NEC 800.170

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mrond

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Miami, FL, USA
My company has recently failed an inspection on CCTV installation. The inspector failed the inspection because the CCTV cameras used were not UL listed and cited 800.170.

800.170
"Communications equipment shall be listed as being suitable for electrical connection to a telecommunications network."

Communications Equipment
"The electronic equipment that performs the telecommunications operations for the transmission of audio, video, and data, and includes power equipment (e.g., dc converters, inverters, and batteries) and technical support equipment (e.g., computers)."

From my interpretation of the code CCTV cameras do not meet the definition of Communications Equipment as they do not include power equipment. The cameras are connected to a UL listed power supply.

Is my interpretation of the code completely wrong?

Thanks.
 
Even if there in not a specific rule requiring the equipment to be listed, the inspector can always cite 110.2
 
800.170 seems odd, maybe he wrote down the wrong number?

Things an inspector might consider for CCTV:

What was the rating of the cables carrying the signal and power to the cameras from the monitors or recording equipment?
Was the equipment or cables installed in a place of public assembly or in plenums?
Are the cameras and other equipment rated by UL or some other nationally recognized testing laboratory?
What was the power feed to the cameras?
 
mrond said:
My company has recently failed an inspection on CCTV installation. The inspector failed the inspection because the CCTV cameras used were not UL listed and cited 800.170.

800.170
"Communications equipment shall be listed as being suitable for electrical connection to a telecommunications network."

Communications Equipment
"The electronic equipment that performs the telecommunications operations for the transmission of audio, video, and data, and includes power equipment (e.g., dc converters, inverters, and batteries) and technical support equipment (e.g., computers)."

From my interpretation of the code CCTV cameras do not meet the definition of Communications Equipment as they do not include power equipment. The cameras are connected to a UL listed power supply.

Is my interpretation of the code completely wrong?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

The definition may be faulty. I believe communications equipment would include a telephone wall set with a hookswitch, handset, and network. It lacks in internal power supply and a computer.

If you think about it, the definition has 3 elements joined by "and"s. The third element is currently not an element in many communications devices. Maybe they definition is this and this and this as in:

Water container. Sink and bathtub and toilet.


UL has a classification for CCTV which is "DRQH" This classification in referenced in the 2012 UL White Book, but not found in it.
 
fmtjfw said:
800.170 seems odd, maybe he wrote down the wrong number?

Things an inspector might consider for CCTV:

What was the rating of the cables carrying the signal and power to the cameras from the monitors or recording equipment?
Was the equipment or cables installed in a place of public assembly or in plenums?
Are the cameras and other equipment rated by UL or some other nationally recognized testing laboratory?
What was the power feed to the cameras?
Click to expand...

The inspector had originally cited 110.3B

"(B) Installation and Use. Listed or labeled equipment shall be installed and used in accordance with any instructions included in the listing or labeling."

I explained to him this only means that when Listed equipment is installed it must be done so in accordance with manufacturers instructions. He then cited 800.170 and after I expressed my views he has ignored my calls. I will probably file a formal appeal to the Board of Rules and Appeals.
 
Scope of Chapter 8

Scope of Chapter 8

para 800.1 states that the scope of Article 800 is "communications circuits". para 800.2 defines a communications circuit as a circuit that extend from a communications utility provided to the customer's equipment up to and including the terminal equipment. If your CATV system was totally customer owned and had not served by a utility company, I do not believe that Article 800 applies.
 
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