cripple
Senior Member
- Location
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
On construction can you use cord and plug connected lighting stringers and do branch circuits that supply temporary lighting on construction sites have to be GFIC protected?
Most construction sites use cord and plug connected temporary lighting stringers which are being plugged into a receptacle, and the receptacle may or may not be labeled lighting circuit only. 590.4(D) is very clear about not having any receptacle on branch circuits that supply temporary lighting on construction sites. 590.6(B) requires all other receptacle outlet other and 15, 20 and 30 amp to be GFCI protected or you can use the assured equipment grounding program.
Since the NEC defines a receptacle and outlet as:
1. Receptacle: ?A receptacle is a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug.?
a. The female cord connector (which is a device) on the end of temporary lighting stringer is a contact point, and meets the NEC definition of a receptacle.
2. Outlet: A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
a. The female cord connector is connected to a point in the wiring system.
Would this requirement prohibit the use of cord and plug connected lighting stringers and requires temporary lighting circuits on construction sites to be hard wired? If the construction site lighting is hard wired and has no receptacles then no GFCI required.
Most construction sites use cord and plug connected temporary lighting stringers which are being plugged into a receptacle, and the receptacle may or may not be labeled lighting circuit only. 590.4(D) is very clear about not having any receptacle on branch circuits that supply temporary lighting on construction sites. 590.6(B) requires all other receptacle outlet other and 15, 20 and 30 amp to be GFCI protected or you can use the assured equipment grounding program.
Since the NEC defines a receptacle and outlet as:
1. Receptacle: ?A receptacle is a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug.?
a. The female cord connector (which is a device) on the end of temporary lighting stringer is a contact point, and meets the NEC definition of a receptacle.
2. Outlet: A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
a. The female cord connector is connected to a point in the wiring system.
Would this requirement prohibit the use of cord and plug connected lighting stringers and requires temporary lighting circuits on construction sites to be hard wired? If the construction site lighting is hard wired and has no receptacles then no GFCI required.