Strange switch location

Never seen this before. Attic light switch is mounted on pull down stairs. Buyer loved it, but just doesn’t seem right to me. I’m thinking trip hazard, possible mechanical damage, etc. Probably should be relocated to wall or in attic at access. What are your thoughts.

switch.jpg

That’s awesome!

Its unorthodox, to have a circuit move back and fourth like that, but from the photo, it appears to be tucked away enough to not trip on, it. I wouldn’t write it up, unless the loop creates a trip hazard at the top.

Stranded or solid wire? I can’t tell from pic

That’s what I’m thinking too. It was a very neat installation…

Exactly.

I don’t think BX is rated for flexible service either. I’ve never seen it used that way.

Solid and in a flex metal conduit.

Solid wire will only last for so many bend cycles.

one day it will get pinched when door is closed and cause some serious problems, i personally would not want it in my home, and would call it out, my own opinon of course !

Used to be in the sign business and until the code change it was used for decades to be flexible like that.
They now use liquid tight.
If you do not believe me check out your neighborhood beer sign that swings back and forth over the doorway.

Issue is your toe hitting the switch in this case.

First, I don’t think it is BX.
I don’t believe that exist anymore.

Look at this.

http://www.southwire.com/images/horizontal-logo/powercableupdatehorizlogo.jpg

How Installable is Your Armored Cable?

What does “flexibility” really mean for corrugated welded armored cables, and how do you know if you’re getting it?
“Flexibility in armored cable is important at installation,” says Mark Dixon, development engineer at Southwire’s Cofer Technology Center. “Flexibility is a measure of the bending the armor can take before it breaks, and the force needed to bend it – but neither UL nor the NEC address the issue.”
Industry requirements focus on post-installation protection

“UL testing focuses on the protection the armor gives after the cable is installed,” Dixon says. “The UL flexibility test simply verifies that the cable will withstand three 180o bends around a mandrel diameter 14 times the armor diameter without rupturing.”
The NEC (National Electrical Code) doesn’t define flexibility either. Section 330.24(B) only specifies that during installation, corrugated armor shouldn’t be bent in a radius less than seven times the diameter of the armor.
“The UL flexibility test doesn’t reflect installation practices in day-to-day wiring projects,” Dixon comments. “And neither UL nor NEC requirements tell whether one cable is more flexible than another in number of cycles to failure or the force needed to bend it.”
Southwire customers asked for more flexible welded armor

“Our customers were asking for a welded armor construction that would make installation easier and more reliable – so we devised testing methods to ensure that we were delivering what was needed,” says Dixon.
One Southwire test is based on the UL flexibility model, but it goes much further. A powered test mechanism bends cable samples around a curved mandrel then straightens them out again. Samples are cycled till they fail to give a performance comparison. A second test directly measures the force needed to bend an armored cable sample.
The result was Southwire’s ARMOR-Xtra™ cable. ARMOR-Xtra’s proprietary corrugation profile delivers industry leading flexibility and installation performance. In comparison testing, ARMOR-Xtra samples averaged more than 60 bending cycles before failing – over 200 percent better than the next best performer.

A pressure switch would work better in this situation.

Ok should have said Greenfield.

OK Mr. Picky.

BX dates me I suppose. :roll:

BX cable, correctly called Type AC is still available.

Yep, even in Hospital Grade. :slight_smile:

Yep just not allowed more than 6 feet around here so much of it is grandfathered.

As mentioned liquid tight has replaced it for outdoor use.

That 6’ rule sounds more for lighting. :slight_smile:

Nope that is code around here .
I think they give you 10 feet for Greenfield so you can run a switch.

So you are telling me that Hospitals can no longer use Hospital Grade AC ?