The water line comes underground and then 90’s up through the slab inside a office wall. It then 90’s about 4ft above the ceiling grid and runs to the other end of the building 200ft or so. There are smaller lines hooked to it here and there for bathrooms, kitchen/ break area’s and such. So it is exposed above the grid ceiling.
I have no idea why the water line doesn’t come up in a mechanical area, but it doesn’t. I suppose I could get the GC to cut me a access door in the wall where the water line is if I need to. The exception seems to apply. I could be wrong though.
I believe the general consensus to be, that "exposed above the ceiling grid" is not what the NEC means by exposed. The NEC reference dictionary is Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary.
ex?posed
Pronunciation: | ik-'spōzd |
Function: | adjective |
Date: | circa 1623 |
1 : open to view
2: not shielded or protected also: not insulated <an exposed electric wire>
In the context used, open to view to the common person.
If the office wall is an exterior wall, IMO, it doesn't enter the building until it emerges above the grid. If it is an interior wall, I would get the AHJ's interpretation whether entrance is at slab or above grid.
I was wondering about the common sense aspect of not having a main breaker on the 480 panel. I just set the cans last week, I can get different guts. There is an exception there as well. 225.32 exception 1. And 700.12 (B) exception.
There's substantial conditions in place for those exceptions to apply. Typical commercial properties seldom meet those conditions. Also, even though 700.12(B) Exception is not in the 2008 NEC (and assuming you do have a bona fide emergency system, not just a standby system covered under Articles 701 & 702), I don't see it applying when the building disconnect is after the ATS.
I could be so wrong, thats the problem with the code book and me. My interpretation always favors my wants.
Yeah, my interpretations used to be that way... until someone else got involved that had more authority than I did.
I could easily just put in a main breaker panel and forget the exceptions that may or may not apply.
Unless you have compelling evidence to substantiate the exception(s) being applicable, I suggest just putting in the main breaker.