Reuse of Installed Cable

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john_EE

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My cables were already installed in conduits, raceways but we intend to pull it and reinstall it somewhere. Those cables were never energized.

Is there any rule specific in NEC that I cannot reuse a cable after dismantling/pulling them? What section of NEC is that?
 
I am unaware of any NEC that would not allow you to reinstall. As long as there is no damage to the wire I don't see why it would matter even if it were energized.
 
110.7 Wiring Integrity.
300.17 Number and Size of Conductors in Raceway.

This could possibly trigger a flag, with my requesting a megger test of the completed install of the conductors in the new raceway.


NYS has a section in the code requiring any used equipment to meet the current code standards at the current time of installation.


Check your local laws to see if you may have some similar or more restrictive requirements.
 
Thanks Pierre and Dennis... 300.17 is helpful... I may be wrong but I have read it in NEC in exact sense... tsk tsk... i really forgot this article and section...
 
Interesting?.Technically I always thought that once conductors were installed they couldn?t be pulled and reused, not that it isn?t common practice.

Megging and checking for obvious discrepancies are logical before reuse.


JJ
 
If someone were to say that conductors cannot be reused (nobody's said that so far), they would also be saying that something fundamentally in the installation or reinstallation process damages conductors. If we were to belive that, the whole wired world is in a world of hurt. The same care that was taken to install the conductors originally can be taken in their removal. The conductors can also be re-installed with that same high level of care. I've reused many a conductor (particularly larger than #4), whether energized previously or not, I can attest that it is a sound practice. I would reiterate the suggestion that the conductors be meg'd. Meg them before removal from the old raceway, and meg them again after they're reinstalled in the new location.
 
mdshunk said:
If someone were to say that conductors cannot be reused (nobody's said that so far), they would also be saying that something fundamentally in the installation or reinstallation process damages conductors. If we were to belive that, the whole wired world is in a world of hurt. The same care that was taken to install the conductors originally can be taken in their removal. The conductors can also be re-installed with that same high level of care. I've reused many a conductor (particularly larger than #4), whether energized previously or not, I can attest that it is a sound practice. I would reiterate the suggestion that the conductors be meg'd. Meg them before removal from the old raceway, and meg them again after they're reinstalled in the new location.
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Well said Marc. I totally agree
 
Since this is in the LV area - I'll add this - there is/was a code about removing unused LV cabling. No codes on this computer or I would look it up.....
 
Even if conductors were removed and reinstalled I find no provision of the NEC that would require them to be megger tested. Does such a provision exist?
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
110.7 Requires one to install conductors without short circuits, ground faults, or any connections to ground...
That is what inspectors may reference to request meggering.
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IMO that's very weak and unenforceable. You could say that about any conductor in a conduit.
 
mdshunk said:
Yeah, but if I pulled in some medium voltage cable, would you throw the switch without testing? Heck, even 480 can make a mess.
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True, but most conductors are tested when the CB is turned on for the first time. If there's a problem you'll know then. :rolleyes:
 
infinity said:
True, but most conductors are tested when the CB is turned on for the first time. If there's a problem you'll know then. :rolleyes:
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I know you're only joking, but stories abound of conductors that lasted for a short while, without being tested, after the breaker was turned on. Could be days, weeks, or months, but without testing you have no idea where you stand. The breaker might be on the razor's edge of a ground fault.
 
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