1960 NFPA 303

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hardworkingstiff

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Wilmington, NC
1. To avoid long runs of cables (on floating piers) which contain a multiplicity of conductors, it is recommended that such cables be considered as feeders and branch circuits be taken off at junction boxes to provide service to shore power receptacle outlets and to float or pier lighting fixtures and equipped with overcurrent protection at the location of the equipment served by the branch circuit.

2. A cast metal junction box with a cast metal gasketed cover and containing the required number of properly sized and arranged terminals shall be installed on each individual floating section. the point of entrance of the cable into each junction box shall be protected by a marine type gland or terminal tube, threaded into the wall of the junction box and packed to prevent entrance of water or moisture into the box. The conductors shall be fitted with proper terminal lugs and equipment ground conductor shall be attached by a suitable screw or bolt to the interior of each junction box.

This is the 1st time the "junction box" required by 555.13(B)(4)(b) was introduced by the NFPA. I believe the receptacles used back then were of the 20-amp variety, not the 50 and 100-amp being used today. The intent of the "junction box" back then seems to be a place to take a large feeder and disperse to smaller loads. With current loads requiring a separate feeder to each power center, the "junction box" seems to have lost its purpose.

Am I wishful thinking, or do you think my perspective has merit?
 
Re: 1960 NFPA 303

I was once involved in the design of an upgrade to a large marina with many floating docks. My understanding of the intent of that junction box was not to serve as a place to convert feeders to branch circuits. I had designed each dock to have four such junction boxes. One box was on either side of the ramp at the top (where you walk from land to the ramp), and one box was on either side of the ramp at the bottom (where you walk from the ramp to the floating dock). Those were essentially hinge points, and they moved up and down with the tides. They allowed me to have conduit on land, conduit under the ramp, and conduit within the docks, and to have a flexible connection at the two hinge points (i.e., top and bottom of the ramp).

But I am not sure about one thing: are we talking about the same thing?
 
Re: 1960 NFPA 303

Taking NEC 555.9 into account, are you allowed to make any connections in these j boxes ?
 
Re: 1960 NFPA 303

Charlie,

I'd like to send you an email with attachments so we can continue this discussion. Do you have an address you feel comfortable letting a stranger (me) send you an email? If so, PM me.

Anyone else interested, let me know.

Thanks,
Lou
 
Re: 1960 NFPA 303

Originally posted by hardworkingstiff: That creates additional problems, you need to keep them above the datum plane.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't! Washington State eliminated all requirements related to the electrical datum plane.
 
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