Is HVAC line set cover an approved raceway?

[marmathsen]

@tom baker mentioned the Washington Electrical Currents newsletter earlier today and it reminded me that I wanted to bring up the January edition.

Their picture of the month for January was of an HVAC line set and the comment was:

"The cover for this mini-split HVAC line set has expanded and contracted in the elements. You cansee the conductors exposed at the bottom of the channel. Line set covers are not an approved raceway for conductors."

Obviously if it's individual conductors then that all makes sense to me. But what about tray cable? Is a line set cover (line hide) considered a raceway? We've installed TC in line hide and have never had an inspector raise concerns.

Rob G - Seattle

 

[petersonra]

I don't see how this kind of thing is a raceway so I agree with the inspector the install is inappropriate.

Whether you can run TC in it seems to hinge on whether tray cable can be run in that situation outside of the line hide. If it was code legal to run the TC outside the line hide, and the line hide is only being used as physical protection, I think it would be ok, but I don't think regular tray cable can be run outside of a raceway, can it?

Personally, I think it is kind of picky but in a legalistic way maybe not code legal.

Instead of TC use MC or Smurf tubing.

 

[tom baker]

Or UF cable

 

[kwired]

Many the mini-split installers say their warranty is void if you don't use the cable they get from their suppliers and it happens to be TC of some sort. According to 336.10(7) this is ok if it is type TC-ER cable. I haven't done one of these in some time or paid attention when I did as the HVAC guys tend to install that cable but guessing it is a TC-ER cable.

 

[letgomywago]

Many the mini-split installers say their warranty is void if you don't use the cable they get from their suppliers and it happens to be TC of some sort. According to 336.10(7) this is ok if it is type TC-ER cable. I haven't done one of these in some time or paid attention when I did as the HVAC guys tend to install that cable but guessing it is a TC-ER cable.

It's gotta say JP on it if you want to run it through wood without conduit now

 

[marmathsen]

Around here many HVAC installers have been dinged for running between equipment if they don't have the appropriate electrical license.

The TC-ER-JP is what we've used in residential installations which is permitted outdoors and through framing.

I guess I looked at the picture and thought "is that individual conductors as the comment suggests, or is it actually tray cable which is pretty common and perfectly fine in that application".

Rob G - Seattle

 

[kwired]

Around here many HVAC installers have been dinged for running between equipment if they don't have the appropriate electrical license.

The TC-ER-JP is what we've used in residential installations which is permitted outdoors and through framing.

I guess I looked at the picture and thought "is that individual conductors as the comment suggests, or is it actually tray cable which is pretty common and perfectly fine in that application".

Rob G - Seattle

Can be here as well. But they'd pretty much need to be caught in the act. Inspection after all is done won't prove who ran it.

They generally run LV thermostat cables and control cables to conventional outdoor units most the time as well. Though many years ago the inspectors would send correction notice to the EC if it wasn't sunlight resistant cable in the outdoor portions, or if they happened to commit some other somewhat obvious violation with it like running it in raceway with power conductors.