# 2014 NEC "ExtraDuty" wet location while-in-use weatherproof covers



## DougAles (Jan 2, 2015)

I'd like to get your take on this change to the 2014 National Electric Code


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## DougAles (Jan 2, 2015)

See photo


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## DougAles (Jan 2, 2015)

Interpretation of code


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

My take is that we need to get rid of this hideous code for anything but something permanently plugged in. Those cheapies last 1 time. The average home has at least 3 outdoor receptacles and they get used about twice a year.


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## luckylerado (Mar 19, 2010)

This is not really new at all.

in *'99* *410.57(b)(1)* in-use was required "..where the product intended to be plugged into it is not attended..."

in *'02* and *'05* *406.8(B)(1)* in-use was required whether attended or not

in *'08* *406.8(B)(1)* in-use was required as well as a WR rating for non-locking 15 and 20 amp recepts

in *'11* *406.9(B)(1)* extra duty listing was added for "other than one- or two-family dwellings"

in *'14* *406.9(B)(1)* extra duty now applies to one- or two-family dwellings


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## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

The low profile in use ones that arlington makes that have a flexible skirt so they expand or retract are not so ugly that my customers hate them. They do hate anything that sticks out like the ones the 14 code demands.


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

ever hear of anyone dying the ones that were just a flap that lifted up?


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## Voltron (Sep 14, 2012)

papaotis said:


> ever hear of anyone dying the ones that were just a flap that lifted up?


Nope, and there's still plenty of them out there.


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

papaotis said:


> ever hear of anyone dying the ones that were just a flap that lifted up?


Still use them anywhere rain won't strike the receptacle.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

macmikeman said:


> The low profile in use ones that arlington makes that have a flexible skirt so they expand or retract are not so ugly that my customers hate them. They do hate anything that sticks out like the ones the 14 code demands.


That and they last around 3 years before the rubber gets hard and breaks the first time the customer wants to use it.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

How many pounds is it when the HO yanks on the cord? How good is the plastic at -30? How many pounds when you drive away with your block heater still plugged in?


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## DougAles (Jan 2, 2015)

99cents said:


> How many pounds is it when the HO yanks on the cord? How good is the plastic at -30? How many pounds when you drive away with your block heater still plugged in?



All good questions. Darn, you are in Canada. I don't think I can ship to you with my account. 

To sum up, I'm trying to gather feedback about this topic. 

One market for the nonmetallic extra-duty cover is indoors at food processing facilities where wash-downs occur daily and chemicals make cast product corrode rather quick. I've received positive feedback about the deep version of the nonmetallic extra duty while in use cover in this market.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

DougAles said:


> ...
> One market for the nonmetallic extra-duty cover is indoors at food processing facilities where wash-downs occur daily and chemicals make cast product corrode rather quick. I've received positive feedback about the deep version of the nonmetallic extra duty while in use cover in this market.


Actually there is an exception that says you can use the old flip type covers in that application as the "in-use" covers leak too much under wash down conditions.


> Exception: 15 and 20 ampere, 125- though 250-volt receptacles installed in a wet location and subject to routine high-pressure spray washing shall be permitted to have an enclosure that is weatherproof when the attachment plug is removed.


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## ELECTRICK2 (Feb 21, 2015)

DougAles said:


> All good questions. Darn, you are in Canada. I don't think I can ship to you with my account.
> 
> To sum up, I'm trying to gather feedback about this topic.
> 
> One market for the nonmetallic extra-duty cover is indoors at food processing facilities where wash-downs occur daily and chemicals make cast product corrode rather quick. I've received positive feedback about the deep version of the nonmetallic extra duty while in use cover in this market.


These covers make sense in a situation you describe. That being a device more or less permanently plugged in, in a wet environment. My situation involves cars being plugged in over night at sometimes -40. The covers readily available to us (small town) I believe are made by Intermatic. The all plastic ones won't last for obvious reasons. The metal ones look very robust but are held on by a plastic plate. Again, not much good at -40. If you have a product that would be better suited to my situation, let me know. If it's a good product we might have to order from southern Canada. We only have 3 wholesalers in town.


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## FaultCurrent (May 13, 2014)

I have said for years that the so called in-use device covers were so flimsy that every one you see is broken or missing. The code change is in response to this. But I suspect that the new extra-duty covers will be just as useless.


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## DougAles (Jan 2, 2015)

ELECTRICK2 said:


> These covers...


 If you'd like to private message me your address, I'll see if I can ship it to you with the account I have with FedEx. If FedEx will take it, I'll send you 2 pieces to try. Please intentionally be super hard on one of them to see if it holds up. 



FaultCurrent said:


> I have said for years....


Same offer, but since you are in USA, I know I can ship to you. :thumbsup:


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## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

one word sums up the futility of these, 'parks'


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

Most people purposely break them off because they are a pita. Any outlet below 3 ft high they had a hard getting things plugged in. One of those protecting people from them selves laws that is backfiring.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I've a h*ll of a time selling them Doug, folks howl up and down about them on the face of their pristine homes.....(despite our beautiful artisan level installs)

~C:whistling2:S~


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## splatz (May 23, 2015)

I don't like them. With some of the oddball plugs on things, they often don't work at all. 

