Readily Accessible Lighting Contactor

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keldenboren

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Are lighting contactors (controlled by a time clock/photocell combination) required to "readily accessible"? Is a lighting contactor considered a "controller" or a "switch"? Is there an NEC reference for lighting contactors?
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Per NEC Art. 100 definitions:

Controller. A device or group of devices that serves to govern, in some predetermined manner, the electric power delivered to the apparatus to which it is connected.

Switch, General-Use. A switch intended for use in general distribution and branch circuits. It is rated in amperes, and it is capable of interrupting its rated current at its rated voltage.
Switch, General-Use Snap. A form of general-use switch constructed so that it can be installed in device boxes or on box covers, or otherwise used in conjunction with wiring systems recognized by this Code.

Being equipment, yes, they must be accessible.

Accessible, Readily (Readily Accessible). Capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspections without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable ladders, and so forth.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
one of the sections that applies to a lighting contactor is auxilliary equipment 410.54


Huh??
HoltBlueDot.jpg


410.54 Pendant Conductors for Incandescent Filament Lamps.
(A) Support. Pendant lampholders with permanently attached leads, where used for other than festoon wiring, shall be hung from separate stranded rubber-covered conductors that are soldered directly to the circuit conductors but supported independently thereof.
(B) Size. Unless part of listed decorative lighting assemblies, pendant conductors shall not be smaller than 14 AWG for mogul-base or medium-base screw shell lampholders or smaller than 18 AWG for intermediate or candelabra-base lampholders.
(C) Twisted or Cabled. Pendant conductors longer than 900 mm (3 ft) shall be twisted together where not cabled in a listed assembly.
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
Nakulak may be refering to the '05 NEC.

Would a lighting contactor be considered 'auxiliary equipment'? "Lighting contactor" is a loose generalization. Maybe the contactors don't even control lighting.

X. Lamps and Auxiliary Equipment
410.54 Electric-Discharge Lamp Auxiliary Equipment.
(A) Enclosures. Auxiliary equipment for electric-discharge lamps shall be enclosed in noncombustible cases and treated
as sources of heat.
(B) Switching. Where supplied by the ungrounded conductors of a circuit, the switching device of auxiliary equipment
shall simultaneously disconnect all conductors.
 
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