Abandoning in Place

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jeremy.zinkofsky

Senior Member
Location
nj
Situation:

There is a string of single bulb T8 flourescent industrial strip lights that are all daisy chained together, the fixtures themselves are not mechanically joined together. The architect has added a wall that will come up right in the middle of one of these fixtures. The contractor wants to just take the bulbs out and leave it there to be walled around. The light fixture will not be disconnected from the circuit. Basically, the contractor doesn't want to spend the extra time (and money) to disconnect & remove the light fixture and re-route the conduit and cable to the next fixture down the line, effectively bypassing the abandoned light fixture.

I have told the contractor NO as this is just a lazy and bad idea that can cause a host of future problems for troubleshooting, fire hazard, etc. Setting that aside, my question turns to the code. Is there anything that specifically prohibits this from happening? I have looked at NEC Articles 410.8 & 410.64. Could you say that Article 410.64 applies to this situation because the lights are daisy chained together? Would the abandoned fixture cease to be classified as a luminaire and then become a raceway because it's only purpose is to act as a sort of housing for cables from one light to another?
 

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iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
There is nothing in the code requiring the removal of light fixtures or the conductors feeding them.

As far as the contractor is it in his contract to remove these lights?
 

dpeter

Member
Location
Indianapolis, In.
Occupation
elevator mechanic / building maintenance
Do connections in the fixture make it junction box? If cover is left accessible then remove/disconnect ballast and I see no real problem with wall.
 

steve66

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
Engineer
I assume the light has a wiring compartment with a removable cover. It has connections inside the compartment, and maybe a ballast that is still connected. I believe the wiring and compartment need to remain accessible.

If you can disconnect that fixture, and wire around it (maybe with flex conduit) then I would say its not a issue.
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
...amazing what some will do to save a couple bucks, build a finished wall over row fixtures :dunce:

BTW, is that a fire rated wall?
 
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jeremy.zinkofsky

Senior Member
Location
nj
Not sure if it is a fire rated wall, don't think it specifically details this situation in the contract. It's kind of a grey area there. Not sure that the internal wiring will be accessible once the wall is finished, it might still be.

My original curiousity, however, was in regards to the fixture in this situation. Can you call it a raceway or junction box and classify it as such. Or no matter what, it will always be considered a luminaire because it is a light fixture. Basically, is NEC Article 410.64 up for further interpretation here?
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
...as a side note, art 376.10(4) allows for unbroken lengths of metal wireways to pass thru walls (if unbroken)
 

gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Not sure if it is a fire rated wall, don't think it specifically details this situation in the contract. It's kind of a grey area there. Not sure that the internal wiring will be accessible once the wall is finished, it might still be.

My original curiousity, however, was in regards to the fixture in this situation. Can you call it a raceway or junction box and classify it as such. Or no matter what, it will always be considered a luminaire because it is a light fixture. Basically, is NEC Article 410.64 up for further interpretation here?

If you call it a raceway and you've put a splice inside the raceway, doesn't the splice have to remain accessible?
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
Even if it were a rated wall, couldnt you remove the fixture, run a stick of EMT from one fixture to the other, build the wall, and fire brick around the EMT? or build the wall, drill it, then run the EMT thru that?
 

jusme123

Senior Member
Location
NY
Occupation
JW
Even if it were a rated wall, couldnt you remove the fixture, run a stick of EMT from one fixture to the other, build the wall, and fire brick around the EMT? or build the wall, drill it, then run the EMT thru that?

...that is how a paid professional would do it. :happyyes:
 
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