AHJ failed Inspection for the Cat6 Plenum Cables to the conference room Table on the ground floor of the building.

O

onlinemn

Member
Looking for Clarification using the NEC 2023 code. The AHJ said the cat6 Plenum cables (2) cables in 3/4 PVC in concrete to floor box under conference room table are now considered to be in a wet location because we are on the ground floor, and that we would need to either pipe all the way to the IT closet with EMT and install a outdoor/wet rated cable like OSP Cat6A so the plenum air space will not be an issue or install a J-Box and essentially do a splice , plenum to OSP.
I know that in the 2011 code we followed this rule, in Article 800.47 Underground Communications Wires and Cables Entering Buildings. The requirements that insulated conductors and cables in wet locations be listed for wet locations 310.10(C) do not apply to communications cables. https://www.mikeholt.com/instructor2/img/product/pdf/11LE-968-sample.pdf
Where is the reference in the 2023 code that would allow the exemption for communication circuits to be installed.
 
So, you would like to run plenum listed CAT6 cables from a plenum rated ceiling space down to some PVC embedded in a concrete floor on grade to a floor box in the concrete, correct?

Yes, the PVC is considered a wet location, but the NEC doesn't care what type of CL2 or CM cable you run through it. It's not a safety issue, it's a design issue. The only thing the inspector might be able to point to is the cable manufacturer's specifications that may (I don't know) not allow installation in a wet location. But there is nothing in the NEC specifically that prohibits it.

-Hal
 
onlinemn said:
The AHJ said the cat6 Plenum cables (2) cables in 3/4 PVC in concrete to floor box under conference room table are now considered to be in a wet location because we are on the ground floo
Click to expand...
I've met that inspector. Sigh.

800.110 - Communication Wires in Wet Locations

800.110 Makes reference to the installation of Raceways to be in accordance with Ch. 3, but makes no mention to the conductors inside. The issue is that we have some Cat6 plenum cables that need to run a couple of feet into a floor box (consider "wet location") and the local inspector is...
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Article 800 (actually 725 and above) is not reliant on Chapter 3, except where it explicitly references an Article in it. So for instance, NM cable would be prohibited in your situation but not a CL2 cable.

Ask the inspector to cite a Code article.

-Hal
 
I am waiting to here back on the actual code violation he is placing this change request on. I'll see if I hear back, I may need to go up the ladder from him to get this resolved quickly. Thanks for the input thus far.
 
In my 43+ years of being an electrician I have never had an inspector care anything about CL2, CL3, Network or any other LV wing other than cables passing though firewalls or boxes, not rings in firewalls.
 
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