jsmalone1
Member
- Location
- southwest Missouri
All the recent talk about changes and proposed changes with the NEC concerning docks & Marinas I couldn't help but share my unbelievable situation here. We have a second home on a large lake in northern Arkansas. This is a flood control lake and is the reservoir lake in a string of 3 lakes. The lake can vary 66.5 feet max but does vary 30-50 feet frequently. Private docks on the lake typically have overhead electric with old triplex wire then extra triplex is rolled on a reel in these docks as the lake varies. The vast majority of the private docks here are not wired properly in a variety of ways. Most of the triplex is skinned and spliced frequently. The most egregious violation, especially when the lake is high, is the triplex being in the water. We are very near the top of flood pool so many of the electric poles are far out in the water with the wire running back towards shore to the dock. Many people believe that this is acceptable and safe as that has been the rational over the years for the violations. Many of these same docks have swim decks attached and many people regularly swim off these docks here. Having been around this area since I was a child I am not aware of any electrocutions, at least none that made the media. Of course the rule in our family is no swimming around any docks or marinas. Having my own small electrical contracting business I avoid working on these docks, even avoid giving advice for fear of accidents and liability. The common response to a comment that "your dock is not grounded you know" is "it's been fine for 20 years". I find it unbelievable! I have photos showing "noodles" floating the wires in the lake, everywhere! Because that's OK too.
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