atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Cabling Telephones Systems Wiring Structured Cabling: NEC section regarding distance between supports?

Over the years, I've been told by local inspectors that structured cabling must be supported every 4'. I took their word for it and never bothered researching.

Recently, an issue came up with spacing (ceiling beams are 6' o/c) so I decided to actually open the NEC and read about it. I couldn't seem to find anything referencing distance between supports, other than "properly supported".

So...what gives? Is there an actual code section that defines "properly supported" or have the inspectors been misinformed all these years?

:confused: :shrug:

I'm pretty sure the NEC says no more that 4 and a half feet, but no idea what section I found it in. I do know it wasn't section 800 I'm thinking it was in resident electrical.

We always used two supports for every 10' length of pipe. Two feet off one end, then four feet to the next support, then two feet to the end. My copy of the NEC is from 1975 or there about, so I wouldn't bother looking through it.

I'll see if I can find the spot in the code online, or in a more modern version of the code.

Sam

I'm not asking about conduit (nor residential), I'm asking about low-voltage (voice/data/cctv) cabling not in conduit.

I've been told time & time again by (almost) every inspector "Supported every 4'...it's the code"...but I can't seem to find this magic number anywhere in the code.

I know you weren't asking about residential electical, I just stated that is the only place in the NEC that states the distance on a horizontal run. The NEC doesn't specifiy spacing of low voltage wiring. I'm sure BICSI does, but I wouldn't know what it is. I've always gone by 42", but that's from the Bell days.

So is the determination up the the inspector or could this be a "local code" thing (or is the inspector talking out of his arse)?

Can the inspector produce documentation to back up his claim? If he says that it is listed in the NEC, he should be able to tell you where to find it.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Danny_Ocean:
[QB] (ceiling beams are 6' o/c)

Move each ceiling beam back 2 feet, use the proper rings or j's to support and be done with it....

I've got an old copy of the EIA/TIA specs. The 569 spec says something about spacing of supports every 1.5 meters (5 feet).

There's probably more info there, but...

EIA/TIA/BICSI, as Bill said, would not be quoted by an electrical inspector - unless it is a local code requirement.

Sam

At this point it would be much simpler to simply add a new beam midway between the existing, then you could support every 3 feet! :toothy: