1900 Box on cord drop
- Thread starter CIECO
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
To be used on a cord drop the box must have a threaded entry, I believe.
- Location
- Massachusetts
You must use a box with threaded hubs, the rule is in 314.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Sorry 314.23(H)(1)
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
314.23.(H)(1):
I don't think it necessarily means the box must have a threaded hub, it is giving us an example of something acceptable more so than it is telling us we must do it a particular way.
What about boxes that are designed specifically for use as pendant boxes? Not all of those have "hubs" yet usually have some reinforcement in the area of the cord entry.
I don't think it necessarily means the box must have a threaded hub, it is giving us an example of something acceptable more so than it is telling us we must do it a particular way.
What about boxes that are designed specifically for use as pendant boxes? Not all of those have "hubs" yet usually have some reinforcement in the area of the cord entry.
- Location
- Massachusetts
You are free to split the hairs as many times as you want, but for me it is not a position I want to put our customers through when OSHA comes around.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I don't follow-- a 4" sq. doesn't have a hub or threads so IMO, the ko's are not acceptable.
- Location
- Massachusetts
A box with threaded hubs has no KOs, neither will a listed pendent box with or without threaded hubs.
OSHA is exactly why I know about this as we have had to remove standard boxes after OSHA inspections and is now why I only use FS style boxes for cord drops now.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
And 314.23(H)(1) only suggests a threaded hub and does not have any wording that absolutely requires one.
And when did OSHA start citing NEC? I thought they went by 70E with things they look at? Is there anything concerning this topic in 70E?
- Location
- Massachusetts
OSHA can and does cite any standard under the general duty clause and give me a few minutes and I bet I find the identical rule in the OSHA standards.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Well then does that mean a 4" sq. can be used. No.. The only way you will get away with that is if you find a box listed for that purpose. In my experience the hub is about all that is out there.
- Location
- Massachusetts
Dealing with OSHA is different, they read things how they want and cost wise you are much better off to just say yes.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
A 1900 box with all the potential openings removed no longer has any KO's either.
Is OSHA's concern the potential abuse removing additional KO's? A cord grip in one opening with no larger concentric/eccentrics is not going to be any different than an opening with same cord grip in a listed pendant box. That I can understand.
- Location
- Wisconsin
- Occupation
- PE (Retired) - Power Systems
I was once told, the issue is that some knockouts can be 'pushed in' simply with a thumb or finger during normal operation.
Our OSHA people tend to want the 'yellow plastic/rubber' boxes (i.e. from Hubbell or Woodhead) as they leave less of an impression than an FS box, when someone walks into one.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I kind of assumed they didn't like boxes with easy to remove KO's for that reason. I have seen many used for this type of application and often they will have KO's either partially pushed in or completely missing, sometimes even rattling inside the box. I don't care for them myself for this purpose because they often do that.
All these small general construction companies make cords with 4 plex in 1900 boxes. Show them price of the "yellow plastic/rubber boxes" and they want nothing to do with it. If they ever get fined by OSHA those boxes will not look so expensive anymore.
Br4nd0n
Member
- Location
- Indianapolis, IN, USA
This doesn't make sense to me - what about standard surface mounting? The KOs are still right there for the pushing...
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
How often do you drag, drop, throw, pile things on a surface mounted box as compared to what you may on the end of a portable cord?
A few years ago we installed a load of Starline Track Busway and all the 120 volt drops were done with quad plates and 1900 boxes with out KOs and a strain relief connector that is were I saw the boxes and when the customer said that is what OSHA wanted and it was a NEC requirment it rang a bell. But still can't find it in the code book.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
You will not find anything that states no KO's, if that is what you are looking for. You have been given the art. that states threaded entry-- that would eliminate ko's. Not sure what you are looking for other than that.
- Status