Not that I want to get into an argument with an electrical inspector...
But we're building out a restaurant, mindful of the one time recently when we attached and supported our cabling from the hanger wires installed for the Tbar. Low voltage is hardly ever paid any attention by any inspector, but the electrical inspector told us we had to separately support that wire bundle.
That makes sense. We did it.
In our latest buildout, we installed separate hanger wires from the ceiling and made a wire bundle path. The electrical inspector told us we'd have to move them and attach them to the Tbar grid support wires.
He went on to say that we could not make any penetrations in the ceiling. In this case that means about a half dozen ceiling-mount cameras can't be mounted as designed. Furthermore, he came up with a way that he said would be okay. I haven't talked in detail with my partner about this, but it was something about running the camera wires up through the Tbar grid bars. That can't happen because the connectors are larger than the width of the grid bars.
In the past we've been allowed to connect to Tbar hanger wires, but those were remodels and this is new construction.
Anybody ever been told to hang wire bundles from Tbar support wires?
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Never been told to hang from existing TBar stringer supports, especially new construction. Have always been told to provide our own supports.
The only exception to that is a few existing construction projects where the drop ceiling was 15' below the ceiling deck, with no access to get that high without tearing down the drop ceiling. In this instance we used the Caddy J-hooks that have a clip pre-installed to slide them on to the stringer wire.
Since the NEC 330-11 (2) states wiring is not to be attached to the ceiling support grid. We request written notice that you would like our cabling installed otherwise.
Since the NEC 330-11 (2) states wiring is not to be attached to the ceiling support grid. We request written notice that you would like our cabling installed otherwise.
On August 29, 2017 at 19:53, FreddyFreeloader said...
What the heck kind of cameras are you doing where the connector is already on the wire?
I think we're misunderstanding one another. My answer should make that obvious:
Every camera I've ever seen has connectors already on the wire. The wire that comes out of the back of the camera used to split into two wires, with a BNC on one wire and a power connector on the other wire. Newer cameras have a wire with an RJ-45 on it. Some of these cameras also have an additional wire, some of which end in bare pigtails.
What cameras do you use that DON'T have connectors on the wire, that have either blunt-cut wire or stripped ends on pigtails?
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
Some clarification: the inspector thought there had been wires in place for us running from the 20 foot ceiling down to the grid structure, and it looked to him like we had cut off the connection down to the grid. So he ordered us to install, or in his eyes reinstall, the wires so they went all the way down to the grid. Maybe he thought we had reduced the support for the tbar. Who knows what evil lurks in the mind of the AHJ?
He totally missed the somewhat obvious fact that the exact wires he was complaining about didn't come from the ceiling, but from support bars under A/C ducting.
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
TB A+ Partner Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense. -Buddha
Yes, that exact product, but now I see I missed something obvious.
We've been told not to use these hangers on Tbar support wires. Those wires are identical to the ones shown in the photo, running from ceiling to grid structure.
Instead, we're to add our own support wires from the ceiling, but the bottoms of those wires have to end up somewhere... which would have to be at the grid. That also would look just like the wires in the photo. So how would anyone know if the wires we attach to were put in to support the grid or to support our cables?
A good answer is easier with a clear question giving the make and model of everything. "The biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." -- G. “Bernie” Shaw
300.11 Securing and Supporting. (A) Secured in Place. Raceways, cable assemblies, boxes, cabinets, and fittings shall be securely fastened in place. Support wires that do not provide secure support shall not be permitted as the sole support. Support wires and associated fittings that provide secure support and that are installed in addition to the ceiling grid support wires shall be permitted as the sole support. Where independent support wires are used, they shall be secured at both ends. Cables and race ways shall not be supported by ceiling grids.
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