What do I do with the green wire?

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hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
We have been replacing emergency lights (battery powered spotlights). They are all plastic with no ground connection, the base mounts to the wall and has a 2 wire plug that the light snaps into. The old ones had a ground screw. One of the guys I am working with is putting the ground wire under one of the screws that is holding them on the cement block wall. I can't see how that is grounding it. I have been snipping it off because it is in the way when you snap the unit on. Who is doing it right?
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
hockeyoligist2 said:
We have been replacing emergency lights (battery powered spotlights). They are all plastic with no ground connection, the base mounts to the wall and has a 2 wire plug that the light snaps into. The old ones had a ground screw. One of the guys I am working with is putting the ground wire under one of the screws that is holding them on the cement block wall. I can't see how that is grounding it. I have been snipping it off because it is in the way when you snap the unit on. Who is doing it right?

Just leave the egc in the jb in case a different one is installed someday. There is no need to ground a unit that does not need a ground. Wiring to the cement block is unnecessary.
 

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
I forgot to add, they don't have a JB. They have 10/3 SO cord from the normal lights (wallpacks) to the emergency lights. About one foot away. The replacements (elcheapo) have very little space for the extra wire.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
hockeyoligist2 said:
I forgot to add, they don't have a JB. They have 10/3 SO cord from the normal lights (wallpacks) to the emergency lights. About one foot away. The replacements (elcheapo) have very little space for the extra wire.

I am assuming this is a legal install. If so I would still leave the green wire. If you clip it short it can't ever be used again without shortening the wire.
 

electricman2

Senior Member
Location
North Carolina
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I know the installations legality was not the subject of the OP, but something doesn't sound right about a foot of 10-3 cord suppling an emergency light. :confused:
 

jerm

Senior Member
Location
Tulsa, Ok
electricman2 said:
I know the installations legality was not the subject of the OP, but something doesn't sound right about a foot of 10-3 cord suppling an emergency light. :confused:

That isn't in the list of approved uses for flexible cord- see 400.7
 

alaskan JW

Member
Location
Anchorage,Ak
iwire said:
Check out 700.12(F), it directly allows up to 3' of cord to supply an EBU.

It allows 3' of cord and plug. so i would think that fixture would have to come with a cord and plug already on it. are they using the cord to hardwire the fixture?
 

iwire

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Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
alaskan JW said:
It allows 3' of cord and plug. so i would think that fixture would have to come with a cord and plug already on it.

I don't see it as requiring a factory installed cord, but I agree it does require a plug on the cord.
 

realolman

Senior Member
hockeyoligist2 said:
I forgot to add, they don't have a JB. They have 10/3 SO cord from the normal lights (wallpacks) to the emergency lights. About one foot away. The replacements (elcheapo) have very little space for the extra wire.
10/3 .... must be some wicked lights:smile:
 

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
realolman said:
10/3 .... must be some wicked lights:smile:


Overkill for sure! The wall-packs are a new installation, contracted. They removed the old conduit that was supplying the emergency lights. They damaged almost every one of the old emergency light's so we are having to replace them. I wanted to run flex or EMT. and smaller wire, but the boss said no, extra time and money.

The engineers (we do not have any electrical engineers) approved everything without checking the emergency lights. So we are stuck with the repair.

Iwire, They didn't use a plug......
 

Krim

Senior Member
hockeyoligist2 said:
Overkill for sure! The wall-packs are a new installation, contracted. They removed the old conduit that was supplying the emergency lights. They damaged almost every one of the old emergency light's so we are having to replace them. I wanted to run flex or EMT. and smaller wire, but the boss said no, extra time and money.

The engineers (we do not have any electrical engineers) approved everything without checking the emergency lights. So we are stuck with the repair.

Iwire, They didn't use a plug......

It seems that there are alot of bosses out there of whom are more concerned with cost and time issues than they are with a persons' safety.
What is the best way to confront your boss/supervisor about safety issues without losing your job ? Perhaps some of you bosses , supervisors' can tell us pions the best ( professional ) way to approach these issues.
Carl :confused:
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
hockeyoligist2 said:
I wanted to run flex or EMT. and smaller wire, but the boss said no, extra time and money.

When you say boss do you mean the owner or a job foreman? If it's the owner or the guy who's name that's on the permit I would do whatever they want. They are responsible for any code violations. If the boss is just a job foreman I would ask the owner how he feels about the use of SO cord.

The reason I say this is that I have worked for some real idiots that some how ended up in a lead positions. They would make mistakes and then try to cover them up as best they could but if the owner ever questions them they are the last people on the planet to take responsibility. You being in SC this may even be one of the idiots I know.
 

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
growler said:
When you say boss do you mean the owner or a job foreman? If it's the owner or the guy who's name that's on the permit I would do whatever they want. They are responsible for any code violations. If the boss is just a job foreman I would ask the owner how he feels about the use of SO cord.

The reason I say this is that I have worked for some real idiots that some how ended up in a lead positions. They would make mistakes and then try to cover them up as best they could but if the owner ever questions them they are the last people on the planet to take responsibility. You being in SC this may even be one of the idiots I know.

I work industrial. No permits, or inspections.
 

e57

Senior Member
There are no metallic parts in/on the light what-so-ever????
Then what is the ground wire attatched to in the fixture? Surely it is meant to be grounded IMO.

Or are you saying that there is absolutely not metallic parts, and what to do with your cords GEC? If thats the case - just leave it swingin' - maybe tape the loose end...
 

jerm

Senior Member
Location
Tulsa, Ok
The ones we've been installing recently (made by daybrite/mcphilben) don't have any place at all to attach a ground, they are all thermoplastic, so we leave it swingin', in case the next guy putting up a replacement fixture needs it. They're 120/277. We get these for about $95 each, the exit part is LED and they're easy to install. The part I really like is the testing feature- when you power these up they'll try to turn on the emergency heads for about 1 second to see if the bulbs are any good. Then a little indicator light flashes if one or both are burned out.
ERX7011_CC.jpg


There's a note on the spec sheet that says "GROUND WIRE NOT REQUIRED"
 
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iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
hockeyoligist2 said:
I work industrial. No permits, or inspections.

Just curious, do you know if the law allows that or if that is 'just how it's done'

Here in MA permits and inspections are required for industrial.

You can get a yearly 'maintenance permit' for general repairs, but new work is subject to a separate permit and inspections.....of course not everyone complies.
 

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
iwire said:
Just curious, do you know if the law allows that or if that is 'just how it's done'

Here in MA permits and inspections are required for industrial.

You can get a yearly 'maintenance permit' for general repairs, but new work is subject to a separate permit and inspections.....of course not everyone complies.

From the county website:

"A permit is required anytime that a new building is constructed, structural changes made within a building or additions to existing structures. Also, permits are required for electrical upgrades, meter changes, etc. Plumbing permits are required for new plumbing fixtures or for relocating plumbing fixtures. Mechanical permits are required for new equipment, change-outs, running a gas line, etc."

I have never saw a permit posted, except for construction temp office trailers. When a house, apartment, restaurant, ETC. is having an upgrade the permits are posted at the road.

I am just a lowly maintenance electrician, so I don't know for sure.
 
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