Spot the violation

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rbalex

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Staff member
Location
Mission Viejo, CA
Occupation
Professional Electrical Engineer
Anyone with access to the current UL WhiteBook will find two Product Categories labeled AALZ and AAIZ. They are the general requirements for Electrical Equipment for Use in Ordinary Locations and Equipment for Use in and Relating to Class I, II and III, Division 1 and 2 Hazardous Locations respectively. As you read the descriptions of other listed Product Categories for electrical equipment you will find that they will refer to at either AALZ or AAIZ. (AANZ is the “Zone” equivalent of AAIZ.)

I’m not exactly sure when the change occured, but at least in the 2004 and earlier editions the other electrical Product Categories were actually subcategories AALZ or AAIZ.

Both AALZ and AAIZ include the following text:
FIELD MODIFICATIONS

The UL Mark applies to the product as it is originally manufactured when shipped from the factory. Authorized use of the UL Mark is the manufacturer’s declaration that the product was originally manufactured in accordance with the applicable requirements. UL does not know what the effect of a modification may have on the safety of the product or the continued validity of the UL certification mark unless the field modifications have been specifically investigated by UL. Unless UL investigates a modified product, UL cannot indicate that the product continues to meet UL’s safety requirements.

The only exception for a field modification authorized by UL is when the product has specific replacement markings. For example, a switchboard may have specific grounding kits added in the field. The switchboard is marked with a list of specific kit numbers that have been investigated for use in that particular switchboard. Only grounding kits that are included on the product have been investigated for use in that product.
You may interpret it as you wish.
 

iwire

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Location
Massachusetts
I'll agree with you and Pierre, the burden of proof is on the installer to show that he can use the device as installed.

I disagree.

You are the one in authority trying to enforce a standard that has been adopted as law, you have to prove I did wrong if you think I did. I don't have to prove I have done nothing wrong.

Think about it with any law that the police have to enforce.
 
I disagree.

You are the one in authority trying to enforce a standard that has been adopted as law, you have to prove I did wrong if you think I did. I don't have to prove I have done nothing wrong.

Think about it with any law that the police have to enforce.

You have performed field fabrication or modification. As there are no instructions to perform that from the manufacturer related to the work done, the burden is on the modifer to prove that the modification did not alter the original approval, eg. he has to obtain review not from the manufacturer but UL themselves to state that the approval and labeling integrity of the product is not affected by the modification.

Repeating bob's (rbalex's) quote from the Whitebook:

*FIELD MODIFICATIONS*

The UL Mark applies to the product as it is originally manufactured when shipped from the factory. Authorized use of the UL Mark is the manufacturer?s declaration that the product was originally manufactured in accordance with the applicable requirements. UL does not know what the effect of a modification may have on the safety of the product or the continued validity of the UL certification mark unless the field modifications have been specifically investigated by UL. Unless UL investigates a modified product, UL cannot indicate that the product continues to meet UL?s safety requirements.

The only exception for a field modification authorized by UL is when the product has specific replacement markings. For example, a switchboard may have specific grounding kits added in the field. The switchboard is marked with a list of specific kit numbers that have been investigated for use in that particular switchboard. Only grounding kits that are included on the product have been investigated for use in that product.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
You have performed field fabrication or modification. As there are no instructions to perform that from the manufacturer related to the work done, the burden is on the modifer to prove that the modification did not alter the original approval, eg.

Negative, your under the assumption that drilling a hole is always a modification that violates the UL listing, that is false.
 

360Youth

Senior Member
Location
Newport, NC
All I can say is that if field modifications are a code violation than half work is in trouble. OK, maybe an exageration, but...:smile: I would have to agree that it is not up to the installer to prove that his work is legit, but AHJ must show that is a violation. Mike Holt made a good point at his '05 seminar in that the NEC wording that lugs shall not be mounted to a panel with self-tapping screws (or maybe it was metal screws, I forget :roll:) left open a huge floodgate of others ways in which they could be mounted that were just as bad, or worse. Now, I think, it is worded that they shall be mounted with machine screws with x# of threads. You could debate all day long whether or not this LB was installed in a proper way, but I do not see a speciffic violation. The only requirement that popped into my head was where we are not allowed to install a fitting in which the locknut rests on a curved surface. No problems here on that one. I say it is OK.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Somehow, I missed the beginning of this thread. :confused:

Suppose we use a J-box with pre-punched KO's. Is it against (code, UL, whatever) to make your own holes elsewhere in the enclosure?
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Which part of 'product as it is originally manufactured when shipped from the factory' did you not understand?

It was also proablly shipped in a box but I can remove that as well. :D

If the instructions do not show it, any modification to an equipment IS the violation of the listing.

I have been working with UL listed boxes like this

pvc664.jpg


for a long time and I have never seen any instructions that say I may add any holes to it.
 

360Youth

Senior Member
Location
Newport, NC
Which part of 'product as it is originally manufactured when shipped from the factory' did you not understand?

Smile when you say that. :D Sorry. It's kind of funny to see the bold text with the grinning mug right above it.

Your argument sounds a little like a job we had once. We had to install a replacement generator a couple of years ago. It was a Dayton generator with a Dayton switch and we put in a new Generac with the intentions of leaving the switch. AHJ made us (and customer) put in a new switch because original manual stated said generator could only be used with said ATS. We tried to explain that generator and switch were both Generac with a different name. It did not matter to him, it was "field modification" and not properly UL matched.
 

Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
To me this is the same as fabricating something in the field to alter an installation. It may be safe, it may even make it safer, but that doesn't make it listed. If it is not listed, then it becomes a judgement call for the AHJ.

Of course, not everthing we install needs to be listed with an underwiting organization, but for Type PVC, all fittings must be. 352.6

I am not sure though that modifications automatically unlist an item.

How about a simple weep hole?
 

Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
Yes it will void the item's listing. You would need to use a drain fitting.

But if
UL does not know what the effect of a modification may have on the safety of the product or the continued validity of the UL certification mark unless the field modifications have been specifically investigated by UL.
then has it been unlisted?

What if it has been painted?

Now even if still listed (personally I doubt it) we could still assume that it is not raintight. 225.22
But maybe it is. I assume this is a wet location, but I can't see the rest of the building.
 

Volta

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, Ohio
What is a drain fitting?

I typically "arrange to drain" by installin a conduit body at the lowest point. I presume that it need not drain continuously, but must have a means to easily remove water.

What do you think is required, 24/7 drainage? Best method, sure. Mandatory?
 

Karl H

Senior Member
Location
San Diego,CA
Could it be that this is a violation of 110.12 Mechanical Execution of Work and that is why it could be redflagged?

I wish this could easily be solved by 110.12. You have to admit this install

is neat.Wrong,IMO,but NEAT.I could violate every code in the NEC

and make it look "Neat and Work-manlike".To make it neat and

work-manlike to a member of this forum.Now that would be tough.

To a homeowner,operation manager,etc.Now that would be easy.
 

M. D.

Senior Member
It was also proablly shipped in a box but I can remove that as well. :D



I have been working with UL listed boxes like this

pvc664.jpg


for a long time and I have never seen any instructions that say I may add any holes to it.


What I find interesting is that a terminal adpt is not intented to be used to connect the conduit to this type of box ...
 
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