Hospital Wiring

[scrino]

What is the difference between HCF-90 and HCF-Lite. The spec sheet for the HCF-Lite says "HCF cables may not be used on emergency circuits in health care setting". I dont know if the HCF-90 is allowed to be used on emergency circuits.

NEC 517-30 (C)3 indicates that emergency branch circuit wiring shall be installed in non flexable conduit. After exception 5 is a FPN to 517.13 which allows AC cable however the explanation in the NEC Handbook clearly says that metal sheathed cable assemblies are not permitted for emergency circuits in the patient vicinity.

How are so many contractors being allowed to install HCF for emergency branch circuits in hospitals? Or am I intrepreting incorrectly?

 

[hbiss]

Re: Hospital Wiring

HFC-90 is steel flexable armor while the lite is aluminum. Both are prohibited by 517.30(C)(3) for use with emergency circuits as you correctly point out.

517.13 refers to normal(non-emergency) circuits where flexable armored cable may be used. Keep in mind that FPN's are advisory or informational only.

 

[roger]

Re: Hospital Wiring

We are looking at two codes here concerning patient care area critical branch circuits.

Scrino you are referencing the 99 code and Hbiss is referencing 2002.

In the 99 code these emergency branch circuits were allowed to be wired per 517-13, see the last sentence in 517-30(c)(3).

This may or may not have been a wording mistake, but HCFC will be allowed for some "fishing" of critical branch circuits in patient care areas in the 05 cycle.

I think the CMP made a mistake in removing this wiring method in the 02 code.

Roger

[ December 17, 2003, 06:26 PM: Message edited by: roger ]