csst separation issue

[Ray Thornburg]

Is it ok to have the csst laying all over the electrical cables? I know you're supposed to have as much separation as possible from electrical conductive systems....seems like they didn't even try....

[Jerry Peck]

Go here:
http://www.inspectionnews.net/home_inspection/plumbing-system-home-inspection-commercial-inspection/31652-220v-line-laying-gas-line.html

[Ray Thornburg]

Thanks Jerry....what do you think about the separation issue?

[Jerry Peck]

Thanks Jerry....what do you think about the separation issue?

From that other thread:

The best reference would be that it is not properly secured and supported as required ... but the insulation on the conductors within the outer sheath should provide protection from any electrical problem from the two being in contact with each other.

[Ray Thornburg]

I know I thought about that too.....but the csst manual says as much separation as possible from electrically conductive systems.....and since the electric is a system....it just seems they didn't follow the intent manual when they could easily have routed it some other way.

[Jerry Peck]

the csst manual says as much separation as possible from electrically conductive systems ...

True, but how much is as much as possible? It is "possible" to route the electrical wiring on one side of the house and the CSST on the other side of the house, right?

I agree that saying things like 'as much as possible' is rather useless because, one 'could' run the electrical half-way around the earth from the CSST (an extreme example, but that is 'as much as possible'). Saying 'as much as possible' could mean 'let's use *real* pipe and replace the CSST with iron pipe'. ;)

Thing like that in manuals are really kind of silly when you consider that the CSST is routed across the attic and down walls, and electrical cables are also routed in those same places. It would be nice if the code or installation instructions said 'minimum separation between CSST and electrical wiring, light fixtures, and other electrically energized appliances is 3 inches', but I have not seen any such requirements ... as yet ... not sure if they will come in the future or not, especially with CounterStrike CSST with its outer sheath which is supposed to eliminate the additional bonding that regular CSST requires for lightning strike protection.

I found these interesting in the GasTite Design and Installation Guide: (bold and underlining are mine)
- NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE (NEC), Section 250.104b, states that “bonding all piping and metal air ducts within the premises will provide additional safety”. Gastite recommends that all continuous metallic systems be bonded and grounded. The owner should confirm with an electrical or construction specialist that each continuous metallic system in a structure has been bonded and grounded by an electrical professional in accordance with local building codes. This should include, but is not limited to metallic chimney liners, metallic appliance vents, metallic ducting and piping, electrical cables, and structural steel.

- Care should be taken when installing horizontal runs to maintain as much separation as reasonably possible from other electrically conductive systems in the building.
* - There is no requirement to maintain separation from other electrically conductive systems when routing FlashShield™.

* As though there was a stated "requirement" of a specific minimum separation for regular GasTite CSST in the statement above it.

[Ray Thornburg]

Thanks Jerry....so the bottom line is cheesy but legal.....would you mention it in a report? Just interested in how other inspectors handle stuff like this.

[Jerry Peck]

so the bottom line is cheesy but legal...

Yep.


... would you mention it in a report?

Nope.

But I would be curious as to what that OSB wall is covered for and if that hole should be sealed around.

[Ray Thornburg]

The lines emerge into another attic area.....the plywood is a type of shear wall in the attic to brace the trusses for the wind zone around here.