ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area SO cord proper installation?

Hello all.
Can i have a SO hard usage cord be droped from a 20foot ceiling with double duplex receptacles to be used as permenant power source for commercial washing machine?

Where is SO cord used as freely hanging from a ceiling? Ofcourse with proper cable grips.

Thank you
Edward

I would say no. See 400-8 1999NEC

314.23(H) Pendant Boxes.

An enclosure supported by a pendant shall comply with 314.23(H)(1) or (2).

(1) Flexible Cord. A box shall be supported from a multiconductor cord or cable in an approved manner that protects the conductors against strain, such as a strain-relief connector threaded into a box with a hub.

here is what am planning to do:
A 10-3 SO cord suspended from 20 foot ceiling and be used as a permenat installation.(with proper cord grips and strain relief connectors)

Am I in violation of NEC. I know i can not have the cord attached to the surface of the building.BUt i am suspending it from the ceiling.
Another option i have is to run unistrut from ground up and have a counduit straped to the unistrut.

Thank You
Edward

It took advance negotiation with the AHJ, but I have used Appleton STB***SR- or STN***SR-series “basket-grip” liquidtight flexible-metal conduit connectors for (temporary/one-year) vertical-only spans where the bottom ends were non-anchored floor-elevation equipment.

Page 7-8 www.appletonelec.com/pdf/ST-2thru13.pdf [Hubbell and T&B also make ‘em.]

Here’s one consideration for article-400 wiring—in the case of flexible cord for “drop” duty, it is well worth avoiding the pervasive “commodity-grade” type-S** neoprene- or vinyl-jacketed cord. A lot of that stuff has embarrassingly {and litigiously} poor durability—used inside or out.




[This message has been edited by Bjarney (edited 06-22-2004).]

Edward:
Flexible cord code compliant uses, and NON-compliant uses are stated in NEC 400.7 (Uses Permitted) and 400.8 (Uses Not Permitted).

Basically, there is not a whole lot that 'cord' can be used for any more. I, and many others have used 'cord' drops as you mentioned, but around '99 the AHJ's started basically what we call "no mo' cord"

And BJ, no we (I) used the 'good stuff', not the economy throw away butched extension cords.

John

400.7(A)(1) specifically permits 'pendants'.

There is no definition of 'pendant' in article 100, but 210.50(A) states 'A cord connector that is supplied by a permanently connected cord pendant shall be considered a receptacle outlet'

IMHO a 'pendant' receptacle is recognized and permitted by code.

-Jon