I think they are a kludge. I think you could make a better outdoor outlet if you thought a little more outside the box. 

For one thing, I'd have the receptacles exit the box to the side or even better from the bottom of the box rather than the front. That way whatever cover or etc you use isn't sticking out so far from the structure. 

Using the cover for strain relief on the cord is not a great idea, the hinges are going to be too weak to hold up to a tug. I'd say building some kind of cable clamp into the faceplate would be a better way to go. There are things clamps like this on some of the equipment used in data centers / NOCs. 

But while I'm dreaming things up, why not just make self contained nuclear powered Christmas lights, and get rid of the outdoor boxes for once and for all ...


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

*mama told me not to come*

We just did a job where the archy spec'd out outdoor receptacles meeting the provisions of 210.52 _inside_.:blink:

I didn't argue with him very long, so we now have a HD cover sticking out 4" around the entire building .:no:

The building is white, the covers grey.....it looks like a porcupine ...

BUT, the best part is, they have them sticking out into the ADA ramp. Come to find out the ADA codes have specifics about that

So the archy & the ada folks had a meltdown 

All those wheelchairs and walkers will be piled up like rush hour, cause the front one will be hung up on MY HD COVER! 

oh the.....










~C:jester:S~


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

chicken steve said:


> We just did a job where the archy spec'd out outdoor receptacles meeting the provisions of 210.52 _inside_.:blink:
> 
> I didn't argue with him very long, so we now have a HD cover sticking out 4" around the entire building .:no:
> 
> ...


Hopefully your CFO will make sure everyone is taken care of. That could be a huge deal for a smaller contractor.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

It's more a human resource managers job , google it yourself brainiac 

~CS~


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## ELECTRICK2 (Feb 21, 2015)

DougAles said:


> If you'd like to private message me your address, I'll see if I can ship it to you with the account I have with FedEx. If FedEx will take it, I'll send you 2 pieces to try. Please intentionally be super hard on one of them to see if it holds up.
> 
> Received your shipment, thanks!:thumbup:
> The extra goodies included were a nice surprise.
> ...


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## Merlinhomeauto (Jan 31, 2014)

We use the arlington in boxes as people don't want them sticking out from their wall. Also still won't hold up to a spoiled kid having a temper tantrum.


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## mbednarik (Oct 10, 2011)

I 2nd the Arlington inbox. Had to replace a couple covers over the years, but never the box it's self


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

I installed 2 of those metal extra duty In Use covers when I put receptacles on my deck. They are mounted facing out on the rim joist, between the rail balusters. The dang in use covers stick out past the rail. My wife has managed to hit both of them with the lawn tractor, breaking both of them! The extra duty covers do not stand up to a women with a mission on a lawn tractor - Trust me !


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## Switched (Dec 23, 2012)

manchestersparky said:


> I installed 2 of those metal extra duty In Use covers when I put receptacles on my deck. They are mounted facing out on the rim joist, between the rail balusters. The dang in use covers stick out past the rail. My wife has managed to hit both of them with the lawn tractor, breaking both of them! The extra duty covers do not stand up to a women with a mission on a lawn tractor - Trust me !


More importantly than the cover question: How did you get your wife to mow the lawn?


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## manchestersparky (Mar 25, 2007)

Switched said:


> More importantly than the cover question: How did you get your wife to mow the lawn?


About 5 years ago we had a crappy MTD lawn Tractor to mow our 2 acres of grass. I was fixing the deck as she stood watching. I was cussing that blasted thing pretty good, She calmly stated " I wouldn't mind mowing the lawn if we had a decent mower and I don't have to put gas in it" 
A week later a brand new Cub Cadet was delivered. 
She has been mowing ever since :thumbsup:

I always make sure it's full of gas, check the oil, and do the maintenance. She just mows. 
This past spring she went and bought a cordless string trimmer and trims as well :thumbup:


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## Rns (Mar 23, 2013)

manchestersparky said:


> About 5 years ago we had a crappy MTD lawn Tractor to mow our 2 acres of grass. I was fixing the deck as she stood watching. I was cussing that blasted thing pretty good, She calmly stated " I wouldn't mind mowing the lawn if we had a decent mower and I don't have to put gas in it"  A week later a brand new Cub Cadet was delivered. She has been mowing ever since :thumbsup: I always make sure it's full of gas, check the oil, and do the maintenance. She just mows. This past spring she went and bought a cordless string trimmer and trims as well :thumbup:


Cub Cadet is MTD


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## LGLS (Nov 10, 2007)

manchestersparky said:


> About 5 years ago we had a crappy MTD lawn Tractor to mow our 2 acres of grass. I was fixing the deck as she stood watching. I was cussing that blasted thing pretty good, She calmly stated " I wouldn't mind mowing the lawn if we had a decent mower and I don't have to put gas in it"
> A week later a brand new Cub Cadet was delivered.
> She has been mowing ever since :thumbsup:
> 
> ...


Which cordless string trimmer??? I was hoping Milwaukee would come out with one!


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