Securing MC Cable in Ceiling

[skorper]

330.23(A) Talks about securing MC cable in accessable ceilings.
Is it permissable to just lay (totally unsecured) MC cable on top of ceiling joists (the runs may be up to 100feet) in a hard-pan ceiling environment?
I understand that the MC needs to be secured within 12" of termination and every 6 vertical feet.

 

[rgiraldo]

Caddy makes these caddy snap on for mc. They will work just fine.

However why would you want to do half a job?

If your an Electrician then I would recommend to do your job to the minimum of what the code requires.

Remember, the code is the minimum.

 

[skorper]

I'm not sure what kind of clip you are talking about. I looked in their catalog and found nothing for securing MC cable to the top of joists. Maybe you have a part number?


After so many have viewed this post and have no input, I assume that I am about the only one who has ever had a need to install MC cable in an inaccessible ceiling.

Maybe if someone has indepth knowledge of the code in this area, he/she could inform/educate the rest of us, just in case someone would ever run into this situation also.

 

[mike7330]

330.30 (c) Supporting not more then 6 feet wooden or metal framing members..................ok

 

[cowboyjwc]

Look at 330.30(D).

 

[skorper]

330.30(D)(2) Is not more than 1.8 m (6 ft) in length from the last
point of cable support to the point of connection to
luminaires or other electrical equipment and the cable
and point of connection are within an accessible ceiling.
For the purpose of this section, Type MC cable
fittings shall be permitted as a means of cable support.

I guess my original question was "What does 'accessible ceiling' mean?
I explained that the building used a hard-pan ceiling. (Hard-pan is drywalled.)
IF the building does NOT have an accessible ceiling does the support at every 6' still apply?

 

[ritelec]

Sounds to me like fishing.................... = no support.


(waiting to be proven wrong.....)

 

[cowboyjwc]

330.30(D)(2) Is not more than 1.8 m (6 ft) in length from the last
point of cable support to the point of connection to
luminaires or other electrical equipment and the cable
and point of connection are within an accessible ceiling.
For the purpose of this section, Type MC cable
fittings shall be permitted as a means of cable support.

I guess my original question was "What does 'accessible ceiling' mean?
I explained that the building used a hard-pan ceiling. (Hard-pan is drywalled.)
IF the building does NOT have an accessible ceiling does the support at every 6' still apply?

I did not say (D)(2), look at (D)(1) after which it says "or".

Accessible means that you can get into it and crawl around, if it were say a suspended hard lid, I would say that you have to fish the wire, which would mean that it would be permitted to be unsupported.

 

[ksmith846]

We lay it on the top of the bar joists and use tie wraps all day long. Tie wire however is not allowed here, has it has been known to cut into the sheathing of the MC cable and short out over time if it is tightened too much.

All runs are neat and follow the joists on 90 degree turns etc. I do not know for sure if it is allowed to be just laid across the bar joists, but I know I do not want to see it installed that way on my projects.