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Joined: Oct 2000
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Took a few pictures in the garage of the hotel I stayed at this weekend in Vegas. Throughout the parking structure some EC used flex everywhere coming out several huge switchgears. While not a code violation, I can't believe someone did such a unprofessional installation in a huge complex w/ large power. Each of those flexes are 2".

dmattox
[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

[Linked Image]

Joined: Feb 2005
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Sure makes pulling cable hard. I would not recomend it unless its unavoidable.

Rob

Joined: May 2003
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Are you sure its flex, and not MC? They do make it that big.

Would I be proud of it? Only if paying the bill to put it in. Big savings on labor, and speed, but pricey for the mat's.

To me it looks like it can be supported more though.


Mark Heller
"Well - I oughta....." -Jackie Gleason
Joined: Aug 2001
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Not for a minute. But I'll bet it wasn't the EC who decided on the flex or MC. My bet is that the EC did what the Engr/Arch would pay for. I wouldn't want that Engr/Arch designing my bldgs.

Joined: Jan 2003
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I would bet that is MC cable, we run a lot of MC, we have a job wrapping up now that has 1000's of feet of 250/4 copper MC.

The majority of our prints come with all pipe shown, then the bids go in and the people who have to pay the bill have a heart attack.

They want the building to have all the same features but they want the price reduced.

Changing from EMT to MC drops the labor costs significantly.

Do I think the above installation would look nicer in pipe?

Of course.

Do I see a safety issue with what is shown?

No I don't.

The support requirements for MC are 6', I do wonder why that one group was not cut shorter so it would not have had to drop down and cross over.

But again there is no telling how much 'value engineering' the customer asked of the contractors.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Jan 2002
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Bob It looks like that group crosses over to utilize the hanger. No problem with the installation as far as I can tell. Hard to make any type of cable method look neat.

Joined: Jun 2005
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I would bet that is MC cable, we run a lot of MC, we have a job wrapping up now that has 1000's of feet of 250/4 copper MC.
I weigh 165 pounds.

I can't imagine pulling 250/4 MC cable. I get tired just thinking of it.

Looks fairly neat-ish. Seems like everytime I think, "One more support would be nice" in the end I might as well have used one-holes for conduit. [Linked Image]


-George
Joined: Jan 2003
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I have not touched the 250-4 MC but I have installed a lot of 4/0-4 MC.

It comes in at 3,800 Lb per thousand, you do not put much of it in without the right tools.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Jun 2001
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I'm betting it's MC also. There is big competition to set up power fast and cheap when working on casinos in LV so MC is ran whenever possible. The electricians lovingly call it "Medusa" and it usually gets installed overhead... One of the retrofit jobs I did all but the tele/com lines were in MC. Everything... Never seen so much MC in one place before!!!


Mike Wescoatt
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 134
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I'll be the bad guy here.....
Is someone implying this doesn't meet code?
If you don't like the installation than you don't like the code, right? So you need to change the code.

What's unprofessional about this installation? I think it looks acceptable and meets code. The EC installed 'fire stopping' and I would say accounted for bend/pulling radii for the run through the ceiling.

Does it look pretty? Does it look like it was done in a workmanship like manner? My subjective opinion says 'yes'. The EC made efforts to secure and route everything in an orderly fashion.

Not sure if the sprinkler head can function? The angle makes it hard to see but if the cable is resting on the sprinkler head then start the finger pointing.

Fortunately, "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." I haven't seen anything like this in my town.

RSLater,
RSmike

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