jar546
CBO
Under the NEC 2008, section 517, do all low voltage systems such as a nurse call, fire alarm, Cat 5/6 wiring, etc need to be installed in conduit in patient care areas?
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The 2011 NEC has clarified the issue of 517.13 in regards to low voltage systems. Here is what the 2011 says;north star said:$ $Yes !.........Refer to Article 517.13(A) & 517.80, `08 NEC.
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Chris517.80 Patient Care Areas. Equivalent insulation and isolationto that required for the electrical distribution systems
in patient care areas shall be provided for communications,
signaling systems, data system circuits, fire alarm systems,
and systems less than 120 volts, nominal.
Class 2 and Class 3 signaling and communications systems
and power-limited fire alarm systems shall not be required
to comply with the grounding requirements of
517.13, to comply with the mechanical protection requirements
of 517.30©(3)(5), or to be enclosed in raceways,
unless otherwise specified by Chapter 7 or 8.
Secondary circuits of transformer-powered communications
or signaling systems shall not be required to be enclosed
in raceways unless otherwise specified by Chapter 7
or 8.
Yes, but please realize that a clarification is not a code change, but clarifying the intent and meaning of the current and previous edition. There was no need to change the code because the intent was there all along.north star said:$ $The OP is referencing the `08 NEC.
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Section 517.80 requires all wiring for communications, signaling systems, data system circuits, fire alarm systems and systems less than 120 volts, nominal, within the patient care area (see the definition of patient care area in 517.2) to have equivalent insulation and isolation to that of the electrical distribution system. However, the requirement for insulation and isolation is not a wiring method requirement, and the wiring method requirements for these systems in patient care areas are the applicable rules of Articles 725, 760, and 800. To further reinforce this point, a new last sentence was added to 517.80 for the 2008 edition which states: “Secondary circuits of transformer-powered communications or signaling systems shall not be required to be enclosed in raceways unless otherwise specified by Chapter 7 or 8.” Additionally, 517.30©(3) specifies the wiring requirements and mechanical protection of emergency system wiring, and 517.30©(3)(5) permits the secondary circuits of Class 2 or Class 3 systems classed as emergency to be installed with or without raceways.
Correct, the wording of 517.80 in the 2008 NEC only requires low voltage system wiring to have equivalent insulation and isolation to that required for the electrical distribution system.jar546 said:Here is the position of the NFPA for this concerning the 2008: