Article 517.13 (B)1 Exception 2 Luminaire Grounding

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johnsciolino

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Jacksonville, Fl
The local inspector is telling us that a 2X4 Luminaire needs to have the whip changed to HCA Healthcare Cable
The Article mentioned above states if over 7-1/2', its not required. He is saying that it has to be outside the patient care area just like the switch.
Sounds to me like a reading comprehension problem.
Your thoughts?


Exact verbiage:

Luminaires more than 7-1/2' above the floor and switches located outside the patient care vicinity shall be permitted to be connected to an equipment grounding return patch complying with 517.13(A)

517.13(A) states that the conduit and/or grounding path shall qualify as an equipment grounding conductor in accordance with 250.118
 
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Refer to the definition of patient care vicinity right at the begning of 517. It (the patient care vicinity) goes up to 7.5' AFF. So if the light is above that, it is out of the patient care vicinity.

At 7.5' AFF, how many people are going to be touching the light while they are attending the patent?
 
The patient vicinity (see definition in 517.2) is defined as 6 ft around the bed and 7.5 ft above the floor, so if the fixture is outside of this area, 517.13(B)exc#2 should apply. The patient vicinity is not the "entire" patient room, sometimes it can be mis-interpreted. Also I am assuming the interpretation is not 6ft above the bed, although it can be interpretated that way by some since it does not define 6ft from the bed as a horizontal measurement.

Note also the metal raceway or cable armor needs to be a ground path per 517.13(A). The metal jacket on certain fixture whips may not be a listed as a grounding conductor so the manufacturer puts a ground wire in it, but that does not comply with 517.13(A) unless the metal jacket itself is considered a grounding conductor.
 
He is not questioning the 7-1/2' since its a 9' ceiling. By definition its out of the "Patient Vicinity" but still in patient area so 517.13(A) applies. He is telling me the flex needs to have a ground return path and says "MC" cable is not a return path. But its not MC cable, it's a manufactured fixture whip (flex, gnd wire and connector). NEC 517.13 refers back to 250.118 for grounding so he's obviously questioning the the return path of the flex. So I think its up to me to prove the fixture manufacturer is using flex and not MC cable? 250.118 is pretty clear that flex is OK.

250.118 Types of Equipment Grounding Conductors.

The equipment grounding conductor run with or enclosing the circuit conductors shall be one or more or a combination of the following: (1 ? 4 do not apply)

(5) Listed flexible metal conduit meeting all the following conditions:

a. The conduit is terminated in listed fittings.

b. The circuit conductors contained in the conduit are protected by overcurrent devices rated at 20 amperes or less.

c. The combined length of flexible metal conduit and flexible metallic tubing and liquidtight flexible metal conduit in the same ground-fault current path does not exceed 1.8 m (6 ft).

d. If used to connect equipment where flexibility is necessary to minimize the transmission of vibration from equipment or to provide flexibility for equipment that requires movement after installation, an equipment grounding conductor shall be installed.
 
If this is a factory made whip, the easiest solution is to contact the manufacturer of the fixture and whip and have them provide a letter or statement of compliance with 517.13(A), they should be able to this by email. If it is a field made whip using FMC, the UL listing should infact be enough.

Roger
 
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I ended up getting the letter from manufacturer, unfortunately it was 3 days after I changed 45 whips to HCF cable.
I don't understand why some inspectors think they are smarter than UL or the 19 code making panels.
 
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