We are doing a high school renovation. In the classrooms they show an amplifier for the video equipment above the accoustical ceiling with a note on the drawing to either install an outlet for the equipment or hardwire. We can't install an outlet because that would violate 400.8(5). We can't hard wire because removing the cord assembly violates the warranty and also there is no practical way to install a flex connector to hard wire.
The electrical engineer for the project contacted the inspector about this to come up with a solution and his response was to install per code. He said his job was to inspect not to design. As the electrical contractor on the project we were asked to try to come up with a solution. One thought I have is to install an enclosure of some sort with the receptacle and all equipment mounted inside. This would still be above the ceiling but would be enclosed seperately in the ceiling. Another thought would be to install an enclosure with a flush cover on the ceiling tile with all the equipment and receptacle mounted inside where access would only be from below ceiling. I think this would meet the code and not be considered above the ceiling. Any thought or ideas.
The electrical engineer for the project contacted the inspector about this to come up with a solution and his response was to install per code. He said his job was to inspect not to design. As the electrical contractor on the project we were asked to try to come up with a solution. One thought I have is to install an enclosure of some sort with the receptacle and all equipment mounted inside. This would still be above the ceiling but would be enclosed seperately in the ceiling. Another thought would be to install an enclosure with a flush cover on the ceiling tile with all the equipment and receptacle mounted inside where access would only be from below ceiling. I think this would meet the code and not be considered above the ceiling. Any thought or ideas.
