# Line and Low voltage



## makita1 (Mar 27, 2008)

I am inspecting a condo project in CA and they are using a smart house system. They landed both low and line voltage cables in the same plastic(Carlon) boxes. I am pretty sure that this is a code violation but I need some help locating the correct code section.


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

You won't find it. The old no low voltage mixed with line voltage rule is not so cut and dry. 
The reason you can do it has to do with insulation rating, not so much the voltage voltage. Here is the applicable text:

_All conductors shall have an insulation rating equal to at least the maximum circuit voltage applied to any conductor within the enclosure, cable, or raceway.

_Are you an electrical inspector?


----------



## makita1 (Mar 27, 2008)

I am, however I am relatively new. I am doing this resaerch so that I can make informed calls in the field rather than quickly approving or denying something because it looks different.


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

Very good.
Welcome to the site!


----------



## Idaho Abe (Nov 28, 2007)

*Welcome to the forum*

Welcome Makita I am an electrical inspector in Idaho. Glad you are asking questions.


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

I forgot to add. I see from your other post that this is a Smart House system. I have sen that stuff but never used it. I do know it is a bundled cable. I think by it's nature the conductors would need to be similar in rating, regardless of where they land.
You also have to be concerned with separation in the boxes.


----------



## a-bulb (Feb 13, 2008)

With the Lutron lighting control systems for the vario system switches Lutron makes keypad cable that is 600 v rated. You can run the 600v cable in the box or use the regular keypad wire and stub it out just above the box on the outside. you can have the control wires on the switch come out the back or route them out and then back in through a hole they provide on the yolk for this purpose. I see lots of guys running L.V keypad wire in the box with the line and the inspectors never catch it. Good job :thumbsup:


----------



## a-bulb (Feb 13, 2008)

2008 N.E.C 725.48A, 725.48B 1-4 May be the same with 2005, left that code book at the job.


----------



## Pierre Belarge (Feb 3, 2007)

a-bulb said:


> 2008 N.E.C 725.48A, 725.48B 1-4 May be the same with 2005, left that code book at the job.


 


In the 2005 NEC, there is reference close to where Peter quoted from. 300.3(C)

Look past the exception, and there is an FPN. The FPN refers one to 725.55. 725.55 has subsections (A) - (J).


725.55(D) applies to the OP's post.
It is very difficult to comply with the requirements here, but it can be done with care.
If you go to the LUTRON website, they have presented a page that deals with this very scenario. It shows by wording and an illustration how to install their system. Wait to you see how they have put this together.


----------

