Wood inside of a junction box

[jared albrecht]

I am an engineer tasked with a final inspection for a village located electrical system in remote Alaska. I believe this to be a violation but am finding it hard to find a reason why it is a violation or a code reference to support my theory. Two thoughts are that it is a combustible material in a junction box. Another thought would be the wood isn't UL listed for the use. Any help would be grateful.

 

[infinity]

For one it violates this section:

376.56(B)(4) Live Parts.
Power distribution blocks shall not have uninsulated live parts exposed within a wireway, whether or not the wireway cover is installed.

 

[HEYDOG]

I am an engineer tasked with a final inspection for a village located electrical system in remote Alaska. I believe this to be a violation but am finding it hard to find a reason why it is a violation or a code reference to support my theory. Two thoughts are that it is a combustible material in a junction box. Another thought would be the wood isn't UL listed for the use. Any help would be grateful.


View attachment 2565680

I would go to Article 110!

 

[jared albrecht]

Thank you!

 

[hillbilly1]

That’s that new 250 volt rated spruce! LOL!

 

[Joethemechanic]

The wood is the insulator?

 

[yesterlectric]

I’ve seen wood being used to hold wires in troughs and boxes before but I’ve never seen this! Did you have to travel some crazy voyage to this remote village just to do this inspection? Was it like eight hours of travel?

 

[tortuga]

That looks interesting and creative.
They need a insulated mole or 'tap block'
Is it a neutral bar?

 

[Ponchik]

I do see the blue tape, but gotta ask, Is this a GEC grounding bar?

 

[macmikeman]

That's a gutter .

 

[macmikeman]

I would not be happy seeing an uninsulated series lug like that one shown inside a gutter. For one thing, on the long ones the covers can be kind of flexible like an old hand held wood saw blade. Wouldn't take much effort to contact the cover to that monster when trying to slide the cover off the "gutter".

And if this lug setup is because of a parallel run situation, those conductors on the left end are much shorter than the ones on the right end , and that makes a big " also a code violation".

 

[macmikeman]

Where are the other phase lines? 3 more gutters? I'm never going to Alaska me thinks..........

 

[synchro]

Another thought would be the wood isn't UL listed for the use.

And I highly doubt that UL would ever list it for that use. Some years ago I went through a little museum inside of the UL headquarters in Northbrook, IL. They had a very old wooden fusebox that was charred and burned, and the exhibit mentioned that they learned from such results not to use wood for such a purpose.

 

[Joethemechanic]

And I highly doubt that UL would ever list it for that use. Some years ago I went through a little museum inside of the UL headquarters in Northbrook, IL. They had a very old wooden fusebox that was charred and burned, and the exhibit mentioned that they learned from such results not to use wood for such a purpose.

 

[ramsy]

I do see the blue tape, but gotta ask, Is this a GEC grounding bar?

In Europe Blue phase tape identifies the neutral / grounded conductor.

The township could have got the equipment that way from Amazon.com, if there is a CE mark for self-certification, albeit not an accepted NRTL in the USA.

 

[electrofelon]

Where are the other phase lines? 3 more gutters? I'm never going to Alaska me thinks..........

That's what I was wondering, where are the other conductors of the circuit? Something seems a muck, besides the wood issue.

 

[darekelec]

Is the 2x4 UL listed?

 

[jared albrecht]

this is a the blue phase of a 120/208v 3Ø system. the feed comes from a 400 amp breaker and the extra wires are all taps to other devices and disconnects. the neutral (white), red, and black phases are in the same gutter and are done the same way. very long gutter.

 

[jaggedben]

It's not that difficult to fix this. Replace them all with something like this:

https://www.grainger.com/product/34UH92

 

[Ponchik]

In Europe Blue phase tape identifies the neutral / grounded conductor.

The township could have got the equipment that way from Amazon.com, if there is a CE mark for self-certification, albeit not an accepted NRTL in the USA.

But I don't think this is in Europe.