Covering Non-plenum rated Cables

[darren71]

We are renovating a school that has non-plenum rated cables in the corridor, which was not a problem when installed, but we are putting an A/C system in that is going to use the space above the suspended ceiling for return air, thus making it an environmental air space. Is there a product that can be put on or over the cables to make it ok to keep them in the enironmental air space?

 

[wmgeorge]

Plenum Rated

Plenum Rated

We are renovating a school that has non-plenum rated cables in the corridor, which was not a problem when installed, but we are putting an A/C system in that is going to use the space above the suspended ceiling for return air, thus making it an environmental air space. Is there a product that can be put on or over the cables to make it ok to keep them in the enironmental air space?

I think its called conduit, but maybe someone else has a suggestion? Think about ducted returns.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

If these are communications cables, look at 800.154(A). Even where installed in a raceway, the cables must be plenum rated.
Don

 

[ron]

Don,

800.154 Applications of Listed Communications Wires and Cables and Communications Raceways.

Communications wires and cables shall comply with the requirements of 800.154(A) through 800.154(F) or where cable substitutions are made in accordance with 800.154(G)

(A) Plenum. Cables installed in ducts, plenums, and other spaces used for environmental air shall be Type CMP. Abandoned cables shall not be permitted to remain. Types CMP, CMR, CMG, CM, and CMX and communications wire installed in compliance with 300.22 shall be permitted. Listed plenum communications raceways shall be permitted to be installed in ducts and plenums as described in 300.22(B) and in other spaces used for environmental air as described in 300.22(C). Only Type CMP cable shall be permitted to be installed in raceways.

Honestly, just because of the way the sentence was organized, I used to read that section as CMP was required in the Listed plenum communications raceways, not in regular raceway. But now I see your interpretation as CMP applying to all raceway identified in that section 800.154(A)

 

[darren71]

Don, thanks for the input, that's why I was wondering if there were other products out there that got me around this. Surely this happens often.

Wmgeorge, um, thanks.

 

[steve66]

I never would have guessed that. My first thought was "no", and my second thought was "this isn't a plenum, it's an other space used for enviromental air". But it looks like Don is right.

The really odd thing is that it looks like the restrictions are stricter for the chapter 3 wiring methods than for the listed communications raceways.

How many more of these "shockers" do you have up your sleeve, Don?

 

[cowboyjwc]

You could build a false ceiling with framing and drywall and that would seperate the cables from the plenum.