barn wiring

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Unless the walls are getting a finished surface I wouldn't use MC down to the boxes without checking with your inspector. In my local you would have to remove it and install EMT fromt he ceiling down or other damage resistant type of raceway.
 
I would agree with bell boxes, but if it's a horse barn, I wouldn't run MC, horses like to chew.

Like Peter we have one here in town where the barn cost $2M. You don't have to move the horses to wash them, every stall has a hose bib, floor drain and heat lamps and outlets for hair dryers and what not. But that was just the main barn, they also had a foal barn and a quantine barn. These people raised world class jumpers.
 
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electriciangirl said:
Is there a consensus here then that a bell box will work and fs boxes are not necessarily needed? This is just a horse barn, no hogs.
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Did you say livestock? I believe the price of wiring just went way up.

If you search this Forum for "horse barns" and read art. 547 you will learn more than you ever wanted to know about: equipotential planes, site isolation devices, corrosion dust, wet/damp locations etc. etc.

Any chance the horse barn won't have horses in it?
 
You should check with your local inspector also. In my state (minnesota) they adopted some additions to the nec for agriculture wiring, like not allowing uf cable.
 
I just wired a paddock (horse barn) and it was speced to use Cast FS boxes and emt with in use covers on the receptacles and gfci protection for all outlets. we were able to use mc for the lighting

Total project cost 5.2M
 
as far as horses chewing you dont put anything in the stall less than 10' high or anywhere outside of the stall where a mouth can get to it from in the stall. outlets for fans and such are all up high. the conduit you use above 8' is by choice, below 8' is by subjection to physical damage. people dont clean that well in animal environments. so dust and cobwebs are everywhere. i personally dont like to open any barn installed 4 squares for 2 reasons. one is all the dust does get in the boxes. and you get that crap all over ya. second is the spiders and other small things that like to move in and become combustibles. i would pvc and bell box with w/p covers and sealed flourescents :wink:
 
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nunu161 said:
I just wired a paddock (horse barn) and it was speced to use Cast FS boxes and emt with in use covers on the receptacles and gfci protection for all outlets. we were able to use mc for the lighting

Total project cost 5.2M
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Were you required to use the in-use covers indoors? I would imagine they'd get bumped and broken a lot in a horse environment.
 
I have always used pvc, I've been told by vet's that it takes less current to kill a cow or horse than a human. With EMT or MC mounted to wood, if there is any stray currents, an animal would complete the path to ground touching the metal conduit. The trip level of a GFCI would still be too high if the leakage was from a protected circuit. Leakage could also come from such devices as water heaters or well pumps that are not GFCI protected.
 
PetrosA said:
Were you required to use the in-use covers indoors? I would imagine they'd get bumped and broken a lot in a horse environment.
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the outlets were on top of the dividing block walls for the stalls. they speced in-use covers becuz everything is washed down daily
 
hillbilly1 said:
I have always used pvc, I've been told by vet's that it takes less current to kill a cow or horse than a human. With EMT or MC mounted to wood, if there is any stray currents, an animal would complete the path to ground touching the metal conduit. The trip level of a GFCI would still be too high if the leakage was from a protected circuit. Leakage could also come from such devices as water heaters or well pumps that are not GFCI protected.
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And if the leakage doesn't kill them they will remember the shock and rear up and stomp if you try to get them near it again.

If it's a cow they will stop producing milk.
 
LarryFine said:
Possibly greater step potential due to a greater step.
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Or more muscle tissue? I wonder if a hog is as sensitive? I have a file somewhere around here with animal and human resistance values, but I do recall the current travels better through the muscle.
 
LarryFine said:
Possibly greater step potential due to a greater step.
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mivey said:
Or more muscle tissue? I wonder if a hog is as sensitive? I have a file somewhere around here with animal and human resistance values, but I do recall the current travels better through the muscle.
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I think if we stood in some wet straw in our bare feet we'd get pretty close to the resistance value of a pig or a horse :wink: The other option would be to get dielectric soled boots for the livestock :grin:
 
PetrosA said:
I think if we stood in some wet straw in our bare feet we'd get pretty close to the resistance value of a pig or a horse :wink: The other option would be to get dielectric soled boots for the livestock :grin:
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Mr. Ed? :D
 
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