Low Voltage Requirements in New York

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jca239

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I am trying to find if the electrical code in New York (city or state) varies from the class 2 low voltage requirements of UL and the NEC (up to 60VDC and 100W). Anyone know where to find it or know what the requirements are?

I am looking into Power over Ethernet (PoE) wiring a building and the DC voltage can be as high as 57VDC (and 60W). That would meet the UL and NEC requirements to avoid mechanical protection (conduit), but I have seen New York reference 50 volts in some documents.

Running these CAT5 cables in conduit just would not make any sense. Any thoughts???
 
hbiss

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
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Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
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EC
If you have a class 2 power supply as most POE routers and power injectors are (it should say on them and really that's all you have to be concerned about) then normally run CAT5e is just fine since it is a CL2 wiring method.

NY is different than most states in that there is no statewide code or licensing. Each municipality handles their own and though they usually adopt the NEC verbatim a few have their own amendments. Notable is NYC (and the reason there is no statewide adoption). While I think it would be very unusual for any jurisdiction to limit how CL2 POE wiring is installed, if you have concerns check with the local AHJ.

The only place I recall a limit of 50v without conduit is for constant voltage speaker systems in schools, and I don't remember where that was or if it still exists .

-Hal
 
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hbiss

hbiss

EC, Westchester, New York NEC: 2014
Location
Hawthorne, New York NEC: 2014
Occupation
EC
Yes exactly. That's actually how the 25v system came about because a 70v system would have to be run according to what we now call class 1 wiring methods. But that was back in the day. I'm not sure it's even an issue now since all amps (since they are really power supplies) are listed as to the class of wiring required regardless of the output.

-Hal
 
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GoldDigger

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hbiss said:
Yes exactly. That's actually how the 25v system came about because a 70v system would have to be run according to what we now call class 1 wiring methods. But that was back in the day. I'm not sure it's even an issue now since all amps (since they are really power supplies) are listed as to the class of wiring required regardless of the output.

-Hal
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Right. Some big amps designed for an 8 ohm load still develop some pretty high voltages! And they are certainly not low power limited according to the definitions in the article.
 
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