Commercial kitchen Cord drops

[brantmacga]

http://www.a-c-s.com/products/products.htm


We use their Mini OEP box with pin & sleeve cord drops. The OEP box is made to fit in the grid.... Has an overlapping cover with 6x 3/4" KO's for cord drops.

I would recommend the pin & sleeve cords over twist lock. It's not cheap but will hold up better.




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[liquidtite]

I think oep is short for over head power

yea that's what I saw At mcds it looks really clean and the the cords are really heavy duty

wasn't Shure if I could get trough and cords at supply house

figured it was a special order.

 

[brantmacga]

Commercial kitchen Cord drops

You can get the OEP boxes from that link above. It's a very clean setup if doing multiple drops. If we only need one I'll use a 4sq box and 512 caddy bar with threaded rod to the bar joist. They WILL pull the box down if not supported with something other than a caddy bar.

I buy the cords pre-assembled from a company called Powerhouse out in Texas. I've had my local supplier quote the hubbell cords for me, but Powerhouse always has a better price. If I buy locally they don't come assembled either with the cord and grip either.

Also, if your customer is swapping out equipment, like for breakfast/lunch, make sure they understand to use the locking collars. We end up replacing them when not properly secured because the loose connections burn the pins out over a short amount of time.


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[liquidtite]

That's a cleaner instal deff .

thats pretty much what I was trying to mimic with out having the oep.

Next time I will get the cords from the site.

and if I have a lot of drops to do I will use box as well.

thanksss

 

[mtfallsmikey]

Have you considered building a pole with a floor flange on it and fixing it to the structure above to run emt down it and mount receptacle boxes on it?
Those drops you're talking about seem like trouble. From knives and heat and grease and meat slicers everything else, they just seem like trouble. Nothing stops a knife like good old iron!

Or, use a modular furniture power pole.

 

[liquidtite]

In a commercial kitchen ?

 

[brantmacga]

In a commercial kitchen ?

Nah you've got the right idea already with the cords .....

You could even get a nema 1 box and hang it face down in the grid and drill ko's in the cover to fashion your own OEP type box to keep from having multiple boxes. If you go this route, get some short pieces of small chain cut and bolt it from the box to the cover, along with a bonding jumper. That will hold the cover in place for you to make up the connections. You'll also want this in place for servicing the cords in the future.

You don't want a pole sitting in a prep line, and you especially don't want to if it isn't stainless.


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[liquidtite]

Great idea yea I remember when I saw the oep trough at mcds it had the chain attached so u can splice the cords in without cover falling.

great idea and very professional look aswell.

i was thinking a skinny trough would look clean aswell .


glad I no were to get the cords and box now.

hopefully my boss won't be cheap and let me do a nice clean install like how we discussed.

 

[kwired]

Or, use a modular furniture power pole.

In a commercial kitchen ?

May work ok in some places, others not so well, really depends on how they use the space. If equipment is on casters and moved around a lot or if the place gets hosed down - power pole is not the right option at all. Not all places are that harsh. Kitchen in a small school or church that doesn't get that harsh of environment often if ever, the power pole may be just fine.

 

[R.T.P.]

Hey everyone. I just was involved in a commercial Kitchen install. We ran SEOOW cord from a Ceiling mounted J-box with Kellems grips (Chinese Fingers) to Cord caps.

The Electrical/Building inspector failed the install, writing:
"Use of SEOOW cable field cut to provide power to equipment and installed as a substitute as a permanent wiring method (code violation). All flexible cords and cables shall be a listed product from the Manufacturer or the wiring method can be of an approved wiring method for location installed.

· Extension cords shall not be used."

Thoughts?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Hey everyone. I just was involved in a commercial Kitchen install. We ran SEOOW cord from a Ceiling mounted J-box with Kellems grips (Chinese Fingers) to Cord caps.

The Electrical/Building inspector failed the install, writing:
"Use of SEOOW cable field cut to provide power to equipment and installed as a substitute as a permanent wiring method (code violation). All flexible cords and cables shall be a listed product from the Manufacturer or the wiring method can be of an approved wiring method for location installed.

· Extension cords shall not be used."

Thoughts?

I believe 400.7 allows what you installed. I disagree with the inspector

 

[R.T.P.]

I believe 400.7 allows what you installed. I disagree with the inspector

I was under the same impression. Mike Holt actually wrote a good article detailing this here.

http://ecmweb.com/code-basics/flexible-cords-cables-and-fixture-wire

 

[R.T.P.]

I was under the same impression. Mike Holt actually wrote a good article detailing this here.

http://ecmweb.com/code-basics/flexible-cords-cables-and-fixture-wire

Update:
From the Inspectors Boss:

" It appears the Intent of the 2014 NEC section 400.10 is not being met. There should be some strain relief at the female cord caps in the vertical position to limit any strain on the connections within. "

 

[mopowr steve]

Although I see his point, then what do you call that little clamp and 2 screws at the but end of your female connector then?

 

[kwired]

Although I see his point, then what do you call that little clamp and 2 screws at the but end of your female connector then?

If the current "strain relief" is deemed not suitable for the application then a different type of strain relief may be necessary.

I've seen pendant switches for hoists that have a steel strand within the cord to attach to the switch housing and to the hoist body that is supposed to carry the strain imposed on the cord. Probably about as effective of a strain relief you are going to get - but not all that obvious it is present without taking things apart.

 

[R.T.P.]

Although I see his point, then what do you call that little clamp and 2 screws at the but end of your female connector then?

Thank you for stating the obvious! Ugh. :slaphead:

This is going to be my next question to him.
After that I'm going to ask if he needs to just fail "something". I will un mark the panel, Fail that, I will remark it, pass and we can move on. I am beyond frustrated with this.

 

[ptonsparky]

Although I see his point, then what do you call that little clamp and 2 screws at the but end of your female connector then?

They do make mesh grips utilizing those two screws that are significantly better at holding the cap or connector in place.

 

[kwired]

They do make mesh grips utilizing those two screws that are significantly better at holding the cap or connector in place.

Yes, and it is a judgement call by the AHJ if the amount of strain expected on the drop is sufficient enough to require a better strain relief.

OP's inspector possibly wants "better" strain relief, but if so needs to address it as better strain relief as opposed to no strain relief at all.

 

[ghorwood]

What sbaz1024 said: Install a twist lock receptacle in the ceiling box, make up your drops with twist lock plug on one end, suitable connector on the other. Disconnect problem solved. IMHO, Hubbell makes some great devices for this app.