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Posted By: Admin Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/09/05 05:03 PM
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Attached is a picture of an old-style service. What makes this one a little different is the addition of a piece of SO with a cord cap to serve as a receptacle for outdoor use.

My question is...assume a new instalation, with a GFI circuit breaker and proper strain relief: would you allow this sort of receptacle, which has no box? It would appear that the natural tendency to point "down" would make an 'in use" cover unnecessary.

renosteinke
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Posted By: Dave55 Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/09/05 05:10 PM
400.7 and 400.8 rule out the acceptablitiy, but it uses some creative thinking.

Dave
Posted By: renosteinke Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/09/05 10:52 PM
This manner of getting an outdoor 'power point'- especially if the cap also has an additional rubber boot (thanks, Bill), seem to have some good points to it. You can see the advantage of some flexability at this point, for instance. (If nothing else, it would avoid the ground up/down argument! :-) ).

Maybe the code ought to allow this example of "thinking outside the box?"
Posted By: iwire Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/09/05 10:56 PM
I am more concerned with the NEMA 1 (indoor dry location) panel being used outdoors in a wet location than the extensively water proofed (by paint) cord cap.
Posted By: PCBelarge Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/09/05 11:35 PM
How about 312.2(A)?
Cables or Raceways entering above the level of live parts.

I cannot see the use of flexible cable for outdoor locations such as this being very good - Mother Nature usually has her way, and cords are not going to last all that long, relatively speeking.

Pierre
Posted By: Dave55 Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/09/05 11:36 PM
Apparently it's an indoor fusebox, considering a spare fuse is on top of it...Yikes!

Dave
Posted By: renosteinke Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/10/05 12:53 AM
Rest assured...this service will soon be replaced...and, for the eagle-eyed amongst us, moved from above the stairwell into the root celler!

The comments as to the "Nema-1" enclosure got me thinking...I'm not sure I've ever seen an enclosure of this vintage that would meet any sort of "outdoor" spec. I wonder how old the Nema standards are?

One thing about the service here is that the slumlord has spent virtually nothing on it since it was built...so it's almost like a snapshot in time, of how things were once done. (Most of the K&T supplied receps are still two-prong- and that's good news!)
Posted By: iwire Re: Outdoor Receptacle - A Different Way - 04/10/05 11:56 AM
Reno

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The comments as to the "Nema-1" enclosure got me thinking...I'm not sure I've ever seen an enclosure of this vintage that would meet any sort of "outdoor" spec.

I agree there may have been no NEMA 3R standard at that time.

I still would think outdoor units where available or that this one says something about dry location use.

But who knows, it's still working it must be OK. [Linked Image]

Bob
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