Class 1 / Div 1 Location_Splicing

[bill mackey]

Is a splice, for termination of luminaire, made inside of a GUAT that is rated for the Class 1 / Division 1 area considered an arcing device?

My argument is that it is not an agnition source or arcing device and the contractor i am working for is requiring that i put a seal off on each and every luminaire inside of the C1 /D1 area.

I have sealed the area that enters the boundry.

I have sealed the toggle switches in listed C1 / D1 FS boxes.

I have used C1 / D1 listed GUAT fitting at each luminaire.

I have used C1 / D1 listed luminaires.

I have used rigid conduit, and have hard piped each luminaire.

I have used C1 / D1 unions for maintenence at each luminaire.

I have argued the article:501.15(A)(1)(1)(1)with an exception that states ?Seals shallnot be required for conduit entering an enclosure where such switches, circuitbreakers, fuses, relays, or resistors comply with one of the following: (1) Areenclosed within a chamber that is hermetically sealed against the entrance ofgasses or vapors.

What am I missing?

Any input on this matter will be greatly appreciated. About 30 - 3/4 EYS and the labor to install them worth.

Regards,

Bill

 

[rbalex]

Is a splice, for termination of luminaire, made inside of a GUAT that is rated for the Class 1 / Division 1 area considered an arcing device?

..

Only openings 2" or more must be sealed in enclosures with splices or terminations. Otherwise, it is not considered an arc-making connection per the NEC (Division or Zone classified). However, some people trained in conventional IEC Zone techniques consider terminations and splices to be arc-making if they are not made with Ex e (increased safety) terminals because they could vibrate loose. This is NOT an NEC requirement.

 

[rbalex]

Added Note: "Factory sealed" and "hermetically sealed" are not necessarily the same. See the definition of hermetically sealed in Section 500.2.

 

[KentAT]

The Class I, Div1 luminaires we typically install from Crouse-Hinds and Killark are factory sealed, yours might be also. The supply wiring is run to the wiring compartment of the luminaire and wire nutted or landed on terminals. From there, the luminaire has a set of contacts within a sealed area which disconnects the fixture when you unscrew the fixture to change the bulb.

No external seal required for these (for the fixture itself).

Does the contractor you are working for cite the code requirement they are saying applies? Might be a learning opportunity for them.