Nursing home Wiring

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bkelly

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I am in a bind!! Need some quick input on wiring methjods for a nursing home/ assisted living home. Large building, not sure of the occupancy #, but probably in the 75 patient range. The EE is pushing for NM cable. I do not believe that is acceptable. The construction is 1 story, all wood construction. Any help with this would be appreciated. Meeting min 30 min's. Thanks
 
bkelly said:
I am in a bind!! Need some quick input on wiring methjods for a nursing home/ assisted living home. Large building, not sure of the occupancy #, but probably in the 75 patient range. The EE is pushing for NM cable. I do not believe that is acceptable. The construction is 1 story, all wood construction. Any help with this would be appreciated. Meeting min 30 min's. Thanks
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You could actually use NMC if you wanted. Nursing home/assisted living is simply a multifamily for seniors. It should be all 1 hour construction with corridors, so you will need fire stopping and a good layout for where your panels are going.
 
cowboyjwc said:
You could actually use NMC if you wanted. Nursing home/assisted living is simply a multifamily for seniors. It should be all 1 hour construction with corridors, so you will need fire stopping and a good layout for where your panels are going.
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If I am reading the 2008 NEC correctly doesn't a nursing home come under the restrictions of Article 517 Health Care Facilities (517.2).

I thought that 517.12 and 517.13 would rule out the use of NM or NMC.

Is it the reference to 250.118(1) from 517.13 (A) that allows NM or NMC?
 
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'08 wordingin 517.2, especially the word "might" in "Nursing Homes" , certainly causes one to lean toward 517 wiring.
 
There is more to this than just the NEC. The building code referenced in your jurisdiction has something to say about this. So may the nursing home as well.

In regards to the '08 NEC, the definition: "A building or portion of a building..."

I do not know all the parameters of the OP's situation, but I believe a portion fo the building can be wired using NM cable. More details are necessary to really make such a determination.

I would discuss this with the inspector.
 
After reading further in 517.13(A) is looks like NM or NMC could not be used in the Patient Care Areas. NM and NMC does not meet the requirement of "a cable having a metallic armor or sheath assembly".
 
While 517 may come into play, he did say /assisted care. Assisted care is usually just an apartment with a call station and a nurse(s) at a station and they may feed you, but again they simply fall under the guise of multifamily as most if not all of the patients are ambulatory. 517.2 says that you can use wiring methods which comply with chapters 1-4 of the code.

If it's a true nursing home which is basically a hospital for the elderly, then you might have to wire it strictly per 517.
 
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