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Joined: Aug 2003
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Sorry for coming in late, but there are a couple of points I'd like to make. Here is a quote from the add linked in the OP. It’s approved for use in a variety of applications, including residential branch circuits, manufactured housing, and pre-fabricated building structures. Now look at the NEC definition of "approved". It is the Authority Having Jurisdiction that "approves" something. Not UL, not the manufacturer. Secondly, UL does not write code. Jurisdictions do not adopt the UL listings, they adopt the NEC. If UL lists something for a particular use, but the NEC prohibits it's use, it is the NEC that has force of law and UL does not trump it. 300.15 requires that splices be made in a box. 314.29 requires those boxes to be accessible. 300.15(H) referes to 334.40(B) which allows switch, outlet, and tap devices of insulating material to be used with NM. The devices being discussed are not switch or outlet devices. Are they tap devices? Is a device that allows two conductors to be spliced a tap device? Even if they are tap devices, 334.40(B) only permits their use where the cable will be exposed or in existing installations where the cable is fished. [This message has been edited by eprice (edited 01-31-2006).]
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Joined: Jan 2003
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The devices being discussed are not switch or outlet devices. I agree Yes if we are talking about the Molex device that ends up with 3 NMs connected to it. (In, Out and Tap) Is a device that allows two conductors to be spliced a tap device? In my opinion no, they would not be tap deices. 334.40(B) only permits their use where the cable will be exposed or in existing installations where the cable is fished Precisely, that is what I have been trying to get across. Bob
Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
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All code/listing issues aside it is clear these were designed for connecting 2 sections of a manufactured building together, not simply splicing or tapping a circuit. They are made with 2 parts that mate together, plug and socket fashion, after the cable connection is made up. I imagine after they were placed on the market someone said "say there seems to be a loophole we can exploit to sell more of these". They made the rounds about 10 years ago and I even had AMP send me some samples. Most of the folks I was yacking with at that time said this was only for manufactured housing but the code didn't address it specifically enough. Most inspectors hated them, hence they got far from universal "approval" and the issue went away. None of the guys at the IAEI meeting who saw the ones I had said they would take them fished in a regular wall.
The last time I looked, maybe a year ago, AMP, (now Tyco) was only addressing the manufactured homes in their docs. I see it is back.
Greg Fretwell
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Greg there are two types of these. One type is as you describe, simply male and female 'plugs' that connect two separate NMs together. I agree that type is not allowed in stick built homes. But there is another type that Molex makes that is a tap. It is made to tap a new NM in the middle of an exsisting run run of NM, this type is allowed in stick built homes. If that is not the case can you tell me what type of device the NEC is referring to here? part of 334.40(B) tap devices of insulating material shall be permitted to be used without boxes in exposed cable wiring and for rewiring in existing buildings where the cable is concealed and fished. The tap devices are permitted. Bob
Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
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From EC&M Nonmetallic cable splice and tap
October 27, 2003 — Nonmetallic (NM) splice and tap technology connects 12 AWG and 14 AWG circuits using NM cable. It eliminates the need for junction boxes, covers, fittings, and wire nuts. It's approved for use in a variety of applications, including residential branch circuits, manufactured housing, and pre-fabricated building structures. When adding new circuits in residential applications, NM connectors eliminate the need to cut into the existing wiring and the extra junction boxes and associated hardware required for the tap connection.
AMP Netconnect, a division of Tyco Electronics
Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
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I'd be real careful about quoting EC&M....all they seem to do is re-print press releases. I won't forget the time they trumpeted PVC components as requiring no ground wire...
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,931 Likes: 34
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Bob the tap device I have is a plug and socket deal too. The socket connects to the run of RX with the tap plugging in.
Joe Tedesco has some pictures of a device he says 334.40 refers to. It is an old bakelite device that RX connects directly to.
We had a thread about this somewhere in the last year, maybe over at the HI board.
Greg Fretwell
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