Low Voltage Cabling Code Help

H

Hagelund

Member
Location
Soldotna, AK
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
This installation was completed recently by our local school district IT department, and sadly it seems to be typical work for them. Will someone please tell me that there is a code I can reference somewhere that I can use to stop installs from looking like this in the future?

https://imgur.com/a/j5GmxKb
 
In my state NFPA 70 NEC article 725 covers the install pictured.
Do the cables conductors carry power as well as data like PoE?
What type of cable is that did they leave a empty box with a sticker?
2020 NEC well, I am looking at my handy 2017 PDF that should be close;

I'd start with a few basic sections,
725.3, 725.24, 725.135, 725.144.
725.24 is a good one.
It seems exposed cable like that falls under 725.135 (K)
Once we have a cable type we might be able to narrow down 725.135 (K)
 
Close PoE is more like 24V - 48V, I'd wager most is 48V, part of the concern is cable are a fuel source/vector so thats why they have sections like 725.25 and require the cables to be listed.
 
Article 110.12 Mechanical Execution of Work "Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner." usually gets them for crummy cable runs.
 
Also Article 110.3(B) "Equipment that is listed, labeled, or both shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling." could be utilized as well. If you could find the exact kind of cable used (should be on the outer sheath) you could find the manufacturer's installation requirements (such as minimum bend radius) and potentially get them on that as well. Some of those runs are looking pretty tight around corners.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
725.24, like 110.12, is subjective, vague, and unenforceable.
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While subjective & vague, it is still technically enforceable since it is in the NEC (but yes good luck). I have seen inspectors ding people on it before though. 725.24 would be more applicable in this instance since it pertains to low voltage cable installations in particular.

I always really dislike sloppy low volt cable runs like this, because of the vagueness with enforcing "neatness". They have a chance to make their work look clean, but they simply don't have enough pride in their work to do so (or in this instance since it's a school district perhaps they are just strapped for cash?).

Judging by the pictures they most likely did not exceed the maximum unsupported cable length requirement (hence the spaced sections of amazon wire ducting), and they aren't doing something like running non-plenum cable inside of a plenum. To an inspector, their installation is most likely not going to set off any other alarm bells other than "eh kinda looks like junk".

Therefore, the only real thing to be done is maybe try to find better installers, or see if you can get some more strict internal requirements for ethernet cable installations. Perhaps try talking to them or their boss in a meeting environment to actually hash out why the cables were run in this manner, and see if y'all can figure out a more aesthetically pleasing method of running the cables. I would not try to bludgeon fellow employees (since they are from your IT department) with code violations right off the rip.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
It was only added in 725 as part of the effort to completely separate power wiring from limited energy wiring in the code.
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Aye, I have noticed that happening more and more (i.e. 2023 & now 2026 edition) which is a nice change imho. Limited energy always seemed to exist in a state of limbo code-wise. Still is, but I am glad it's finally getting more attention from our friends at the NFPA even if it will ultimately lead to some growing pains for the trade in the future.
 
DBill64 said:
Article 110.12 Mechanical Execution of Work "Electrical equipment shall be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner." usually gets them for crummy cable runs.
Click to expand...
These pictures show a neat and clean installation, based LV installations in many different parts of the world, that I have seen.
They are simply just not up to your standards.

Of course there may be legitimate NEC violations, we just can't tell based on a few selective pictures. For example; what is the cable type and restrictions, or what is the occupancy of the building.
 
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