cord-connected HID lighting

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raider1

raider1

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According to 410.30(C)(1) to be able to cord connect an electric discharge luminarie you must comply with both (1) and (2) of this section.

(1) being that the luminarie is located directly below the outlet or busway.
And
(2) requiring
a. the cord is visible for its entire length outside the luminarie
b. the cord is not subject to strain or physical damage
c. the cord is terminated in a grounding-type attachment plug cap or busway plug, or is part of a listed assembly incorporating a manufactured wiring system connector in accordance with 604.6(C), or has a luminaire assembly with a strain relief and canopy.

So here is the question I have:

I have a building that has 400 watt metal halide fixtures that are independantly hung from the outlet box. These fixtures come with an 8 foot cord without a cord cap. The cord are connected to a 4 square box with a cord connecter and hard wired. Is there any exceptions to 410.30 that I am missing that would allow this installation? As far as I can see you need to use a "grounding-type attachment plug cap" on the end of the cord.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

Chris
 
hid

hid

410.30 (C)(1)(2) is really specfic, I can't any way else to do this installation w/out removing the cord from the 4" sq. and reuse it install a recpt in it and field wire cord cap.
 
You probably meet a and b with no problem.

410.30(C)(1)(2)c has a bunch of ORs.

c. Is terminated in a grounding type attachment plug cap or busway plug, OR

is a part of a listed assembly incorporating a manufactured wiring system connector in accordance with 604.6(C), OR

has a luminaire (fixture) assembly with a strain relief and canopy.

If you meet only the third condition regarding strain relief and canopy, then the installation qualifies.
 
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This is a non-issue, IMHO.

If you walk into the Inspector?s office, hat in hand and humble in demeanor, and say, ?Please Sir (or Madam), may I please use a plug and cord connection,? the Inspector will pull out 410.30(C)(1) and start grilling you.

But if instead you say you prefer to hard wire it, the Inspector will glance at 410.30(C)(1), quickly determine that it doesn?t apply, and tell you to have a nice time with the installation.

This is a permissive article. You may have permission, if you meet the following rules.
 
charlie b said:
This is a permissive article. You may have permission, if you meet the following rules.
Click to expand...

Yes, 410.30(C) is a permissive article, but 410.14(A) lists methods that may be used to connect these lights to a branch circuit. If a flexible cord is to be used, 410.14(A) requires that the installation meet 410.30(B) or (C)
 
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Chris, 400.7 (A)(2) says flexible cords are ok to use, and 400.7 (B) says it isn't necessary for a cord cap to be used in this application. Maybe that is your answer.
 
Although not enforceable language, the explanatory text in the 2005 NEC Handbook, placed at the end of 400.7(B) reads:
Flexible cords are permitted to be hard-wired into a junction box if the cord is used for the following:
1. Luminaires and fixtures mentioned in 400.7(A)
2. Supplies to pendant pushbutton stations for cranes
3. Portable lamp (droplight) connections
Click to expand...
 
A cord with a cap and a receptacle are required for the installation outlined in the OP to comply with all of the provisions of 410.30(C)(1)&(2).
 
Trevor,

How does "shall be permitted to be" in the NEC below turn into "shall be"?
410.30 Cord-Connected Lampholders and Luminaires (Fixtures)
(C)(1) Cord-Connected Installation A listed luminaire (fixture) or a listed assembly shall be permitted to be cord connected if the following conditions apply:
Click to expand...
 
I agree with Eprice. 410.14(A) requires a chapter 3 wiring method. It also allows a cord if the cord complies with 410.30(C)(1)(1) and (C)(1)(2). In this case, it does not.
 
I appreciate everones input.

I read 410.14(A) the same as Eprice and Ryan, that this section requires the user to follow 410.30(B) or 410.30(C) if they choose to use flexible cord to connect an electric-discharge luminaire. In the case I have shown the installation does not qualify for 410.30(B) as these luminaires aren't adjustable, and they don't meet 410.30(C)(1)(2)(c) because they don't have a canopy or a plug cap.

I just wanted to see if anyone knew of an exception or other section that might allow the installation in the OP.

Thanks again,

Chris
 
al hildenbrand said:
Trevor,

How does "shall be permitted to be" in the NEC below turn into "shall be"?
Click to expand...


The OP mentions using a hard wired fixture with a cord. If the cord is to be used it must have a cap and plug into a receptacle. It doesn't need to use a cord but one is permitted with a cap.
 
I have a ton of existing high bay HID fixtures on an industrial job site that are connected by cords, some are hardwired & some are plugged in. The HID fixtures I have been putting in are connected by factory installed twistlock plugs & plugged into a female cord end which is hardwired to a jbox with a strain relief connector.
I question this install after reading this post & 410.30(C)(1)(1) because even though the female cord end is located directly above, the jbox,"outlet", is usually not.
The reason why it is installed this way is because in order to provide proper light coverage the fixtures are at various levels & offset from the conduit &/or boxes, because of ducts & other such things. (Typical of an industrial or even commercial installation.) This also allows the fixture to be disconnected, for a lamp change or whatever, without having to reach the 20' high jbox.
One more question.
Why does the 2005 handbook suggest you can hardwire cord connected luminaires like al pointed out? Maybe for luminaires other than "electric- discharge"?
 
I agree with Al.

You can hardwire the fixture per 400.7(A) no cord cap required.

OR

If you would like to wire a fixture with a cord cap....say for ease of service.....410.30 gives permission to use a cord cap.
 
iwire said:
I agree with Al.

You can hardwire the fixture per 400.7(A) no cord cap required.

OR

If you would like to wire a fixture with a cord cap....say for ease of service.....410.30 gives permission to use a cord cap.
Click to expand...

Bob,

How does a hard wired cord connected fixture comply with 410.30(C)(1)(2)(c)?
 
400.7(A)(2) permits the use of flexible cord for the wiring of luminaires.

So this section says it's OK to wire a luminaire using a flexible cord. It doesn't tell us how to wire the luminaire just that it is permissible.

So we can use flexible cord to wire a luminaire, now we go to Article 410 to see how to wire a luminaire using flexible cord.

410.30 Cord-connected Lampholders and Luminaires.

This section deals with using flexible cords for lampholders and luminaires.

410.30(C)(1) Electric-discharge luminaires.

This section deals specifically with Electric-discharge luminaires that are cord-connected. This section permits the use of flexible cord for connection of electric-discharge luminaires if the following conditions apply:

410.30(C)(1)(1) requires that the luminaire be directly below the outlet or busway.

410.30(C)(1)(2) requires that the cord meet all the following:
a. Is visisble for its entire length outside the luminaire
b. Is not subject to strain or physical damage
c. Is terminated in a grounding-type attachment plug cap or busway plug, or is part of a listed assembly incorporating a manufactured wiring system connector in accordance with 604.6(C), or has a luminaire assembly with a strain relief and canopy.

I am just not seeing where this section is an option if you are using flexible cord. It says it is permissible to use flexible cord if you follow all the requirments of 410.30(C)(1)

Chris
 
raider1 said:
I am just not seeing where this section is an option if you are using flexible cord. It says it is permissible to use flexible cord if you follow all the requirments of 410.30(C)(1)

Chris
Click to expand...


I agree, if the cord is used a plug cap is permitted and required, no cap, no cord.
 
infinity said:
I agree, if the cord is used a plug cap is permitted and required, no cap, no cord.
Click to expand...
How is "or has a luminaire (fixture) assembly with a strain relief and canopy" a cap?
 
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