Ballast / double ended lamp / Disconnect

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bigboto69

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Hilo, HI
This all doesn't make sense. A flouoresent fixture that has a ballast and utilize a double ended lamp requires a disconnecting means. One of those orange disconnect that Ideal makes. What is the whole intent of this disconnecting means. To protect the ballast or the lamp. I just installed 2 x 2 trophers, and the lamp that comes with the tropher is the "U" style lamp with the 4 pin connecting point. To me, all flouresent fixtures are double ended. no matter if it's a 1 point connection. Even the flourecent can lights that has the 4 pin connection should be concidered as a double ended lamp. It has a ballast on it. Well, these 2 X 2 trophers that we bought, didn't have a disconnect inside. We opted to install these disconnect in the fixture to make sure we passed inspection. Well, the inspector said we did not have to install the disconnects, because the lamps were not double ended!!!!!!

Even thought the supply house is covering the cost for us to install these disconnects, it was still a waste of time and money to do the extra work. Any thoughts if this inspector was wrong, or am I putting too much thought into this ine. I just don't want to option not to install it the next time, and inspector "B" will call me on it.

ANY Thoughts???
 
This is the second time I've heard of an inspector thinking that the disconnect is there to de-energize the luminaire for relamping. Is that right? To open the ostensibly live 277V ballast cover to grab live conductors and unclip the disconnect usually requires removing the lamps first! It would follow then that the electrician is to remove the makeup cover to fish out the disconnect, unhook, then relamp. Bad idea.

I've replaced ballast where it seemed the ballast failure may have been due to careless relamping as indicated by the arcing marks on the fixture near the (tombstone) sockets. Therefore, I either turn off the lum (with the switch because I'm not going to remove the ballast cover to relamp) or exercise caution when relamping. I can sort of follow the OP's inspectors logic when it comes to U-bend lamps. But rest assured, someone somewhere has managed to draw an arc from the socket to the lum chassis with a U-bend lamp.

Personally, I think the lum disconnects are a so-so idea that may inspire false confidence in a maintenance man that has no business opening a live troffer. I can see no good reason for them. Unless the conductors are less than, say, less than 6 inches long in the fixture, I have no problem working it hot to change a ballast. If the conductors are less than 6 inches long, I have no problem turning off the light switch, either.

edit: I reread the OP, and the inspector is classifying the lum and not making an opinion about the function of the disconnect
 
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Jim W in Tampa said:
It might be you changing that ballast some day.Often its not practicle to kill all the lights.Wish they been required years ago
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So is it to protect me from changing the ballast? Or is it the lamps? Why did my inspector inform me that the 2X2 tropher with the "U" shape-4 pin lamp didn't need a fixture disconnect?
 
bigboto69 said:
So is it to protect me from changing the ballast? Or is it the lamps? Why did my inspector inform me that the 2X2 tropher with the "U" shape-4 pin lamp didn't need a fixture disconnect?
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It is to protect you while changing the ballast. I don't know why he said they are not need required on the 2x2's. IMO they are. What type of building are they in?
 
C3PO said:
It is to protect you while changing the ballast. I don't know why he said they are not need required on the 2x2's. IMO they are. What type of building are they in?
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I agree, U shaped tubes are still double ended. Again this requirement was put into the code to protect the electrician from a shock hazard when replacing the ballast.

Chris
 
bigboto69 said:
It's a small retail spa store. Do you think it makes a difference in the kind of usage of building space to dictate the use of fixture disconnects?
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There are excpetions for hazardous locations and industrial establishments with restricted public access. Check out the 5 exceptions to 410.130(G)(1). (2008 NEC)

Chris
 
raider1 said:
There are excpetions for hazardous locations and industrial establishments with restricted public access. Check out the 5 exceptions to 410.130(G)(1). (2008 NEC)

Chris
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Got it! Thank you all for for replying. This really helps.

I'll have more questions later.
 
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