FA Conduit

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Steve Miller

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Location
Loudoun County, VA
Need opinions here:
We are having a new Fire Alarm installed in one of our buildings. Some of the new Fire Alarm EMT is installed above the bar joists, tight to the roof deck. We're on 2008. I've been thru 760 several times and can find no ref to 300.4. Therefore I need opinions:
Based on this section
760.3 Other Articles. Circuits and equipment shall comply
with 760.3(A) through (G). Only those sections of Article
300 referenced in this article shall apply to fire alarm
systems.
Does this section apply?
(E) Cables and Raceways Installed Under Roof Decking.
A cable- or raceway-type wiring method, installed in
exposed or concealed locations under metal-corrugated sheet
roof decking, shall be installed and supported so the nearest
outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less than
38 mm (11⁄2 in.) from the nearest surface of the roof decking.

It looks like this was intended to apply, but do to an 'oops' it fell thru. Or is it the intent not to require the spacing on FA conduit??
 
Steve Miller said:
Need opinions here:
We are having a new Fire Alarm installed in one of our buildings. Some of the new Fire Alarm EMT is installed above the bar joists, tight to the roof deck. We're on 2008. I've been thru 760 several times and can find no ref to 300.4. Therefore I need opinions:
Based on this section
760.3 Other Articles. Circuits and equipment shall comply
with 760.3(A) through (G). Only those sections of Article
300 referenced in this article shall apply to fire alarm
systems.
Does this section apply?
(E) Cables and Raceways Installed Under Roof Decking.
A cable- or raceway-type wiring method, installed in
exposed or concealed locations under metal-corrugated sheet
roof decking, shall be installed and supported so the nearest
outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less than
38 mm (11⁄2 in.) from the nearest surface of the roof decking.

It looks like this was intended to apply, but do to an 'oops' it fell thru. Or is it the intent not to require the spacing on FA conduit??
Click to expand...

..maybe an "oops"

Does this help?

2008 NEC said:
760.24 Mechanical Execution of Work.
Fire alarm circuits shall be installed in a neat workmanlike manner.
Cables and conductors installed exposed on the surface of
ceilings and sidewalls shall be supported by the building
structure in such a manner that the cable will not be damaged
by normal building use. Such cables shall be supported
by straps, staples, cable ties, hangers, or similar fittings
designed and installed so as not to damage the cable.
The installation shall also comply with 300.4(D)
Click to expand...

2008 NEC said:
300.4 Protection Against Physical Damage.
Where subject to physical damage, conductors shall be protected.

(D) Cables and Raceways Parallel to Framing Members
and Furring Strips.
In both exposed and concealed
locations, where a cable- or raceway-type wiring method is
installed parallel to framing members, such as joists,
rafters, or studs, or is installed parallel to furring strips, the
cable or raceway shall be installed and supported so that the
nearest outside surface of the cable or raceway is not less
than 32 mm (11⁄4 in.) from the nearest edge of the framing
member or furring strips where nails or screws are likely to
penetrate. Where this distance cannot be maintained, the
cable or raceway shall be protected from penetration by
nails or screws by a steel plate, sleeve, or equivalent at least
1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick.

Exception No. 1: Steel plates, sleeves, or the equivalent
shall not be required to protect rigid metal conduit, intermediate
metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, or electrical
metallic tubing.

Exception No. 2: For concealed work in finished buildings,
or finished panels for prefabricated buildings where such
supporting is impracticable, it shall be permissible to fish
the cables between access points.

Exception No. 3: A listed and marked steel plate less than
1.6 mm (1⁄16 in.) thick that provides equal or better protection
against nail or screw penetration shall be permitted.
Click to expand...
 
760.24 does not say that 300.4(E) applies to the fire alarm raceways. There is nothing in (D) that says the raceway cannot be installed in the manner that it is being installed. I think the rule in 4(E) should apply, but the code does not require that.
 
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