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Data/comm cables and the
2014 National Electrical Code
1. Optical fiber cables, Types OFNP,
OFCP, OFNR, OFCR, OFN and OFC
Recently made available from the NFPA, the
2. Communications cables, Types
2014 NEC includes several changes of interest to
CMP, CMR, CMG and CM
3. Coaxial cable TV cables, Types
professionals in the data/comm cabling field.
CATVP, CATVR and CATV
4. Class 2 cables, Types CL2P, CL2R
BY STANLEY KAUFMAN, PHD, CABLESAFE INC.
and CL2
5. Class 3 cables, Types CL3P, CL3R
The National Electrical Code (NEC)
development of the 2014 NEC. These
is published by the National Fire
articles provide a great deal of infor-
Protection Association (NFPA; www.
mation on the National Electrical
nfpa.org) with revisions on a three-
Code development process.
by the NFPA in August 2013. (NFPA
70, NFPA, National Fire Protection
Association, National Electrical
Code, and NEC are registered trademarks of the National Fire Protection
6. Power-limited fire alarm cables,
Types FPLP, FPLR and FPL
The applications of data/comm
year schedule. The 2014 NEC, which
replaces the 2011 NEC, was released
and CL3
cables and their association equipment
Data/comm cables
Although widely used in the industry, the
term data/comm cable does not appear
in the NEC. The term data/comm cable,
as used in this article, encompasses six
families of cable types in the NEC.
are in 11 articles that are the responsibility of three code-making panels.
This article organizes the Code
changes into two categories: 1)
entirely new topics/issues, 2) continued development.
Association.)
This article, written on behalf
Article
Article
Title
Responsible
Panel
Wiring Methods
3
of the Communications Cable and
300
Connectivity Association (CCCA;
645
Information Technology Equipment
12
www.cccassoc.org), is intended to
646
Modular Data Centers (new article)
12
725
Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3 Remote-Control,
Signaling and Power-Limited Circuits
3
of interest to manufacturers, install-
728
Fire Resistive Cable Systems (new article)
3
ers, distributors and users of data/
760
Fire Alarm Systems
3
comm cables.
770
Optical Fiber Calbes and Raceways
16
This article is not intended to be a
800
Communications Circuits
16
primer on the NEC. In 2011 and 2012,
820
Community Antenna Television and Radio
Distribution Systems
16
830
Network-Powered Broadband
Communications Systems
16
840
Premises-Powered Broadband
Communications Systems
16
provide the reader with a guide to the
key changes in the 2014 NEC that are
Cabling Installation & Maintenance
published a series of articles, which
I also authored on behalf of the
CCCA, on the 2011 NEC and the
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SEPTEMBER 2013
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New topics and issues
it is permitted to provide alternate
of Type CL2P, CL3P and FPLP cables
Field-assembled optical fiber cables—
wiring methods to the usual wiring
to “lengths as short as practicable to
Not all optical fiber cables are made in
methods. Article 646 is mandatory. It
perform the required function.”
a factory; some are assembled in the
is not voluntary. It applies to modular
field by first installing a tube and then
data centers.
NEC, riser rated (or plenum) cables
blowing fibers into the tube. Article
770 now recognizes field-assembled
optical fiber cables.
1. The definition of an optical fiber
cable has been broadened to include
field-assembled cables, and
2. Listing requirements have been
established for the components
(jacket and fibers) of field-assembled
optical fiber cables.
Plenum-rated cable ties and cable
accessories—NFPA 90A, Standard for
the Installation of Air-Conditioning
and Ventilation Systems, has requirements for discreet components in a
plenum, including cable ties. These
requirements have been incorporated into the 2014 NEC, which now
requires that nonmetallic cable ties
and other nonmetallic cable accessories used to support and secure
cables in a plenum are listed as having low smoke- and heat-release
properties.
Modular data centers—Article
646, Modular Data Centers, makes
its debut in the 2014 NEC. Modular
data centers, which are commonly
built up of modules housed in shipping containers, are becoming a common way to construct a data center.
Article 645, Information Technology
Equipment, is a voluntary article, i.e.
