sundance-communications.com/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Plenum cable above drop ceiling

But I've got one bid from a contractor that says in NYC you've got to use plenum for everything. How do I know who's right?

Your friendly electrical inspector is the one to tell you. I suggest that you get this right because it will be a COSTLY mistake.

-Hal

NYC has to be plenum. You do not want to get this wrong.

I'm back. Unless something has changed recently Plenum is (was) NOT mandatory, unless used in a Plenum ceiling. But by all means, contact the Buildings Department and the Electrical Inspectors and get the right answer.

Sam

We use plenum everywhere, period, just in case.

A follow up:

NYC (which used to have it's own [stricter] electrical code) adopted the NEC in 2001 (NEC 1999) - with amendments. The City is generally 2 years behind the curve and is currently using NEC 2005 with amendments. They are planning on instituting NEC 2008 in 2010, again with amendments.

NOWHERE DO I SEE ANY REQUIREMENT FOR PLENUM TO BE USED EVERYWHERE.

Maybe in 2010, but I don't think so. Chicago, as far as I understand, requires Plenum to be used everywhere, and there are some buildings in NYC that require it, but those are just specific to those buildings. I have also worked in buildings that required all communications cable to be in tubing. I have worked in buildings where, when I ran comm cable in the stairwells it had to be in rigid pipe. But again, these are local building requirements - not NYC requirements

When in doubt, check with the City Inspectors, the Buildings Department AND the local Building Engineer.

Sam

If all the cabling is in conduit that stubs out past the plenum spaces, does one still have to use plenum rated cable? iow, no cable is actually in the air-handling space.

Jack

I would think not, but again - local requirements take precedence. When I worked at the Twin Towers the Port Authority of NY & NJ (the AHJ) required plenum everywhere, regardless of the environmental conditions.

When I worked at JFK airport the PA was again the AHJ and there they did NOT require plenum for cable in Pipe/Armor.

Sam

Thank you, Sam. I see local codes can be more strict than the NEC - can they ever be less?

Jack

When I worked down in East Tennessee way back, the local code said that you could do anything you wanted to, for yourself, in your own home - and the NEC be damned. You could NOT do substandard work in someone else's home or in any business but you were allowed to burn yourself and your family to death.

I don't know if this is still true or if it answers your question, but let me pose one of my own:

Do you expect your government to be logical or to make sense?

Sam