Is it against code to install mc cable on exterior of wall indoor commercial

Status
Not open for further replies.

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Have you read article sections 330.10 and 330.12?

Roger
 
Last edited:

Cub57

Member
Location
Brownwoodtexasus
Yes I read the sections . The situation is the electrical inspector has told a business owner they have to remove the mc cable because it is running below 6 foot coming down wall . I do not find anything on this but I have not spoke to the inspector yet for his explanation . And the mc is not subject to physical damage


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
If the inspector actually did say that and it is as you said, not subject to physical damage then he is wrong unless there is a local amendment.

Of course the "subject to physical protection" is open for interpretation.

Roger
 

GerryB

Senior Member
Thanks that is my interpretation also


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
A lot of electricians are surprised to find out (myself included one time) that mc cable is basically the same as romex when it comes to physical protection. Is it a lot below 6'? I don't know where he gets 6' from. If you could bang furniture, rolling carts etc. against it then it is subject to damage. If you say it's not you have to prove that to the inspector.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Of course the "subject to physical protection" is open for interpretation.

Roger
Yes. And interpretation varies quite a bit all around the country.

A lot of electricians are surprised to find out (myself included one time) that mc cable is basically the same as romex when it comes to physical protection. Is it a lot below 6'? I don't know where he gets 6' from. If you could bang furniture, rolling carts etc. against it then it is subject to damage. If you say it's not you have to prove that to the inspector.

Kind of comes down to what is there or expected to be there to cause damage, and that can leave it wide open to a lot of possibilities.

Even 4 inch RMC is subject to damage by the right things, but how likely are those things to be involved???

6' to 8' is pretty common for exposed cables to be where many AHJ's want to see additional protection. Some cables can take more physical abuse than others, some AHJ's may or may not acknowledge that.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I always say that it varies quite a bit from desk to desk in the office.
I hate that, nice to at least have some consistency in interpretations from the same jurisdiction, especially on some of those more common things like "we want NM protected below 6 feet" instead of one inspector saying 6 feet, the next one from same jurisdiction saying 7 feet....
 

cowboyjwc

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Simi Valley, CA
I hate that, nice to at least have some consistency in interpretations from the same jurisdiction, especially on some of those more common things like "we want NM protected below 6 feet" instead of one inspector saying 6 feet, the next one from same jurisdiction saying 7 feet....
I agree, but people are people, if you've never been in a room full of inspectors trying to agree on something, then you should try it at least once. :lol:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top