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What's Wrong Here? Hint: A Five-For-One Special

July 25, 2023
Can you spot the Code violation in this photo?

How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn’t identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Can you identify the specific Code violation(s) in this photo? Note: Submitted comments must include specific references from the 2023 NEC. 

Hint: A five-for-one special!

Tell Them What They've Won…

Using the 2023 NEC, correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month's photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win an Arlington Industries 18-in. Slider Bar and plastic box for mounting between studs with non-standard spacing. E-mail your response, including your name and mailing address, to [email protected], and Russ will select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Note that submissions without an address will not be eligible to win.

June Winners

Unfortunately, we had no winners this month. Perhaps our readers were out enjoying their summer vacations.

It seems as though the electrical metallic tubing (EMT) was installed as the original installation here, then at some later point, the orange communication raceway was installed and secured to the original EMT. Later, several CATV cables and Class 2 and Class 3 cables were also secured to the original EMT. That poor EMT is now supporting a raceway and several cables! Section 358.12(2) prohibits using EMT to support luminaires or other equipment except for conduit bodies. Section 300.11(C) permits raceways to be used as a means of support for other raceways or cables only where raceways are identified as a means of support or where the raceway contains power conductors for electrically controlled equipment and is used to support Class 2 or Class 3 cables used for the equipment control circuits. Section 722.24(B) prohibits these cables from being secured by any means to the exterior of any raceway as a means of support.

About the Author

Russ LeBlanc | Owner

Russ started in the electrical trade as an apprentice in 1985. He worked his way up to become a Journeyman Electrician and then eventually became a Master Electrician and Licensed Construction Supervisor. In 1999 Russ become an Electrical Instructor for The Peterson School of Engineering in Massachusetts where he developed his passion for teaching, and quickly became Department Head of Electrical Instruction. Russ has taught thousands of apprentices, electricians, engineers, inspectors, and other electrical professionals during his career as an instructor. He continues to provide electrical professionals with Electrical Code seminars, Arc-Flash Awareness training seminars and educational material through his LeBlanc Consulting Services in North Reading, MA whose specialty is educating electricians. He has been an active member of the NFPA Electrical Section and has authored hundreds of National Electrical Code proposals and comments which have become Code rules to improve the safety for the electrical industry. Russ is also an IAEI certified Electrical Inspector.

Please visit www.russleblanc.net for more information.

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