# Faulty dock wiring



## ICE (Jul 6, 2012)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/missouri-tennessee-lake-electrocutions-kill-children/story?id=16714407


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## Builder Bob (Jul 6, 2012)

It doesn't surprise me comparing the requirements for commercial building wiring to what is allowed for docks ---- Not a big fan of hard service cord submerged in water and suceptible to damage from driftwood, currents, boat wakes, etc.

Nothing in the NEC regulates replacement of these cords ---- several have barnacles growing on them down here in coastal SC - it was a BIG shock to  me to see hard service cords submerged in water when a big topic of concern in commercial applications is the fire system sprinkler heads in electrical rooms.


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## Builder Bob (Jul 6, 2012)

Addendum to reponse

*This does not qualify as a wet location. This application is submerged which does not covered by the NEC. IMO the Code and the NEMA industry standards cover this area inadequately although NEMA enclosure classifications go into more detail. NEC seem to relied on outsdie agencies to develop engineering criterias, yet it is not formalized, eg. NEC start using a word and UL or NEMA steps up to the plate and develop the engineering criteria what conditions are damp, wet, immersed and submerged. That wasy it would be easy to go to one document and answer your question with asking you to specify the length of submersion, the depth of submersion and the chemical characteristics of the liquid in question(acidity, alkaline etc.). Then the answer would be unambigous. Hopefuly.*

Copied from an electrical forum about wiring methods for piers,etc.


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## Builder Bob (Jul 6, 2012)

Found it in the 2002 NEC here:

555.13 Wiring Methods and Installation.

(A) Wiring Methods.

(1) General. Wiring methods of Chapter 3 shall be permitted where identified for use in wet locations.

(2) Portable Power Cables. Extra-hard usage portable power cables rated not less than 167Â°F (75Â°C), 600 volts, listed for both wet locations and sunlight resistance, having an outer jacket rated to be resistant to temperature extremes, oil, gasoline, ozone, abrasion, acids, and chemicals shall be permitted as follows:

(1) As permanent wiring on the underside of piers (floating or fixed)

(2) Where flexibility is necessary as on piers composed of floating sections

You can end up with quite a large loop when at high tide since the low tide for a floating dock or pier requires the longest lenght of cord for the boardwalk ( average 6 feet here - yours may vary)


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## Mac (Jul 6, 2012)

If you have a boat, do not go in the water while at the marina or dock!


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## north star (Jul 6, 2012)

*+ + +*

FWIW, from *Article 682.10 - Electrical equipment and transformers*

*[ `11 NEC ]:*

Electrical equipment and transformers, including their enclosures,

shall be specifically approved for the intended location......No

portion of an enclosure for electrical equipment not identified for

operation while submerged shall be located below the electrical

datum plane.

** * * Thanks to the folks on the Mike Holt Forum for this recent

topic discussion.

*+ + +*


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## Builder Bob (Jul 11, 2012)

Sounds like I have to ensure the termination of submerged conductors (hard cord) would only have to terminate 12" above the surface of the water to meet this requirement..........

A simplistic way to look at it . I am still having a hard time with allowing electrical cords to be submerged in lakes, rivers, and oceans but really have to bond the crap out of a swimming pool.


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