tx2step
Senior Member
- Location
- North Texas, DFW area
We're doing a new medical clinic building -- no specs, one electrical drawing showing only receptacle outlet locations, one reflected ceiling plan showing light fixture locations -- otherwise, just building floor plans & elevations to work with. There are 10 "Exam Rooms" which I believe are "Patient Care Areas". There's no generator & no "Critical Care" or "Wet Procedure" areas, and no "Essential Electrical System". There are no "Pediatric Locations". 517.18(A), Exception No. 2 would apply. The 2008 NEC applies.
For the 120V receptacle wiring in the "Exam Rooms" I'll be using Southwire HCF-MCAP type, green MC cable, #12/2 with ground.
But I'm a little confused by 517.13(B), Exception No. 3. The ceiling height is 9 feet & the lights will be surface mount 4 lamp wrap around 32W T8 florescent fixtures. But it appears that 517.13(A) will still apply to the fixture wiring, which requires that the "medical cable armor or sheath assembly shall itself qualify as an equipment grounding conductor in accordance with 250.118."
That would appear to me to eliminate using standard type "MC" cable, since it's metal armor is not the ground -- it has a green insulated ground wire inside of it. If I want to use cable, that would leave me with type "AC" cable, which none of my suppliers stock, and would cost about the same as the HCF-MCAP anyway.
So if I want to use cable, it looks like I'm stuck using HCF-MCAP for the Exam Room lighting too?
Am I missing something?
Is there anything else I should watch out for in a new, plain medical clinic building?
Thanks!
For the 120V receptacle wiring in the "Exam Rooms" I'll be using Southwire HCF-MCAP type, green MC cable, #12/2 with ground.
But I'm a little confused by 517.13(B), Exception No. 3. The ceiling height is 9 feet & the lights will be surface mount 4 lamp wrap around 32W T8 florescent fixtures. But it appears that 517.13(A) will still apply to the fixture wiring, which requires that the "medical cable armor or sheath assembly shall itself qualify as an equipment grounding conductor in accordance with 250.118."
That would appear to me to eliminate using standard type "MC" cable, since it's metal armor is not the ground -- it has a green insulated ground wire inside of it. If I want to use cable, that would leave me with type "AC" cable, which none of my suppliers stock, and would cost about the same as the HCF-MCAP anyway.
So if I want to use cable, it looks like I'm stuck using HCF-MCAP for the Exam Room lighting too?
Am I missing something?
Is there anything else I should watch out for in a new, plain medical clinic building?
Thanks!