15, 2009 at 13:54, Rob Grabon said...
NEC: "...and shall be listed as being resistant to the spread of fire."
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And finally....On September 16, 2009 at 02:58, 2nd rick said...
Another factor required for in-wall rated wire is the over jacket.
Lamp cord does not have this, and is simply the insulated conductors siamesed together.
Any nick or abrasion occurring in the installation of the cable or the remaining construction process is less likely to cause a short circuit if there is an over jacket in addition to the insulation on the individual conductors.
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Also the terms "CL-2" and "CL-3" are short for Class 2 and Class 3, which are NEC definitions for low voltage circuits.
If memory is correct <50V is class 2, and 51V-100V is class 3. Those ranges may be off (I don't have the reference materials in hand as I write this), but basically they define two ranges which are less than electrical line voltage (120V).
So does this mean that CL-3 In MR.Stanleys post would be CL-2 as long as i stayed below 50V?
Is the overjacket issue addressed with my edited statement..."You cant install lamp cord aka ZipCord in walls or ceilings because it is not CL-2 fire rated because its jacket is flammable and produces toxins."
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