PEN
New member
- Location
- Naples, Fl
I want to know where I can find an article in the 2011 NEC that covers single family dwelling floating dock wiring.
single family dwelling dock
- Thread starter PEN
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
IMO, the Nec does not cover it except for 210.8 for Gfci. This issue has come up and as far as I can tell art. 555 does not apply
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I might add that some jurisdictions like NC somehow try and make it apply. The heads of the cmp committee for art 555 has stated it does not cover residential docks
luckylerado
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
I know commentary from the HB has little value here but below is the definition of "building" from Art. 100 followed by the commentary in the 2014 handbook. If you believe that a private dock fits this definition then 553 would apply.
Building. A structure that stands alone or that is cut off from
adjoining structures by fire walls with all openings therein protected
by approved fire doors.
"A building is generally considered to be a roofed or walled structure
that is intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
However, a separate structure such as a pole, billboard
sign, or water tower may also be a building. Definitions of the
terms fire walls and fire doors are the responsibility of building
codes. Generically, a fire wall may be defined as a wall that separates
buildings or subdivides a building to prevent the spread of
fire and that has a fire resistance rating and structural stability.
Fire doors (and fire windows) are used to protect openings in
walls, floors, and ceilings against the spread of fire and smoke
within, into, or out of buildings."
553.1 Scope
This article covers wiring, services, feeders, and grounding for
floating buildings.
553.2 Definition
Floating Building. A building unit, as defined in Article 100,
that floats on water, is moored in a permanent location, and has a
premises wiring system served through connection by permanent
wiring to an electrical supply system not located on the premises.
Building. A structure that stands alone or that is cut off from
adjoining structures by fire walls with all openings therein protected
by approved fire doors.
"A building is generally considered to be a roofed or walled structure
that is intended for supporting or sheltering any use or occupancy.
However, a separate structure such as a pole, billboard
sign, or water tower may also be a building. Definitions of the
terms fire walls and fire doors are the responsibility of building
codes. Generically, a fire wall may be defined as a wall that separates
buildings or subdivides a building to prevent the spread of
fire and that has a fire resistance rating and structural stability.
Fire doors (and fire windows) are used to protect openings in
walls, floors, and ceilings against the spread of fire and smoke
within, into, or out of buildings."
553.1 Scope
This article covers wiring, services, feeders, and grounding for
floating buildings.
553.2 Definition
Floating Building. A building unit, as defined in Article 100,
that floats on water, is moored in a permanent location, and has a
premises wiring system served through connection by permanent
wiring to an electrical supply system not located on the premises.
Last edited:
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
luckylerado
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
If the definition is "A structure that stands alone or..." Then I believe the code says it is.
Also for those that look to the HB commentary, if their interpretation is accurate and a pole or billboard is considered a building then a dock surely fits the definition.
Curios, Does a covered pavilion meet the definition of building?
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I understand where you are coming from but I don't buy it. I see a dock as a structure but I don't see a structure as a building. You are correct in the definition but I think that is not the intent--- but maybe I am wrong, it won't be the first time
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Here is the residential building code definition
luckylerado
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
I believe that this only supports the notion that a dock is a floating building.
BUILDING. Building shall mean any one and
two-family dwelling or portion thereof, including townhouses, that is
used, or designed or intended to be used for human habitation,
for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes, or any
combination thereof, and shall include accessory structures
thereto.
ACCESSORY STRUCTURE. A structure not greater than
3,000 square feet in floor area, and not over two stories
in height, the use of which is customarily accessory to
and incidental to that of the dwelling(s) and which is located
on the same lot
- Location
- Massachusetts
I don't know where I stand on this one.:?
If we read it as you are suggesting and I place a light pole (a structure) on a residential property that it suddenly becomes a building? :huh:
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
That is exactly what the NEC states as written. That is why I don't think they worded this as to their intended meaning.
cpinetree
Senior Member
- Location
- SW Florida
Not sure what you are doing, but we have had to install float switches (on the land side of the feed) to trip a shunt trip breaker to disconnect the power to the floating dock, if the water gets above a certain point.
Never made much sense to me, because the dock is floating and would always be above the water, but maybe so if there is a super flood the wiring method would not be stretched beyond its limit?
luckylerado
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
I knew I had seen this somewhere. Took some looking but here it is. Not sure it applies in this case specifically because it is referred to as service equipment.
682. 11 Location of Service Equipment
On land, the service equipment for floating structures and submersible
electrical equipment shall be located no closer than
1.5 m (5 ft) horizontally from the shoreline and live parts shall
be elevated a minimum of 300 mm (12 in.) above the electrical
datum plane. Service equipment shall disconnect when
the water level reaches the height of the established electrical
datum plane.
cpinetree
Senior Member
- Location
- SW Florida
Yes, thanks.
The few we installed the float switches on, had concrete banjo's with small panels feeding several loads.
Also of course installed a equal potential bonding ring around the banjo.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
It is a "floating building" and also happens to contain a dwelling unit. Unless it is a "watercraft", on board wiring is outside the scope of NEC. If it is a watercraft there are other standards that can apply - not all that familiar with them so can't tell you what they are though. Shore power for such things is covered by NEC though.
luckylerado
Senior Member
- Location
- Lake of the Ozarks
I am confused by your post. Are you supporting that a dock is a floating building and therefore 553 applies?
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I did not read 553 at all, but yes I still believe it is covered by NEC and that 553 is a place that may need to be looked at.
As long as it is not a watercraft, I find it hard to believe NEC doesn't cover it. If it floats but never navigates, I doubt it is a watercraft.
- Status