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  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Fuquay Varina, NC
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    Default Conductor protection

    This townhome has a storage room on the back. It was built in 01.
    The conductors are nailed on the wall surface. As you can see the panel is about 5' off the floor or so and the conductors are nailed/secured to the surface above it.

    Do these conductors need to be in conduit or behind the wall surface for protection?

    Sorry about the fuzzy picture. I must of moved while taking it.

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    Mike Schulz License 393
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    Sioux City, Iowa
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    My understanding is that the service wires from the panel are to be secured within twelve inches of the panel and then every forty eight inches of the run. To my knowledge, there is no requirement for a conduit or that the wires need to be behind the wall.

    Mike Tracy, CRI


  3. #3
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    Thanks for the quick reply.

    Reason I said conduit or behind the wall covering is for protection. I thought the conductors where required to have protection if damage could occur. Being it's a small storage room I'm sure you have seen people stuff these thing full of crap and that being said could cut/damage the conductor.

    Mike Schulz License 393
    Affordable Home Inspections
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  4. #4
    Rick Fifield's Avatar
    Rick Fifield Guest

    Default Re: Conductor protection

    While a bit sloppy, that installation is fine. The code does mandate a minimum clear space in front of the panel for service access. You are right about possible damage from excess storage. The panel location is just plain bad. It's difficult to codify bad design for the masses.
    I can't tell how the service entrance cable is handled.

    Rick

    Last edited by Rick Fifield; 02-18-2008 at 11:56 AM. Reason: A stray thought.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Tampa, Fl
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    155

    Default Re: Conductor protection

    I thought anything below 8 foot level needs to be protected, no?


  6. #6
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    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    Those conductors should be protected from physical damage, and they apparently made provisions to start building an enclosure over them (or may have and someone removed the enclosure box covering them to add more - such as that loose wire hanging there, whatever it goes to).

    You can even see the what looks like the top outline of the enclosure box at the ceiling.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  7. #7
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    Mar 2007
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    Fuquay Varina, NC
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    What you see at the top is rock wool stuffed around the wires. You might be right about the enclosure.

    Starting to make sense. They Sheetrock over the plywood wall I guess to meet fire requirements '4 rule because on the other side of the wall is the storage room for the adjacent building.

    Mike Schulz License 393
    Affordable Home Inspections
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  8. #8
    Join Date
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    4' That's not right is it. Is that just for attic's. I don't recall wall assemblys except the adjacent wall back to back with adjcent home.

    Mike Schulz License 393
    Affordable Home Inspections
    www.houseinspections.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    If that is a fire rated wall assembly, that OSB is not going to cut it.

    Both sides of that fire rated wall need to be 5/8" Type X gypsum board.

    Also, that opening into the attic should be firestopped.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  10. #10
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    Mar 2007
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    No the OSB wall is to the home side. The back wall is the shared wall. Look at the first picture of the storage building, the other units storage room looks just like it and on the other side of it.
    The rock wool is draft stop to the common shared roof.

    Mike Schulz License 393
    Affordable Home Inspections
    www.houseinspections.com

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    Default Re: Conductor protection

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike Schulz View Post
    the other units storage room looks just like it and on the other side of it.
    The rock wool is draft stop to the common shared roof.
    Then the common wall between the two storage rooms should go all the way to the "common shared roof" (it would be the fire rated wall separating the two different town homes) and the roof sheathing would been to be fire retardant treated to 4 feet from each side of that wall (not measured from the wall center line, measured from each side of the wall).

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

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