can you use 12-2 MC on a 208

Status
Not open for further replies.
mark henderson

mark henderson

Senior Member
Location
Leander Texas
can you use 12-2 MC on a 208 light to go from the j-box to the fluorescent fixture a phase tape the white?

I am a residential electrician and am do some renovating to the warehouse?

Thanks Mark
 
mark henderson said:
can you use 12-2 MC on a 208 light to go from the j-box to the fluorescent fixture a phase tape the white?

I am a residential electrician and am do some renovating to the warehouse?

Thanks Mark
Click to expand...

MC is suitable for up to 600 volts.

I have to ask.

A 208 volt fluorescent light?

Are you sure?
 
iwire said:
MC is suitable for up to 600 volts.

I have to ask.

A 208 volt fluorescent light?

Are you sure?
Click to expand...

Yes fuorescent. They are a coper brand all the info in them said 277 so we called he rep he said they are a universal light? He told us to hook the neutral up to one of the legs so we did it on the ground first and it worked. Now we are about to install 11 of them in the warehouse.

Mark

The question I am concerend with is the fact that it is a commercial building. In residential e I can phase tape a white with red tape. Is that legal in commercial?

mark
 
Last edited:
I'm with Bob and jim on this one. Yes, it is legal to re-identify the white in MC cable but I suspect you actually have MVolt fixtures that will run on 120 volt or 277 volt, not 208 Volt. We could be wrong.......it's happened before :)
 
We questioned that also when the rep said it was a universal tap. When told him there was no digram for this. He told us to hook the neutral up to a hot! So I told my guy to hook it up on the ground in case it blew up. But it did not it worked.

Nobody has ever heard of a unversial light? I havent cause I am residential.

Mark
 
The rules for reidentifing conductors in a cable assembly apply to any occupancy, some exceptions for conditions for maintenance and supervision.
You may be restricted for the type of work you can do under your license.
In Washington State a Residential Electrican can only install NM cable.
A homeowner can wire his/her house with EMT but not a residential electrician.
 
:smile: Thanks for your input. We are licensed by the state of Texas we can do both residential and commercial we just focus on residential right now. We are looking at possible expanding into commercial service work but that is a ways down the road.:smile:

Mark
 
universal usally come in metal halide ballast not fluorsents your standard is 120 or 277v. But yes you can find these ballasts that have multi taps.
 
There are ballasts that are "universal voltage" ballasts that will accept voltages from 108-305 volts.

Here is a link to Universal ballst company and their Accustart line of ballasts.

Chris
 
Very often, when I'm ordering fluorescent fixtures I don't even specify the voltage. My supplier carries all universal. The only ballasts I carry on my truck are also universal. I'm sure they would work with 208 volts.
 
Related to your original question, you can get MC cable in 277 colors if you have the need.

208 fluorescent? Bunch of crap, I say.
 
Well now I know that I can re identify the wire but from the response it brings up another question. What we have now in the warehouse is a high-bay metal halide lamps that are run with 208 we do not have 277 in the building so as I have these changed to the high bay fluorescent do change the wiring to 120v? Is there any benefits to this if they work on 208v?

Mark
 
"208 fluorescent? Bunch of crap, I say."
That's an odd comment. Advance Ballast Optanium operates on any input voltage between 120-277 AC. There are several others with similar input specs.
 
amptech said:
"208 fluorescent? Bunch of crap, I say."
That's an odd comment. Advance Ballast Optanium operates on any input voltage between 120-277 AC. There are several others with similar input specs.
Click to expand...
Except when you read the white papers on that ballast family, it only lists 120, 230, and 277 as acceptable input voltages.
 
mark henderson said:
Well now I know that I can re identify the wire but from the response it brings up another question. What we have now in the warehouse is a high-bay metal halide lamps that are run with 208 we do not have 277 in the building so as I have these changed to the high bay fluorescent do change the wiring to 120v? Is there any benefits to this if they work on 208v?

Mark
Click to expand...


You can run more fixtures on a circuit with the higher voltage.
 
mark henderson said:
We questioned that also when the rep said it was a universal tap. When told him there was no digram for this. He told us to hook the neutral up to a hot! So I told my guy to hook it up on the ground in case it blew up. But it did not it worked.
Click to expand...

Let me see if I have this right. :confused:

You took one leg of 208V and connected it to the black conductor of the universal voltage (smart) ballest, and the other leg of the 208V and connected it to the GROUND wire?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top