ungrounded pendant

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GerryB

Senior Member
I installed a couple of pendant fixtures in a bedroom today for a customer. There was no ground wire in the cord. It was a rubber cord covered with cloth. The fixture bracket had a ground screw. The directions said wrap the fixture ground wire around the green screw and connect to the house ground. It also said if there was no fixture ground wire to wrap the house ground around the screw. These were line voltage fixtures and at the end of the cord it was a metal cage. You also had the metal lamp socket connected to the cage with large metal locknuts. So the only part grounded was the canopy. Is that OK? Both fixtures were the same and there was a UL sticker on them.
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
I installed a couple of pendant fixtures in a bedroom today for a customer. There was no ground wire in the cord. It was a rubber cord covered with cloth. The fixture bracket had a ground screw. The directions said wrap the fixture ground wire around the green screw and connect to the house ground. It also said if there was no fixture ground wire to wrap the house ground around the screw. These were line voltage fixtures and at the end of the cord it was a metal cage. You also had the metal lamp socket connected to the cage with large metal locknuts. So the only part grounded was the canopy. Is that OK? Both fixtures were the same and there was a UL sticker on them.

Were these New In Box (NIB) fixtures? All that I've seen have basically a lamp cord with the ground run outside of it - I have not seen a new pendant light w/o a factory grounding wire.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Were these New In Box (NIB) fixtures? All that I've seen have basically a lamp cord with the ground run outside of it - I have not seen a new pendant light w/o a factory grounding wire.
Same here, sometimes they run a EGC to the smallest most isolated metal component and makes you wonder why - but a larger metal component like OP has being left isolated makes you wonder if the thing is really listed?
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Same here, sometimes they run a EGC to the smallest most isolated metal component and makes you wonder why - but a larger metal component like OP has being left isolated makes you wonder if the thing is really listed?

I've put in a ton recently, and never seen one with the grounding wire inside the cord - once in a while the cords are so poorly marked/ribbed that we've hooked them up on the floor to make sure the spring tangs are hot and not the shells. I have seen one used fixture where the ground wire was cut off at the solder joint - we just tapped it and used some extra stranded ground wire from another fixture. Antique/used luminaires are almost always a pita, missing parts, sockets not working, bent, etc.

Some of the manufacturers I think err on the side of caution and put ground wires on every single separate metal piece. Which is ok with me, just wish they'd strip more than an 1/4" of wire from the factory.

I'm presuming GerryB's fixtures were new since they had instructions with them. "It also said if there was no fixture ground wire to wrap the house ground around the screw." well, install to mfg directions and call it a day. maybe the lower half is grounded to the canopy via the chain, or adjustment wire, double insulated, who knows?
 

GerryB

Senior Member
Same here, sometimes they run a EGC to the smallest most isolated metal component and makes you wonder why - but a larger metal component like OP has being left isolated makes you wonder if the thing is really listed?
I just called the company, Nuvo light fixture, Satco is the company. They are supposed to check it out and call me back.
 

GerryB

Senior Member
Satco called back and they are checking with the manufacturer, imported fixture. But it is UL listed, says on the instructions and I saw a sticker. I also just double checked a piece of scrap wire from the fixture (glad I had a piece) to be sure I didn't miss it somehow. As was posted I put it in and called it a day.
 

GerryB

Senior Member
If anyone is interested in an update a Satco rep called me back and said the fixture was ETL rated, (by mistake listed as UL) He said it is harder to get UL listing and first you get this ETL listing.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
If anyone is interested in an update a Satco rep called me back and said the fixture was ETL rated, (by mistake listed as UL) He said it is harder to get UL listing and first you get this ETL listing.
By mistake sounds fishy to me. A false UL claim is more then just an oversight. If they make other UL products, maybe it is more understandable, but still a serious issue.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
If anyone is interested in an update a Satco rep called me back and said the fixture was ETL rated, (by mistake listed as UL) He said it is harder to get UL listing and first you get this ETL listing.
The question then becomes; "what standard was it listed to by ETL".
 

scrypps

Member
Location
United States
If it's double-insulated, then it wouldn't need a egc. How many plug in devices do you have that contain metal parts and don't have a third prong?


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JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
If it's double-insulated, then it wouldn't need a egc. How many plug in devices do you have that contain metal parts and don't have a third prong?


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True, but they arent cord and plug, and tho Im sure one exists, Ive never seen a double insulated pendant light. and I have plenty. My razor has bitten me (electrically) a few times.
 
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