Old flexible cord

[JohnJ0906]

I removed some old flexable cord from above a ceiling, and I thought it might be a good example of what happens to this stuff as it ages. It is about 20 years old.

The end in the Jbox had the conductor insulation just falling off. Just to see, I stripped a portion a few feet back, and the insulation just fell off.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/HPIM0454.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/HPIM0455.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/HPIM0456.jpg

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p66/JohnJ0906/HPIM0458.jpg

 

[Dennis Alwon]

And I hope you replace the cord with the proper wiring, not rubber cords.

 

[mdshunk]

That looks like old, not-so-flexible cord.

 

[HighWirey]

I removed some old flexable cord from above a ceiling, and I thought it might be a good example of what happens to this stuff as it ages. It is about 20 years old.

The end in the Jbox had the conductor insulation just falling off. Just to see, I stripped a portion a few feet back, and the insulation just fell off.

Nice illustrations. Most of us have encountered that crumbly stuff. We used to call that crumbly condition 'insulation cold flow'.

I unsucessfully attempted to check the design life of neoprene cable. The stuff is great when it is alive.

Best Wishes Everyone

 

[JohnJ0906]

And I hope you replace the cord with the proper wiring, not rubber cords.

Entire light was inserted into dumpster.
I kept the cord for pictures.

 

[masterinbama]

What is the ampacity of 16-3 sow in a dropped ceiling in free air? Pulled a piece out of a bar the other day that had 5 pool table lights 2 TVs a juke box and a beer sign on a 30 amp single pole.

 

[JohnJ0906]

What is the ampacity of 16-3 sow in a dropped ceiling in free air? Pulled a piece out of a bar the other day that had 5 pool table lights 2 TVs a juke box and a beer sign on a 30 amp single pole.

Ummm, less than that.

Check out Article 400 - especially Table 400.5(A)

 

[iwire]

Ummm, less than that.

I was thinking at least that much .... it had not burned .... yet. :grin:

 

[augie47]

thanks for the pics..
I saved them on my laptop for the next guy who asks "whats wrong with cord"

 

[JohnJ0906]

it had not burned .... yet. :grin:

Operative word - yet.

 

[masterinbama]

that is why it was removed. I have been making a pretty good living lately chasing the fire marshal around to local bars and restaurants repairing violations. They only inspect existing installations every three years and it amazes me how much hack work can be done in that short of a time.

 

[mdshunk]

...They only inspect existing installations every three years and it amazes me how much hack work can be done in that short of a time.

I think it's not necessarily that it got done in the last 3 years, but that it wasn't caught the last few times. It seems like these fire inspections/rental inspections/health inspections have a different set of things they concentrate on each round. I do a lot of that sort of work too, and I see a certain trend develop in a certain round of inspections compared with the last round. They just pick on different things each time. I know if they really wrote a laundry list like they rightfully could in a lot of places, it would put them out of business. I guess they just pick the worst few things each go round.

 

[masterinbama]

I agree if all of the violations were caught most of these places would be shut down. I even have 2 local bars that want me to fix things before the fire marshal arrives. You know as well as I do that not too many places that have been open for more than a few years wont have violations.

 

[electricalperson]

ive pulled out a cord that was outside since the earth was created. it had 208volt 3 phase feeding some refridgeration equipment. a lot of copper was showing and the insulation was falling off in chunks.

 

[LarryFine]

They only inspect existing installations every three years and it amazes me how much hack work can be done in that short of a time.

Nobody ever said hacks were not ambitious.