Riser installations—In the 2008
were required in vertical runs of
Continuing topics and issues
Prohibition on cables in ducts carrying flammable materials—Section
300.22(A) prohibits the installation
of any electrical wiring system in
ducts used to transport dust, loose
stock or flammable vapors. This
requirement only applies to Chapter
8 (Communications), where it is specifically referenced in Chapter 8; see
90.3 Code Arrangement. The 2011
NEC added a reference to 300.22(A)
in 800.3 “Other Articles.” The 2014
NEC extended this requirement to
CATV (Article 820) and networkpowered broadband cables (Article
830), and also to conductive optical
fiber cables (Articles 770 and 840).
Wiring in air ducts—The 2011 and
2014 NEC restrict the lengths of plenum-grade optical fiber and communications cables in air ducts (fabricated ducts used for environmental
air) to a maximum of 4 feet of cable
directly associated with the air distribution system. The 2011 NEC
retained the long-standing permission [725.154(A) and 760.154(A)] to
install unlimited lengths of Class
2, Class 3 and power-limited fire
alarm plenum cables in air ducts.
The 2014 NEC restricts the lengths
more than one floor, but generalpurpose cables were permitted for
cables penetrating only one floor.
Where general-purpose cables were
used, they had to be in a separate
floor penetration from multi-floor
runs of riser and plenum cables. The
2011 NEC simplified this complex
situation by requiring riser (or plenum) optical fiber and communications cables even if penetrating only
one floor. The 2014 NEC continued
this simplification by extending it to
Class 2, Class 3 and power-limited
fire alarm installations.
Communications raceways—The
2008 edition of the NEC contained
listing requirements and applications
for signaling raceways (Article 725),
optical fiber raceways (Article 770),
communications raceways (Article
800) and CATV raceways (Article
820). Each of these families of raceways had general-purpose, riser and
plenum grades. The 2011 NEC began
the process of consolidating these
redundant raceway types by eliminating CATV raceways and replacing them with communications raceways. The 2011 NEC also permitted
communications raceways to substitute for optical fiber raceways so that
an installer only had to carry two
8
New Topics/Issues
Applicable Code References
Field Assembled Optical Fiber Cables
770.2, 770.179
Plenum Rated Cable Ties
and Cable Accessories
300.22(C)(1), 770.24, 800.24,
820.24, 830.24
Modular Data Centers
Article 646
SEPTEMBER 2013
Cabling Installation & Maintenance
types—signaling and communications raceways.
The process of consolidation is
complete in the 2014 NEC. Signaling
and optical fiber raceways have
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been replaced by communications
Continuing Topics/Issues
Applicable Code References
Prohibition of Calbes in Ducts
Carrying Flammable Materials
770.3(B), 820.3(B), 830.3(B), 840.3(B)
Class 2 and Class 3 cables (Article
Wiring in Air Ducts
725.135(B), 760.135(B)
725), power-limited fire alarm cables
Riser Installations
725.135(D), 760.135(D)
Communications Raceways
725.135, 760.135, 770.113, 800.113, 820.113,
830.113
Cable Routing Assemblies
725.135, 760.135, 770.113, 800.113, 820.113,
830.113
raceways. Communications raceways are now permitted for use with
(Article 760), communications cables
(Article 800), CATV cables (Article
820) and low-powered network-powered broadband communications
cables (Article 830).
The definition of a communications raceway has been
725.2, 725.3(I), 725.154(F), 725.179(F) and (G),
Circuit Integrity Cables and Electrical Article 728, 760.2, 760.3(I), 760.24(B), 760.53(B),
Circuit Protective Systems
760.154, 760.154(F) and (G), 760.176(G), 760.179(G),
770.2, 770.179(E), 800.2, 800.179(G)
revised to reflect its wider applications. It is now defined as fol-
fiber and communications cables in
Circuit integrity cables—Circuit
lows. Communications Raceway:
Articles 770, 800, 820 and 830 in the
integrity data/comm cables are rec-
An enclosed channel of nonmetal-
2011 NEC.
ognized in the 2011 NEC. Article
lic materials designed expressly for
The 2014 NEC has extended the
725 defines a circuit integrity (CI)
holding wires and cables, typically
applications of cable routing assem-
cable as “Cable(s) used for remote-
communications wires and cables,
blies to Class 2, Class 3 (Article 725)
control, signaling, or power-limited
optical fiber and data (Class 2 and
and power-limited fire alarm cables
systems that supply critical circuits
Class 3), in plenum, riser, and gen-
(Article 760). The 2014 NEC also
to ensure survivability for contin-
eral-purpose applications.
