pole lights

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Are the hand holes (wiring compartment).at the bottom of a pole light considered to be a damp or wet location. Can u use standard wire nuts (nec) or ?. Also, I have heard some inspectors req. a ground rod at each pole.
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Jim W in Tampa

Senior Member
Location
Tampa Florida
Standard wire nuts are fine in damp. Would suggest they are turned with hat end up to keep water out.
The rod could be required if the ahj cares to call it a structure. They do help in lightning strikes and usually are in the specs
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
225.22 Raceways on Exterior Surfaces of Buildings or Other Structures.
Raceways on exteriors of buildings or other structures shall be arranged to drain and shall be raintight in wet locations.
410.30(B) Metal or Nonmetallic Poles Supporting Luminaires. Metal or nonmetallic poles shall be permitted to be used to support luminaires and as a raceway to enclose supply conductors, provided the following conditions are met:
(1) A pole shall have a handhole not less than 50 mm ? 100 mm (2 in. ? 4 in.) with a cover suitable for use in wet locations to provide access to the supply terminations within the pole or pole base.

It leads me to believe the interior of a luminare pole is a wet location and wet location wiring methods are required. Mike Holt did not agree with me on this, but he could be wrong.
Use THHW and dry con wire connectors and you'll be fine
 

chris kennedy

Senior Member
Location
Miami Fla.
Occupation
60 yr old tool twisting electrician
Are the hand holes (wiring compartment).at the bottom of a pole light considered to be a damp or wet location.

The hand hole in the pole would be a damp location. If you mean a hand hole you install at grade that would be a wet location. 314.30(C)


1. yes
2. no
3. maybe
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Even if it is a structure if it's served by a single circuit it will not require a ground rod.
 

chris kennedy

Senior Member
Location
Miami Fla.
Occupation
60 yr old tool twisting electrician
It leads me to believe the interior of a luminare pole is a wet location and wet location wiring methods are required.

Good point, I feel I stand corrected.

Location, Wet.

Installations underground or in concrete slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in locations subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations exposed to weather.
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator
Staff member
I forgot to discuss the ground rod. You can install one or 100, they are not required by the NEC. The NEC now calls these auxiliary electrodes.I call them "time and material" electrodes.
But, you must install an Equipment Grounding Conductor with the supply. See 250.4(A)5 and in particular the last sentance.
Also 250.118 and 250.134
 

iMuse97

Senior Member
Location
Chicagoland
Because of the nature of the space (wet or at least damp), and because you never want your splices to be the cause of any problems, we always use the "polaris" splice blocks at light poles.

I personally have never done a light pole that didn't have a ground rod; maybe that's JTWIABD (justthewayitsalwaysbeendone) around here. Never gave it much thought, until a few weeks ago when I ran into another comment on this forum.
 
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