commerical kitchen

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

kbrandt

Member
Location
arizona
Can anyone tell me if you can use 4 square boxes with KO's in a commerical kitchen--exposed? Conduit will be emt, are set screw coup. and connectors O.K. or do they need to be compression? What is the code section?

Or do I have to use weatherproof boxes (bell boxes), I know that the outlets need to be GFCI protected-but will that cause a problem on the freezer and frig. also steam table.(tripping gfci)

By the way I can not drop electrical in the wall, has to be exposed.

Thanks for any info in advance.
 
Depending where the exposed conduit and boxes are located there may be issues with the health dept because they will capture all kinds of grease and crud and are not cleanable (safely) by the idiots who work in these places.

If the owner is pushing you to go exposed to save a $ be sure to CYA.
 
chris kennedy said:
I take it your not a 20% tipper.
Click to expand...

I'm a GREAT tipper when the service warrants it. But I've spent too much time in the restaurant business to have any delusions about the filth inherent to the work or the dregs of humanity that (with rare exceptions) populate the industry.

On point, I was (expired now) an NSF certified custom s/s fab designer. The key phrase the health dept is going to use as they critique exposed emt is "splash zone".

edit: When I was doing the fab work we made a nice penny bending s/s trim and chases to hide all sorts of genuinely required mechanical runs. The OP should plan some of these and budget for the cost.
 
Last edited:
we did a rest not long ago with a bunch of surface mounted stuff and the inspector siad it had to be wp because they wash the walls down with a hose.
 
tyha said:
we did a rest not long ago with a bunch of surface mounted stuff and the inspector siad it had to be wp because they wash the walls down with a hose.
Click to expand...

Did he also require RT fittings and in-use WP covers?
 
II use Bell boxes for surface work in commercial kitchens. I don't really call it a washdown area, since we don't put bubble covers on everything, after all. I do call it a sloppy area many times, so a Bell box just makes good common sense. As a side note, certain areas of the kitchen may well need bubble covers. The stainless steel covered wall under the hood, if it contains receptacles, might be a washdown area. Any receptacles in the dishroom are also suspect for this sort of duty.

As to the tripping GFCI potential; yes, that might happen. If the GFCI does trip, just tell them to call their appliance repairman since your GFCI just saved someone's back-side.
 
Cast Al bell boxes will rot with many types of cleaners used in commercial kit's - I use 4S's for the most part with raised ind. covers - but place them in areas and locations where they will not collect detritus and/or get hosed... But the best method is inside the walls through the plastic or stainless sheets that go on the walls.
 
A new exception in the 2008 code says in-use covers are not required in wash down areas...when an area is being washed down, in-use covers let more water in than standard weatherproof covers. Of course this would mean that you have to unplug the cords to let the standard overs close and protect the receptacle.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Of course this would mean that you have to unplug the cords to let the standard overs close and protect the receptacle.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they remember ;)

In the truck I stock a 3 phase - 208 volt - 50 amp straight blade plug and flush mount receptacle. One of our customers uses that plug for pizza ovens in more then 200 stores. The receptacle get flush mounted in tile and has a marine grade cover.

Well, they often forget to unplug it before wash down, always an impressive amount of destruction when it flashes. :mad:
 
I've done a few "other than dwelling" :wink: kitchens that had CMU walls in exposed raceway . A few times, I remember that the inspector wanted IMC or RMC (probably Schedule 80 PVC would have been acceptable too), rather than EMT, to allow for protection from severe physical damage after installation with corrosion-proof fittings (per Code). I still used 1900 boxes in these situations, but I can see how a Bell box would definitely be more appropriate and I'm surprised it never came up.
 
I have done maybe 20 restaurant kitchens surface mounting conduits and boxes. We always used bell boxes with old flip type wp covers, and compression fittings. The health departments in most areas require 1/4" clearance behind conduits for washdown and to prevent crud buildup so minerallacs for all strapping. Never had any code problems. This was in Texas btw.
 
would there be a problem with using PVC conduit and boxes with glue in hubs and w.p. in use covers? that would seem to be the most streamlined way to keep clean in an area where they my spray down walls.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top