410.130(G) ex.5

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joebell

joebell

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I am doing a project where the flourescent fixtures are equiped with the orange disconnecting means. The apprentice told me on the lat job they cut these off and just spliced to the ballast wires. I told him I did not think that was correct until I read the Article and came across Exception 5.

I am reading it to say if you have a room that has more than one lighting circuit that the individual disconnecting means is not required as long as you are not leaving the space in total darkness. Is this correct?
 
That was my thought too Bob. It seems that the execption should not exist. Wasn't the intent of this rule to make changing the ballasts safer?

Joe
 
In many cases, the wall switch can serve as the disconnecting means, since it's usually within sight of the fixture.

The problem is (again) in most cases, there is only a single wall switch in each room, and using that to disconnect power would leave the room without any lighting while servicing the fixtures. Of course, they don't consider rooms with windows, skylights, and the like when making up such rules. ... :roll:

In areas with more than one circuit or multiple wall switches present, it is conceivable that you would only turn off one switch at a time, thus disconnecting power to the fixture(s) you are presently servicing, while leaving at least some available ambient light.

It is my belief that under those circumstances one would not be required to install those orange disconnects, to be in compliance with the Code.

It is also my opinion that removal of the orange disconnecting means under those same circumstances should be discouraged.:mad:

We routinely install the orange units when changing out bad ballasts. Simply good workmanship. :smile:
 
iwire said:
But why in the world would you?
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I can think of one reason - where you have an feed in and out in the light. With the disconnect you have to make a pigtail in that situation. Take it out and you remove the extra step that the disconnect adds when you have more than one cable/feed in the fixture.


Another not so subtle hint to Ideal - start making this connector as a 4-port for 2 L, 2 N connections.
 
peter d said:
where you have an feed in and out in the light. With the disconnect you have to make a pigtail in that situation. Take it out and you remove the extra step that the disconnect adds when you have more than one cable/feed in the fixture.
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Pete you lost me, you either pigtail to the disconnect or you pigtail to the ballast. :confused:
 
iwire said:
Pete you lost me, you either pigtail to the disconnect or you pigtail to the ballast. :confused:
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Yes, but under the "old way" you would just connect the incoming and outgoing wires together, and bring the ballast lead straight to that connection. Now with the disconnect you have to add a short piece to that connection (a pigtail) and go to the disconnect. Another piece of wire to make up = more work.
 
I agree with Peter, I just installed a dozen wrap arounds, and had to pigtail everyone of them (except the last one of course) because the disconnect only accepts one conductor... not a huge deal but still a PITA. vs the connectors that come in other fixtures...
 
Wouldn't it take all of about 7 seconds to stick a wire into the disconnect and then splice as usual? Yes I know that each 7 seconds adds up, but it can't be that bad. I guess that we know know that we shoud save the leads off of old ballasts to use as pigtails to the disconnects.
 
romexking said:
Wouldn't it take all of about 7 seconds to stick a wire into the disconnect and then splice as usual? Yes I know that each 7 seconds adds up, but it can't be that bad. I guess that we know know that we shoud save the leads off of old ballasts to use as pigtails to the disconnects.
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Its useless to use a wago that only accepts one conductor...
 
I've been looking at this hard since we are now starting to see our first jobs covered by the 2005 NEC. The section seems overly complex. All ballasts would just be simpler.

I do not see Exception 5 as changing anything except the location of the disconnecting means. The requirement for the grounded conductor to be switched is still there.

Strange this requirement about switching the grounded conductor, the only other place it occurs is in Fueling Stations. Well at least that I can remember off hand.

So if we are talking wall switches to act as the disconnect, then the switches would have to be two pole.

Am I missing something?
 
peter d said:
Yes, but under the "old way" you would just connect the incoming and outgoing wires together, and bring the ballast lead straight to that connection. Now with the disconnect you have to add a short piece to that connection (a pigtail) and go to the disconnect. Another piece of wire to make up = more work.
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So just connect the ballast wires to the incoming/outgoing wires as usual, then cut the ballast wires and insert the disco. It takes all of about 15 seconds to do each one.

You could even cut the ballast wires and insert the discos as part of the fixture assembly proecss while they're still on the ground. You don't need additional pieces of wire.
 
2008 nec 410.130(G)(2)

2008 nec 410.130(G)(2)

Note: "Must break all the supply conductors to the ballast INCLUDING THE GROUNDED (Neutral) CONDUCTOR" therefore exception #5 does not apply to a single pole light swich controlling ballasted lighting in a room.
 
Chris Hunter said:
Note: "Must break all the supply conductors to the ballast INCLUDING THE GROUNDED (Neutral) CONDUCTOR" therefore exception #5 does not apply to a single pole light swich controlling ballasted lighting in a room.
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This applys to MWBC fed lighting. If you have a large open room supplied by a single circuit and the lighting is controlled by more than one switch in this area then I beleive exception 5 applies.

Joe
 
LarryFine said:
So just connect the ballast wires to the incoming/outgoing wires as usual, then cut the ballast wires and insert the disco. It takes all of about 15 seconds to do each one.

You could even cut the ballast wires and insert the discos as part of the fixture assembly proecss while they're still on the ground. You don't need additional pieces of wire.
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Yeah, what you said....great idea. :) But when they come factory installed you will still need a few short pieces of ballast wire. Some fixtures (Lithonia I think?) come with some short pigtails on the line side of the disconnect, while the Cooper Lighting (Metalux, etc) come with the Ideal brand disconnect without pigtails.
 
I thought T&B make one of these disconnects with the pigtails seems to be a quicker install especially in the case of daisy chaining fixtures.

Joe
 
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