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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 830
S
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Think I made a mistake when ordering my recpts. for a detached garage for a "dwelling". I got regular outlets, and if I'm reading right, they have to be tamper resistant. Is this right? thanks

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Joined: Jul 2004
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G
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Interesting question. I think the AHJ has some wiggle room for an interpretation there.
210.52(G) does require the receptacle in the garage but 406.12 says "In dwelling units" not a building associated with a dwelling.
I still think most would say everything needs to be TR if you don't fit an exception.
If NFPA stays true to form all of the exceptions will go away soon.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Apr 2002
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IMHO, I would say 'no'. However, 99%+ of the ECs have only TR devices. There reasoning is having only TR devices avoids the possibility of installation errors.

They look at the overall dollars and sense of the possibility of having a red tag due to a non-TR device being installed, and the cost of going back.

Although there is no written exception to 406.12, I would not make an issue of this.


John
Joined: May 2005
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John brings up a good point.
I did a hospital a while back and the only receptacles that they stocked were the hospital grade even though they did a lot of work in the offices.
They told me that this actually reduced their costs because none of their electricians even had to make a return trip to the stockroom after realizing that they had picked up the wrong device.
Of course they were also concerned that a commercial grade receptacle might otherwise find its way into a patient room...but that's a whole different concern.


Ghost307
Joined: Jul 2004
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G
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That brings up an interesting point. Is it even legal to install a "hospital grade" marked receptacle on a circuit without the redundant ground?


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jan 2005
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Cat Servant
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1) Detached structures are not part of the dwelling. TR not required, nor is AFCI. Call it a 'loophole,' and you've got it backwards. Not too long ago, those things were the exception, not the norm

2) "Hospital grade" marking has absolutely nothing to do with what sort of wiring method is used. "Hospital Grade" simply means the device has met tighter plug retention and corrosion tests.

You want to unravel a conundrum, ask why you can't replace a "WR" device with a "hospital grade" device, when the hospital grade device meets even tougher corrosion tests than the WR one.

Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 830
S
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Well whether they require it to have them or not, I think I got around it with the exception. It says if they are over 5ft. 6", they don't have to be. The owner wanted them high so he can plug in a shop light, so I put them 66 1/4" smile

Joined: Apr 2002
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Ghost:
The medical center here in town only orders/stocks hospital grade devices for the same reasons. They have been doing that for years.

Reno:
I am under the impression that the plastic in the WR devices is supposed to be 'better', along with the internals.



John
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 613
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Absolutely ok to use hospital grade receptacles wherever TR are not required. They are the highest grade of non explosion proof devices and I'd guess even explosion proof are about the enclosure.
The redundant insulated ground is about verification of voltage rise and bonding testing without adding in all the other parallel paths. It is also about reducing voltage rise between any 2 conductive points in cases of faults to ensure no current is using the patient as a parallel path.
Hospital grade receptacles don't isolate the mounting strap like Isolated ground outlets do.

Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 613
M
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I can't say I have seen a WR outlet? Does it mean Weather Resistant? Not a Canadian Requirement. I would guess that Hospital grade may be more corrosion resistant but are not subjected to the same test procedure as WR in the product standard so maybe the HG are in fact better made but no one has paid to test them to prove it? The testing system is about proving your product meets the standard and not just promising it will like they do in Europe.
Maybe the guts of WR and HG are the same and only missing the green dot?

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