Accessible & Can Light

[dwagener]

bad practice,assuming the j-box is for circuits other than the lights how would you ever be able to troubleshoot?Make them label can trim "electrical j-box above" and mount box insite of light hole.

 

[Barjack]

By the exact wording of the question in the poll, I voted YES. 314.29 says boxes are to be accessible.
NEC Definition: Accessible (as applied to wiring methods). Capable of being removed or exposed without damaging the building structure or finish or not permanently closed in by the structure or finish of the building.

The only issue I see is that you don't know that the J-Box is there. With that being said, if you had a properly installed luminaire over its box containing a junction (wiring other than that supplying the fixture), how would it be any different to render the wiring accessible than that of a recessed fixture? You wouldn't necessarily know the junction is above the fixture.

 

[magictolight.com]

bad practice,assuming the j-box is for circuits other than the lights how would you ever be able to troubleshoot?Make them label can trim "electrical j-box above" and mount box insite of light hole.

Maybe, but if the j box has to be supported and your can light is smack dab between two floor joists, that recessed can j box is a whole lot easier to access than a box secured to the joist.

Great idea about labeling the can light trim though; any good ideas on keeping that label discreet?

Besides isn't it job security if your the only guy who could ever troubleshoot that in the future?:grin:

 

[LarryFine]

I had to add a couple of circuits in a commercial building a few years ago. The panels had spare EMT's stubbed up behind the finished wall, but I couldn't find any access to the other ends of the EMT's.

I finally found them in an otherwise-inaccessible space above the bathrooms by lifting the 2x4 fluorescents that were mounted in frames in the drywall ceiling, similarly to those in suspended ceilings.

I was able to do my work from the ladder, but I could have climbed into the space if I had had to. I consider the space accessible, and likewise for J-boxes accessed by removing recessed cans. So, yes.

 

[iwire]

However, the can's own J-box is considered accessible by dropping (or pushing up) the can.

That was George's point.

 

[dwagener]

I had to add a couple of circuits in a commercial building a few years ago. The panels had spare EMT's stubbed up behind the finished wall, but I couldn't find any access to the other ends of the EMT's.

I finally found them in an otherwise-inaccessible space above the bathrooms by lifting the 2x4 fluorescents that were mounted in frames in the drywall ceiling, similarly to those in suspended ceilings.

I was able to do my work from the ladder, but I could have climbed into the space if I had had to. I consider the space accessible, and likewise for J-boxes accessed by removing recessed cans. So, yes.

I see this as a different situation,if an outlet is not working in a house I don't start dropping can lights looking for a j-box.While in commercial you can usually look up in the ceiling and get a pretty good idea where stuff is going.I'm picturing this scenario as can on the first floor of a two story.

 

[bobsherwood]

At the university where I work, more and more the ceilings are sheet rock with these can lights. The ballast (electronic and prone to failure) are mounted on the back side of the fixtures J box. It's so wrong to put these in any sheet rock ceiling. Just to hard to work on.