established listing requirements for
ued circuit operation for a specified
plenum cable routing assemblies but
time under fire conditions.” There
routing assemblies are widely used
restricted their use to riser and gen-
are similar definitions in Article 760
in data centers as a support/man-
eral-purpose applications.
for a Fire Alarm Circuit Integrity
Cable routing assemblies—Cable
agement system for cables. They
The definition of a cable routing
(CI) Cable and in Article 800 for
were designed for use with optical
assembly has been revised to reflect
Communications Circuit Integrity
fiber cables, but they are also used
its wider applications. Cable Routing
(CI) Cable.
for data (Class 2) and communica-
Assembly: A single channel or con-
There are two types of circuit
tions cables. The fire tests for list-
nected multiple channels, as well as
integrity cables—those that are not
ing general-purpose, riser and ple-
associated fittings, forming a struc-
intended to be installed in raceway
num cable routing assemblies are
tural system that is used to support
(or conduit) and those that use race-
identical to the fire tests for list-
and route communications wires
way as part of the design for achiev-
ing general-purpose, riser and com-
and cables, optical fiber cables,
ing survivability. Circuit integrity
munications raceways. UL 2024,
data cables associated with informa-
cables that use raceway for achiev-
Standard for Signaling, Optical Fiber
tion technology and communications
ing survivability are considered to be
and Communications Raceways and
equipment, Class 2 and Class
part of a “listed electrical circuit pro-
Cable Routing Assemblies, covers
3 cables, and power-limited fire
tective system.”
the listing of cable routing assem-
alarm cables.
blies as well as signaling, optical
The key difference between a
The 2014 NEC has a new Article,
Article 728, Fire Resistive Cable
fiber and communications raceways.
raceway and a cable routing assem-
Systems, covering circuit integrity
Applications of general-purpose
bly is that raceways are enclosed.
and electrical circuit protective
and riser cable routing assemblies
Cable routing assemblies may or may
systems. In addition, the provisions
were introduced for use with optical
not be enclosed.
of Articles 770 and 800 covering
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SEPTEMBER 2013
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circuit integrity cables have been
Panels 12 and 16. He is also a mem-
of any member or any other party, nor
expanded to include electrical circuit
ber of the NFPA Technical Committee
may it be taken as such. CCCA makes
protective systems.
on Electronic Computer Systems, which
no warranty regarding the accuracy of
is responsible for NFPA 75, Standard
the information provided in this article,
provide a timely overview of the
for Fire Protection of Information
and expressly disclaims any implied
changes in the 2014 NEC that apply
Technology Equipment; Kaufman also
warranties and any liability for use of this
to data/comm cables and related
is a member of the NFPA Technical
paper or reliance on views expressed in
raceways and cable routing assem-
Committee on Telecommunications,
it. CCCA does not endorse, approve or
blies. Additional articles are planned.
which is responsible for NFPA 76,
certify any information set forth in this
Standard for the Fire Protection of
article, nor does it guarantee the accu-
Telecommunications Facilities.
racy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness
The purpose of this article is to
The 2014 National Electrical
Code is available for purchase
from the National Fire Protection
Association—www.nfpa.org. ::
or correct sequencing of such informaThis article, contributed by the
tion. Use of this article and the views
Communications Cable and Connectivity
expressed in it is voluntary, and reliance
Stanley Kaufman, Ph.D. is principal of
Association (CCCA), is offered for gen-
on it should only be undertaken after
CableSafe Inc. and a consultant to the
eral information and educational pur-
an independent review of its accuracy,
Communications Cable and Connectivity
poses. It is not offered, intended, nor
completeness, efficacy and timeliness,
Association (www.cccassoc.org). He
should it be relied upon as legal advice.
and based on the individual facts and
is a member of NEC Code-Making
The article does not set forth the views
circumstances of a user.
10
SEPTEMBER 2013
Cabling Installation & Maintenance
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