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Monday, July 3, 2017
Question:
Re: CQD answer published Friday, June 23, 2017 -Flexible Cords Above Ceilings
1. Ken Lynes brings up a common question in the 06/29/17 QCD.
His first reference is to a ceiling mounted projector. However the ceiling projector is mounted below the ceiling tile. A receptacle mounted in the face of the ceiling tile solves this. This solution has been completed many times by many of us. Caddy, B-Line, and others have had the necessary hardware for decades to complete such an installation.
The other solution is a retractable projector mount. However these mounts have a receptacle mounted inside the housing. Once again, there is a simple solution that has been available for some time now.
His second reference is to a condensate pump located above the ceiling tile. Several condensate pump manufacturers have pumps listed for flexible wiring method connection. Here is an example, not an endorsement, of a product that is listed for flexible wiring methods:
http://littlegiant.com/products/hvac/condensate-removal-pumps/vcc-20-p-series-low-profile-for-plenum-applications/
I do remember a mechanical contractor (back on a 2004 project), who only had about six or so inches of drop to reach the side wall about 30 feet away with the condensate line. It was a hard lid ceiling that had a five pounds per square foot rating. Typical hat channel sheet rock ceiling in a mall tenant space to obtain a clean ceiling look. With their poor quality installation of the condensate drain line, the condensate drain line itself had a “smile” to it in no time. (Current mechanical codes now require a minimum of 1% rate of fall for the entire length of the condensate line.) They replaced it with a common corded condensate pump. They saw many of these silver flexible thingys above the ceiling (AKA: MC cables). So they cut one and added a receptacle in a four inch square box. They plugged in the new condensate pump. Now all of these silver thingys powered the various lighting circuits. So around 10:00 pm each night they lost their power. They ignored the float switch conductors on the condensate pump. So from around 10:00 pm until around 8:00 am each night the condensate over-flowed the pump reservoir and onto the hard lid ceiling. Within a few weeks the ceiling developed a “smile” of its own. The store, which opened in August 2004, was closed by October 2004 for repairs and remodeling. Never mind the sprinkler head that was broken during the remodeling process. It took General Growth almost two hours to turn the sprinkler water off at around 250 gpm. When I showed up, I had my swimming trunks in my hand It is simply amazing how much water the particle board constructed cash wrap and back wrap can absorb.
This entire comedy of errors started with a lackadaisical attitude about condensate disposal. Condensate pumps with flexible wiring methods are readily available at professional mechanical supply houses across the land. Yes, they do cost a bit more. But the solution has existed for decades. The store really should have had a floor cut and installed a stand pipe in the back wrap wall for a condensate drain above the ceiling. A relatively easy solution in a white box tenant space. Especially considering the mess the store turned into. Remember that building codes really are nice things that help keep us out of court. Matthew Hermanson
2. http://hartell.com/vgn-ext-templating/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=0da0dca5e40d1410VgnVCM1000001836a50aRCRD&vgnextchannel=945ac379610f8410VgnVCM1000001e14b20aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default
FYI Thanks, Alan Chech
3. Hi Charlie, this is something I have come across several times with having a condensation pump above a drop ceiling, the NEC answer is no which is correct, the problem is whoever orders the condensation pump orders the wrong one for that location. They make that pump with no cord on it that must be wired, hence can be wired for the location. Hope this helps.
Butch Gosselin
A
Answer:
Thanks for the many responses regarding direct wired (hard wired) condensate pumps that are available. Hopefully these can be a useful resource for our readers.