Cat 5e Tray Cable?

Status
Not open for further replies.
based on NEC 336.10 cable in tray must be TC and in order to leave the tray unsupported (max 6') must be TC-ER. I need this allowance for Cat 5e cable, but i can't find any TC-ER cat 5e. Is there such a thing? If not what are my options? is it required to be TC-ER for communication cable, if not where would I find something that says so?
 

luckylerado

Senior Member
Of course you can leave the tray as long as the cable is listed for the space ie. CMP, CMR ect, and is supported IAW Art. 800. ie. cable ties, J hooks, Staples ect.

Look at 800.24. The requirements of type TC do not apply to communications applications.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
based on NEC 336.10 cable in tray must be TC and in order to leave the tray unsupported (max 6') must be TC-ER. I need this allowance for Cat 5e cable, but i can't find any TC-ER cat 5e. Is there such a thing? If not what are my options? is it required to be TC-ER for communication cable, if not where would I find something that says so?
Ok..let me help you out here a bit....

1) Is what you are working with Type TC Cable or is it Cat 5e Cable. The reason I ask is that Article 336 deals with Type TC Cable and if what you are installing is not Type TC Cable then Article 336 does not apply.

2) If you are simply using a Cable Tray for supporting your Cat 5e Cables then look at Article 392. Most notably look at Section 392.10(A) and Table 392.10(A) and the applicable Article that deals with your Cat 5e Cable. Do not bring in the requirements for Type TC Cable unless that is exactly what you are using.

Any just as an FYI- Type TC Cable is not the only cable that can be in a cable tray, again see Section 392.10(A) and the associated table.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
Also I should add....UL 1277 will also limit the size of the conductors as well which would be outside of the general use of a Cat5e configuration size. For example here is what UL 1277 says regarding the sizes permitted for use with a Type TC design.


UL-1277 States "6.2 A copper conductor shall not be smaller than 18 AWG and shall not be larger than 1000 kcmil. An aluminum or copper-clad aluminum conductor shall not be smaller than 12 AWG and shall not be larger
than 1000 kcmil."

Typically a Cat5e would be "Since 1995, solid-conductor UTP cables for backbone cabling is required to be no thicker than 22 American Wire Gauge (AWG) and no thinner than 24 AWG, or 26 AWG for shorter-distance cabling. This standard has been retained with the 2009 revision of ANSI TIA/EIA 568."
 
I haven't looked or thought about this since I got off work on Thursday, but I will absolutely look at the articles mentioned since then on Monday. Just to be clear these are cat 5e runs from enclosure to enclosure via cable tray under a shelter that is in a class 1 div II area. Shelter has 3 walls so as far as I'm concerned this is outdoors and potentially expose to direct sun light.
 

luckylerado

Senior Member
Well, the C1D2 designation complicates things a bit.

Look at 501.150(B). May need Type PLTC cat5e cable. Make sure you know how those areas are defined, the situation you describe may mean that the tray is not in a classified area but the enclosures may be.
 
the cat 5e i have already have on order is PLTC, my concern is that i can't find PLTC-ER cat 5e cable. would PLTC not fall under 336? i would think is does. I've looked through the articles mentioned above, most don't really address the concern I'm raising. I have brought it to the attention of my boss and ultimately it's his responsibility, he said to go with PLTC, so that's what I'm going to do. Unless I find something that specifically addresses this, I have to do what I'm told to do. I'm just pretty sure that this will come up again in the future, so I would like to know for sure that PLTC is up to code.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
the cat 5e i have already have on order is PLTC, my concern is that i can't find PLTC-ER cat 5e cable. would PLTC not fall under 336? i would think is does. I've looked through the articles mentioned above, most don't really address the concern I'm raising. I have brought it to the attention of my boss and ultimately it's his responsibility, he said to go with PLTC, so that's what I'm going to do. Unless I find something that specifically addresses this, I have to do what I'm told to do. I'm just pretty sure that this will come up again in the future, so I would like to know for sure that PLTC is up to code.
If your conductors in that 'PLTC" are smaller than 18 AWG then it is not Type TC Cable of any sorts......if it is not constructed under UL 1277 then it isn't Tray Cable.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
Which, depending on the use, does not necessarily mean that you cannot put it in a cable tray.
My response is towards it being a Type TC Cable and requirements of Article 336. If it is for use in a Cable Tray it will have been evaluated for that use.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
My response is towards it being a Type TC Cable and requirements of Article 336. If it is for use in a Cable Tray it will have been evaluated for that use.
To which I reply:
You can attach MC or AC to the outside of a cable tray. Does 336 tell you that you cannot put it in a cable tray instead?

All that article 336 tells you is where you can and cannot use type TC cable, either in or out of a cable tray.
If a wire (since TC includes single conductor as well as multi-conductor cables) can only be used in a raceway, then that particular wire cannot be used on its own in a cable tray. I would look at what the use limitations are on the PLTC cable type rather than looking in 336.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
To which I reply:
You can attach MC or AC to the outside of a cable tray. Does 336 tell you that you cannot put it in a cable tray instead?

All that article 336 tells you is where you can and cannot use type TC cable, either in or out of a cable tray.
If a wire (since TC includes single conductor as well as multi-conductor cables) can only be used in a raceway, then that particular wire cannot be used on its own in a cable tray. I would look at what the use limitations are on the PLTC cable type rather than looking in 336.

The OP's original question about a type TC cable leaving the cable tray would be answered within 336, and could involve -ER rating. But if the TC cable is also rated under other wire types, then its use under those ratings would not be limited by 336.
 

MasterTheNEC

CEO and President of Electrical Code Academy, Inc.
Location
McKinney, Texas
Occupation
CEO
To which I reply:
You can attach MC or AC to the outside of a cable tray. Does 336 tell you that you cannot put it in a cable tray instead?

All that article 336 tells you is where you can and cannot use type TC cable, either in or out of a cable tray.
If a wire (since TC includes single conductor as well as multi-conductor cables) can only be used in a raceway, then that particular wire cannot be used on its own in a cable tray. I would look at what the use limitations are on the PLTC cable type rather than looking in 336.
What Ever....not what I responded too. If it is not technically Type TC Cable then Article 336 wont apply and he was directed to Article 392 where other cables are permitted.......anyway.....done with it and have moved on.:angel:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top