Penetrations thru 2hr. fire rated concrete floors.

I'm currently the foreman on a multifamily project. I've been asked by my boss to complte the house breezeway lighting by running 12/3 From the house panel thru the ground fl. unit to each floor above thru the ceilings inside the dwellings. My Question is whether there is a reference in the code on how to establish a raceway btwn floors . I have been told to use 1" EMT conduit as a sleeve. In addition use bushings make the conduits extend 2' below and above the penetration. 2HR FIRE RATINGS ON THE CONCRETE
FL. AKA EPICORE.

Go to this page then scroll down to where the pages are indexed, start by clicking somewhere around page 14 and look at the assemblies until you find one that will work for your installation.

When you find what you're looking for be sure to use the product listed for that assembly.

You will also need to fill the interior of the sleeve with the fire caulk product top and bottom after the conductors or cables are installed.

Roger

I appreciate the reference for UL systems. The mystery has been defogged. I still wonder where an inspector will appraoch the situation and what reference he or she might be using to dictate the minimum 2' of EMT above and below the fl.

perhaps you should check with your employer for exclusions in his bid...since fire caulking and putty packing can be expensive, he may have excluded it and leave it too the general contractor to satisfy buildinginspector or fire marshal.
H2o

In our contract we are required to fire stop everything. I believe we have accomplished the task ,but I still could not answer an Inspector query about my reasoning behind how I've come up with the design for sleeving the romex wires as they penetrate thru the 2nd and 3rd floors. A code reference if any available would be greatly appreciated.

In the 2003 IBC Section 712.3.1.2:

"Through penetrations shall be protected by an approved penetration firestop system installed as tested in accordance with ASTM E 814 or UL 1479, with a positive pressure differential of 0.01 inch of water and shall have an F rating of not less than the required fire-resistance rating of the wall penetrated."

All of which means the inspector must approve the firestop system. Most all inspectors will accept any UL assembly if installed per the UL instructions.

FWIW, the latest issue (2007 Issue 1) of ul's newsletter "The Code Authority" has an article on firestopping.

You can find this free newsletter at the UL web site.

Originally Posted by Angel_Electric

My Question is whether there is a reference in the code on how to establish a raceway btwn floors . I have been told to use 1" EMT conduit as a sleeve. In addition use bushings make the conduits extend 2' below and above the penetration.

It would be here, but not as 2', unless this is some local code? And exposed... but it doesn't sound as if it will be inside the units???

Quote

334.15 Exposed Work.
In exposed work, except as provided in 300.11(A), the cable shall be installed as specified in 334.15(A) through (C).
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(B) Protection from Physical Damage. The cable shall be protected from physical damage where necessary by conduit, electrical metallic tubing, Schedule 80 PVC rigid nonmetallic conduit, pipe, guard strips, listed surface metal or nonmetallic raceway, or other means. Where passing through a floor, the cable shall be enclosed in rigid metal conduit, intermediate metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, Schedule 80 PVC rigid nonmetallic conduit, listed surface metal or nonmetallic raceway, or other metal pipe extending at least 150 mm (6 in.) above the floor.

But 2' above and below??? Why not just make it conduit the whole way? Also 250.86 exception 2 allows it not to be grounded, depending on what "short" is defined as by the AHJ. 4'+ isn't exactly 'short' IMO.

Quote

Exception No. 2: Short sections of metal enclosures or raceways used to provide support or protection of cable assemblies from physical damage shall not be required to be grounded.