Correct Box for Dropo Cords

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fredjohns

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About 6 months ago an OSHA inspector was here at our plant and noted that the boxes on all of our drop cords are no correct. The person the inspector was talking to at the time is no longer with the company but I was given the job of finding the correct boxes for our dropcords. We have somewhere around 500 to 700 of these cords hanging down all over the plant. There is a strain releif on the box and also one on the other end of the cord. I am not sure if the boxes are incorrect becuase they have knockouts on them or if it is because where the strain releif goes into the box it is not threaded. I am attaching a picture of the box in the hopes that someone may know what is wrong with the boxes and what kind of boxes I can purchase to start changing all of boxes out in the plant.

Any help you can give me will be greatly appreciated.
Fred JohnsDSC02501.jpg
 
The first issue is 314.23(H)

314.23(H) Pendant Boxes. An enclosure supported by a pendant
shall comply with 314.23(H)(1) or (H)(2).

(1) Flexible Cord. A box shall be supported from a multiconductor
cord or cable in an approved manner that protects
the conductors against strain, such as a strain-relief
connector threaded into a box with a hub.
Click to expand...


In my opinion you need a box with a threaded hub.

So now you may be tempted to use a 'Bell Box' but that could be a 110.3(B) issue as a typical bell box may not listed to be supported by the hubs.

I think the best route is to buy a listed 'Pendent box' you can't go wrong with that. Certainly cheaper than any OSHA issues.


http://www.woodheadsales.com/portable_outlet_boxes/multi-boxes_pendant_drops.htm
 
I'm quite partial to the Woodhead boxes- OSHA likes them, they're hard to break, and they don't leave dings in other things when dropped. (In event wiring we use the 3-phase outlet stringers a lot and I don't think we've ever had a box break unless run over by a forklift.)
 
zbang said:
I'm quite partial to the Woodhead boxes- OSHA likes them, they're hard to break, and they don't leave dings in other things when dropped. (In event wiring we use the 3-phase outlet stringers a lot and I don't think we've ever had a box break unless run over by a forklift.)
Click to expand...

Yup, those things are tough as nails. I like them because the receptacle covers are recessed a little bit into the housing, some of the other brands we have tried are not like that and the covers often get broken.
 
There have been numerous discussions here about boxes for cord drops, so I will not comment on that.
The main problem I see is that the grounds are on top. As everyone knows, they should be to the left.
:D
db
 
barclayd said:
There have been numerous discussions here about boxes for cord drops, so I will not comment on that.
The main problem I see is that the grounds are on top. As everyone knows, they should be to the left.
:D
db
Click to expand...

I saw a quad in an old building the other day I just HAVE to get a picture of. The four 'ports' were arranged so that one ground was on the top, one on the left, one on the right and one on the bottom.
 
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