Stranded Wire For Fixture Chain

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Sparks.4.All

Member
Location
Oregon
A workmate said today that if you link more than 2 troffers together with MC fixture whips, that it needs to be stranded wire. He said he had seen it in the NEC. I have tried to find it but was unable to. Anyone seen this before?
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
You will not find much if anything that says you must use stranded wire for any particular application, other than for sizes 8 AWG and larger as mentioned in 310.106(C).
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
He might be thinking of this.


410.56 Protection of Conductors and Insulation.


(E) Stranding. Stranded conductors shall be used for wiring on luminaire chains and on other movable or flexible parts.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Not sure if this applies to the OP:

410.56(E) Stranding. Stranded conductors shall be used for wiring
on luminaire chains and on other movable or flexible parts.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
OP says this is a whip made of MC cable to troffers, I wouldn't thing 410.56(E) would apply to that, it is not something that requires flexibility. He could run RMC to these luminaires if he wants as they should not move once they are in the grid.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
OP says this is a whip made of MC cable to troffers, I wouldn't thing 410.56(E) would apply to that, it is not something that requires flexibility. He could run RMC to these luminaires if he wants as they should not move once they are in the grid.


Captain Obvious to the rescue. :D
 

Gregg Harris

Senior Member
Location
Virginia
Occupation
Electrical,HVAC, Technical Trainer
Does "fixture chain" apply to a series of troffers wired together? I would assume, yes.

It applies to these type luminaires and not trouffers supported by chains.


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JES2727

Senior Member
Location
NJ
Actually it seems to apply to any fixture that is supported by chain and that could include chain hung 'troughers' etc.

I agree. I have always interpreted this requirement as applying to any/all fixtures hung from chain, including chandeliers, strip lights, and 'trauphers'.
 

roger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Fl
Occupation
Retired Electrician
Actually it seems to apply to any fixture that is supported by chain and that could include chain hung 'troughers' etc.
I agree and whether that was the intent or not, it is the wording and there is no writen exception.

Roger
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
No, Fixture chain is just what it says it a Chain. You hang surface mounted fixtures with it. think dining room. Troffers can be "chained" together using flex.
+1
The literal wording does not specify wiring of a fixture chain, it specifies wiring which is mounted on the chain itself or otherwise mounted on moving parts.
(E) Stranding. Stranded conductors shall be used for wiring on luminaire chains and on other movable or flexible parts.
Now if chain supported troffers are mounted very close together and were also likely to move independently, then the second part of the and might be considered to apply, with the troffers themselves being the movable parts. :)
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
My point was simply that troughers are not always in a grid ceiling, sometimes they are only supported by chains.


The OPs title seems to indicate chain hung fixtures but his post seems to be about whips so all bets are off. :)
 
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