Nfpa 79 code question

User Name

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician
Any got a NFPA 79 code book? I'm connecting a new dust collector for a customer in the coming month, ahead of delivery he got me the manual. And its states that I can't use wirenuts to hook up the motor per NFPA 79 13.5.9 but I don't have that book to look it up and a Google search didn't work. I'm only running #12 seems, I get not soldering, but splitbolts are ok? Seems weird.
 

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roger

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Staff member
Location
Fl
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Retired Electrician
The wording of NFPA 79, 13.5.9.2 states "Electrical connections at motor terminal boxes shall be made with an identified method of connection. Twist-on wire connections shall not be used for this purpose."
 

User Name

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician
Well that's interesting...I wonder what the context of that article is, all motors just specific locations.
 

User Name

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician
Well that's fine I'll just use Wago's to hook up motors from now on 🤣 na I'll just use like a polaris insulated connector, they got one thats ment for fine motor wire.
 

ron

Senior Member
Any got a NFPA 79 code book? I'm connecting a new dust collector for a customer in the coming month, ahead of delivery he got me the manual. And its states that I can't use wirenuts to hook up the motor per NFPA 79 13.5.9 but I don't have that book to look it up and a Google search didn't work. I'm only running #12 seems, I get not soldering, but splitbolts are ok? Seems weird.
Any NFPA Standard can eb viewed for free after you make a free account sign-in to the nfpa.org website.

 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
Does NFPA 79 even apply to the wiring installed by the electrician in the field?
It does not apply to anything unless it is contractual. It is not like it is a legal requirement like the NEC typically is.

One could argue pretty well that it is the de facto standard for industrial machinery electrical wiring in the US and thus there is some duty to abide by it.

I would say if you agreed contractually to abide by NFPA79, all the wiring associated with it is part of the deal including wiring to motors done in the field.

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jim dungar

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Staff member
Location
Wisconsin
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PE (Retired) - Power Systems
It does not apply to anything unless it is contractual. It is not like it is a legal requirement like the NEC typically is.

One could argue pretty well that it is the de facto standard for industrial machinery electrical wiring in the US and thus there is some duty to abide by it.

I would say if you agreed contractually to abide by NFPA79, all the wiring associated with it is part of the deal including wiring to motors done in the field.
But not every piece of motor equipment is built per NFPA 79. For example I don't think it applies to a belt driven ventilator fan or a simple water pump, neither of which is usually sold with control panels much beyond dedicated starters and which are often subject to Listing standards.
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
But not every piece of motor equipment is built per NFPA 79. For example I don't think it applies to a belt driven ventilator fan or a simple water pump, neither of which is usually sold with control panels much beyond dedicated starters and which are often subject to Listing standards.
I don't think your examples would meet the definition of industrial machinery found in NFPA79 so would not apply.
 

User Name

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician
But what does 13.5.9.2 really mean? That twist-on wire connectors are not an identified method for wiring motor terminals? Or they are an identified method for wiring motor terminals, but shall not to be used for industrial machinery?
And that could explain why alot of the motors I see on industrial machinery have wire terminal blocks in the junction box as well...
 

User Name

Senior Member
Location
USA
Occupation
Electrician
So I was in a bit of a hurry this morning and didn't read past that page in the manual, few pages further it goes into detail saying that "using wirenuts greatly increases the risk of fire and hazards to machinery and personnel" and if I use wirenuts to connect the motor it litteraly voids the warranty! I mean I've got my plan to use the insulated multitap like it suggests but I've literally seen every type of method to hook up a motor fail in one way or another if not done right. To say that wirenuts are the worst is kind of an overexaggeration. But if that's what they want....
 
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