Question on Landscape Lighting....

[jango]

With regards to exterior Low Voltage (12v) landscape lighting where outdoor direct burial transformers are used and are fed directly from indoor switching, is the primary (120v) side of the system "required" to be GFCI protected per the NEC? Any assistance on referencing the code book regarding this topic would be appreciated.

 

[LarryFine]

With regards to exterior Low Voltage (12v) landscape lighting where outdoor direct burial transformers are used and are fed directly from indoor switching, is the primary (120v) side of the system "required" to be GFCI protected per the NEC?

If it's plugged into an exterior receptacle, yes.

 

[jango]

If it's plugged into an exterior receptacle, yes.

So am I to understand that if the transformers are "hardwired" directly from the switching source, then they do NOT need to be GFCI protected?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

No it does not if they are direct wire, however if this is residential and your wire is uf and only 12 inches deep then yes you would need GFCI protection.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

So am I to understand that if the transformers are "hardwired" directly from the switching source, then they do NOT need to be GFCI protected?

Every underground transformer I did for LV lights were direct wire.

 

[augie47]

Jango or Dennis, in my "sheltered" life I have not seen a system where the transformer is buried. Can you provide me a manufacturer so I can study ?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Jango or Dennis, in my "sheltered" life I have not seen a system where the transformer is buried. Can you provide me a manufacturer so I can study ?

Just do a search. Here is one

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Seagull, Hinkley, and many other manufacturers make them.

 

[augie47]

thanks, my section of rural TN doesn't see much landscape lighting....
(unless the headlights on the required "vehicle on blocks" counts)

 

[WinZip]

We do quite a few in ground LV transformers an we have them GFCI protected , cost just a little more to do it right and to be safe.

 

[Bjenks]

The GFCI won't do any good on the secondary only on the primary side. The transformer will have a UL listing associated with it. Based on the listing the manufacture will tell you if it needs to be GFCI protected or not. I normally don't specify GFCI for hardwired outdoor transformers.

 

[WinZip]

Safety is the main issue here , I would have it GFCI protected because you never know who might work on it an get themselves hurt , just my two cents worth.

 

[Bjenks]

Safety is the main issue here , I would have it GFCI protected because you never know who might work on it an get themselves hurt , just my two cents worth.

Hopefully they still put a breaker on it If you put a GFCI on it then the burial depth is 12". Without GFCI then you got to dig down 18". That extra digging has got to be worth the cost of a GFCI.

 

[WinZip]

If UF or in PVC and GFCI protected it only needs to be 12 in deep at residential property but even if it where deeper still put on GFCI receptacle or breaker, I must be missing something here, all I know is why go min code on equipment outdoors when it takes just a little more effort to make it safe.

 

[WinZip]

Off topic but this happen today, I stopped by one of the jobs an one of my guy's was under the house running a circuit ( WITH OUT SPLICE ) and had his walkie talkie an was taking to the lead guy as I arrived , what he found was a broken fitting on a 1 in water line an the whole house near one end was flooded ,so I run to get channel locks an turn off the main water at the street and get the home owner out side to explain what was going on , so she calls her plumber an he shows up later for the repair but also my guy found duck work that had been broken loose by a workman at some time an also about 10x10 foot area of insulation had fallen or had been taken out so I told her about that also,she was so thankful and said guy's like you an your men are a dieing breed because she said there had been others under the crawl over the last month doing odd things an no one ever mention any of what I described above, and some of us old timers are a dieing breed from some of the crap I have seen out here.

Please don't think I'm blowing my own horn because that's not the case

 

[Dennis Alwon]

If UF or in PVC and GFCI protected it only needs to be 12 in deep at residential property but even if it where deeper still put on GFCI receptacle or breaker, I must be missing something here, all I know is why go min code on equipment outdoors when it takes just a little more effort to make it safe.

Gee and all the time I have relying on the NEC to decide safety for me. Boy, I now know better.... In all seriousness WinZip, how much safer is it to have a GFCI protecting a transformer that is direct wired and 24" deep. Heck, with that thinking we should GFCI every circuit everywhere.

 

[WinZip]

Dennis,
someday I think we will see everything Arc Fault and GFCI protected , I just choose to GFI protect a situation like that transformer feed.