extension cords

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tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
You can purchase listed plug strips with 15 ft cords. Fire Depts like plug strips, I prefer the metal ones, but harder to find.
I have done walk thrus of office buildings and we gather up all the 16-2 cords, heaters, etc brought from home.
 

Grouch1980

Senior Member
Location
New York, NY
Agreed.

From that link, it says that mounting is permitted as long as no tools are needed for removal. Not installation. If all the holes are keyholes and the proper screw is used, removing the RPT will not require tools.

At least that's what I got out of it.

wow... good link... I learned a lot in this thread!
 

victor.cherkashi

Senior Member
Location
NYC, NY
typical office furniture installation

typical office furniture installation

I have similar situation for typical office furniture installation.
I was told by engineer that length of flexible power metallic raceway between a junction box on the wall and in-feed box on furniture cannot exceed 15". I cannot find in NEC rule which limit length of WIP between furniture and box on the wall. can some point to NEC rule?
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Me neither.

90.2 Scope.
(A) Covered. This Code covers the installation of electrical
conductors, equipment, and raceways; signaling and
communications conductors, equipment, and raceways; and
optical fiber cables and raceways for the following:

(3) Installations of conductors and equipment that connect
to the supply of electricity

Equipment. A general term, including fittings, devices, appliances,
luminaires, apparatus, machinery, and the like used as a
part of, or in connection with, an electrical installation.
I agree with Dave.
The cord and power strip are not "installed" and therefore outside the scope of the NEC. It is also my opinion that much of Article 422 should be removed from the code as it is also outside of the scope of the NEC.
There are panel statements from at least one CMP that say exactly what Dave said...the NEC stops at the wall outlet.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
The cord and power strip are not "installed" and therefore outside the scope of the NEC. It is also my opinion that much of Article 422 should be removed from the code as it is also outside of the scope of the NEC.
There are panel statements from at least one CMP that say exactly what Dave said...the NEC stops at the wall outlet.

But the fact remains those sections are in the NEC, have been in the NEC and have been duly adopted countless times across the country.

So the NEC does in fact apply past the outlet.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
But the fact remains those sections are in the NEC, have been in the NEC and have been duly adopted countless times across the country.

So the NEC does in fact apply past the outlet.
Yes, as it is now written, there are specific cases where the code says it applies beyond the outlet.

However, those other applications that are beyond the outlet, that is those applications where there is not specific section, the NEC does not apply beyond the outlet. The use of a plug strip is one of those.
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
Yes, as it is now written, there are specific cases where the code says it applies beyond the outlet.

However, those other applications that are beyond the outlet, that is those applications where there is not specific section, the NEC does not apply beyond the outlet. The use of a plug strip is one of those.

I don't want to open a can of worms or hijack the thread, but could someone with knowledge on the subject start a new thread "When the NEC applies past the outlet"? It's an interesting topic which many should find informative.
 

mgookin

Senior Member
Location
Fort Myers, FL
I don't want to open a can of worms or hijack the thread, but could someone with knowledge on the subject start a new thread "When the NEC applies past the outlet"? It's an interesting topic which many should find informative.

Please disregard that post.
Thank you.
 

spark master

Senior Member
Location
cyberspace
Is an APC UPS considered a power tap ? We generally see them under every desk in an office environment.

Talking about 16 ga extension cords, I just watched one melt before my eyes. The cleaning lady was vacuuming an office with a 25' extension cord, and the plug body was smoking. Literally smoking. She was clueless.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
Is an APC UPS considered a power tap ? We generally see them under every desk in an office environment.

Talking about 16 ga extension cords, I just watched one melt before my eyes. The cleaning lady was vacuuming an office with a 25' extension cord, and the plug body was smoking. Literally smoking. She was clueless.
Just out of curiosity, was it a molded connector or a discrete one added later?
 

ActionDave

Chief Moderator
Staff member
Location
Durango, CO, 10 h 20 min from the winged horses.
Occupation
Licensed Electrician
Talking about 16 ga extension cords, I just watched one melt before my eyes. The cleaning lady was vacuuming an office with a 25' extension cord, and the plug body was smoking. Literally smoking. She was clueless.
Gotta be something else going on. I don't think a normally operating vacuum would be big enough load to melt the cord.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Gotta be something else going on. I don't think a normally operating vacuum would be big enough load to melt the cord.
There are a lot of cords out there with undersized conductors and counterfeit listing labels. I was at a tour of the UL facility at Northbrook, IL and they showed us some that only had 20 gauge conductors.
 
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