Does this rule in the NEC apply to an open air market?

YES!

The duct tape adds a bit of class to this quality installation.

John

Unfortunatly, I say no it doesn't. I say this because I THINK it is only in article 527 for temporary wiring. It still makes me ill to look at it though.

BTW: wasn't there a twilight zone episode where everyone's face looked like that?

A fitting omen...

That's not the only violation I see there:
http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/fc-6.html

Kale:
Thats 100% correct, and it is enforced by the Health Officers here in NJ, not the Elec AHJ's.

AS to the assertion that this is "temporary wiring", I would have to debate that. Are these stands "knock downs", or are the stands a structure that is rented by transient (or permanent) vendors??

Looking at the picture, I don't think the "temporary" argument will hold any water with me. That stand looks like it's been there for a long time.

John

John:

The stands are put up early on Friday afternoon and taken down last on Saturday afternoon, 52 week a year!!

Some serious problems there and the hazards are many and most of the cords were replace with 3 wire cords, some of which are run on the pavement of cobblestones.

I will look for a few other areas and send them for posting.

PS: The vendor threw a potato at me when he saw me taking the picture, and naturally his face could not be shown for good reasons, every time I pass his stand I take a magic picture again, the wires some think ar rope-x are extension cords.

Joe

Joe, does he throw a tuber at you every time you take a picture? If I were you, I'd pick them up....by the end of the month, you'll have enough for a good stew!!!

Anyway,

Back to topic:

There's a small vegetable/fruits and dry goods store on the corner where I go to catch the train (where I frequently do some grocery shopping).

Said establishment operates 24 hours so under the awning that extends over the sidwalk, the owner has hung some zip-cord extensions and connected some plug adapters that allow you to screw in a lightbulb into a two-pin receptacle.

Each extension cord has two of these things hanging from it. The flex then loops over the horizontals supporting the tarps, knot and then plug into some wall sockets mounted above the doors to the store.

The bulbs are the high-wattage long-necked ones..(probably 100 watts) and they shine over the produce sitting in the bins in the tarp-enclosed awning.

So as you walk in at night, you're greeted with six lightbulbs dangling in front of you....

I've been living in this neighborhood (Washington Heights, NYC) for over seven years...

Been like that as far as I've known it.

These sort of markets seem to be full of shoddy electrical wiring, no matter where they are in the world.

There's a semi-permanent and semi-open-air market in Norwich, England. This is the biggest city in the region and the market is right in the center of the downtown area (opposite City Hall, in fact).

Some of the lash-up wiring has to be seen to be believed: Extension cords draped all over the place, duct-taped to the ground, exposed "chocolate block" connectors hanging loose from beams, and so on.

I would apply the NEC, but...

You do have to THINK at an application such as this. For example, consider both the temporary and "suitable for application" principles.

The portable nature of the booths, as well as public traffic, might be the basis for requiring wire supports in excess of the NEC requirements for NMC.
Traffic might justify requiring the use of twist-lock plugs where the hook-up is made.
Inspections should also target over-fusing. GFI's at the panel might also be sensible.

Joe:
Not to keep beating a dead horse, but:

"The stands are put up early on Friday afternoon and taken down last on Saturday afternoon, 52 week a year!!"

Are you saying the structure is physically taken down, or that the products and tables are removed???

From your pics, the stand looks like a very substantial structure to be dis-assembled.

IMHO, I would request that a safer arrangement for power and lighting be installed. A "transient" market that is in the same location does not qualify for "temporary" wiring status. The vendors may be "temporary" but a "market" that is there 52 weeks a year is permanent.

I have to check with a few AHJ's in the towns that have permanent, year-round flea markets, and get some opinions.

John

John:

Yes they are:
http://www.boston-online.com/cityviews/haymarket.html

[This message has been edited by Joe Tedesco (edited 09-09-2003).]

Joe,


Is there someone there who sells beef? Maybe he can throw a steak at you? Then as John said, you might make yourself a great meal! Seriously though, this temp. wiring can get out of hand. I saw a pine tree with holiday lights on it that was left uo for at least 5 years. The town owns the property and the tree and the lights. I told the town that the temp string of Christmas lights were looking a little bit frail and should be taken down. These were holiday lights and as such, they were suppose to be removed under sec. 350 (Back when I was there) of the NEC. The town still has the same string of lights on the tree, and I haven't worked for this town, since before 1998.

Why does almost everyone believe "any goes" for Temporary Installations"?

Please read 527.2(A) s-l-o-w-l-y.

Gwz

Joe:
OK, I guess they "take down". Based on that, a safe and Code compliant wiring method would have to be employed/designed.

Also, the lighting would need "lamp" protection to pass muster (not muenster) here in NJ. At a minimum, silicone coated, shatter resistant a-lamps, & the duct tape would have to go.

Using duct (or gaffer) tape to secure cabling for a two day use would be acceptable, providing that there was no possibility of physical damage to the cables.
Taping the fixtures together, "temp" or not would not fly!

As to the "extension cords" laying on the ground, protection from physical damage, and the use of the cords has to be addressed. GFI and twistlocks?? A "permanent" power source for the "stands" can be installed, with receptacle outlets at the "stand" locations, or EHD cords with caps layed out & PROTECTED by cable covers also would be acceptable.

Alas, the solutions are "dreams"; the answer would be "we've been doin' it like this for years!"

John

I don't quite understand why they covered the octagonal handiboxes and the fixtures with the duct tape like that.

Was it a lame attempt at water-proofing?

Anyone know how conductive that silver duct tape is? I assume it's got traces of aluminium or something in it....

I know this is not NEC related, but how smart is it to use a 200 watt lightbulb in base-up position? Those things do look like 200 watters (the ones I see usually have long necks although I once saw large 100 watt and 75 watt bulbs like that too).

[This message has been edited by SvenNYC (edited 09-14-2003).]

please start enforcing it.....

Had another thought:
Treat the entire stand as though it were an appliance, and apply criteria similar to UL standards.

Good thing he wasn't selling eggs...

HotLine1:

Mustard?