Is exterior lighting without a ground-wire permissible?

[stuartdmc]

I my town Laguna beach, CA, we have a lot of exterior Christmas tree and twinkle lighting that only has two wires, one hot and one neutral, the city inspector is making all retail and restaurants remove all light fixtures that don't have a ground. I need your help, I am looking for an exception in the code that I can present in our behave.
Thank you.

 

[ptonsparky]

Good luck. You are looking at two different items. The fixture is permanently installed and no doubt comes with requirements for grounding. Your plug in twinkle lights are UL listed as they are. No EG required. The recept they are plugged into may be required to GFCI protected.

You are comparing apples to soybeans.

 

[Buck Parrish]

I my town Laguna beach, CA, we have a lot of exterior Christmas tree and twinkle lighting that only has two wires, one hot and one neutral, the city inspector is making all retail and restaurants remove all light fixtures that don't have a ground. I need your help, I am looking for an exception in the code that I can present in our behave.
Thank you.

Chances are thier is nothing in the wiring to attach a grounding conductor to. Every thing is plastic except the bulb and small hot and neutral contactors.

 

[jeremysterling]

Chances are thier is nothing in the wiring to attach a grounding conductor to. Every thing is plastic except the bulb and small hot and neutral contactors.

I agree.

I hope he doesn't apply this thinking to the interior fixtures. They will require removal under this draconian policy. Don't forget the exit signs. Maybe the inspector will rethink this one.

 

[kwired]

I my town Laguna beach, CA, we have a lot of exterior Christmas tree and twinkle lighting that only has two wires, one hot and one neutral, the city inspector is making all retail and restaurants remove all light fixtures that don't have a ground. I need your help, I am looking for an exception in the code that I can present in our behave.
Thank you.

No exception needed. Have him read the first sentence in the section on equipment grounding:

250.110 Equipment Fastened in Place or Connected by Permanent Wiring Methods (Fixed).
Exposed non?current-carrying metal parts of fixed equipment likely to become energized shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor under any of the following conditions:

If there is no exposed non-current-carrying metal parts there is nothing there that is required to be grounded.

 

[dbuckley]

The twinklers (presumably UL listed) are an appliance, so generally out of scope of the NEC.

What is the inspector citing as requiring compliance with?

 

[stuartdmc]

The twinklers (presumably UL listed) are an appliance, so generally out of scope of the NEC.

What is the inspector citing as requiring compliance with?

In Laguna beach there have been Several Large fires in the past, along with the fire department there trying to prevent this from happening again. Also he hasn't cited us with any code valuation, but it was mentioned that those trays of lighting are meant for Temporary lighting and not a permanent lighting souse.

 

[dbuckley]

In temporary terms he may be onto something; the NEC allows Chrismassy lights (and the relief it gives for doing a "quality" install) for a maximum of 90 days, you cant leave 'em up year round.