Cord wired light fixtures (luminaires)

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marcb

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In the greater Sacramento area in the last 5 years we have had a lot of inverted pendant light fixtures installed here. Some of the manufactures such as peerless and fine line provide a cord to supply these fixtures. They are supported from the ceiling with aircraft cable. We have alot of electricians just running the cord through the ceiling into a J-box and terminating the cord with a romex connector. This always ends up with the contractor getting a correction notice and then he complains about the fixture being supplied with the cord. I always hear about all the other jurisditions that allow this. Is this true? I don't think any other jurisidition would allow this. I have seen the installation instructions and they clearly show a J-Box for the cord to be made up at . This box has a cover that is close to a 3/0 and the cord never penertrates the ceiling.
 
What section is the inspector citing? I presume the instructions indicate this method of installation, and the light fixture is UL listed. Is the inspector's concern the method of support (or lack thereof), or the wiring method itself?
 
I always hear about all the other jurisditions that allow this. Is this true?
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Not allowed in my jurisdiction.

I here the same justifications all the time "They don't make me do that in _____". It is just a lame excuse to try to get away with a code violation.

Chris
 
Yes these are listed to be cord wired. I am only concerned how other jurisidtions view this. I know that this a violation of 400.8(2) that wht I wrote the correction
 
I also don't allow it. I typically see this installed with a 4" round box on a t-bar bracket and canopy, so the cord penetrates the canopy and goes imediatley into a j-box, flush mounted in the cieling.
 
I believe Mr. Jackson is correct on how it is suppose to be wired. That way there is no cord wiring above the ceiling. Quite simply Article 400 does not allow cord wiring above the ceiling.
 
Interesting.

I went to the Peerless web site and pulled down a manufacturer's Installation Instruction Sheet for, what I assume is, the type of lighting you are thinking of.

The right hand image is of the method Ryan just described.

The left hand, however, shows what Marcb describes in the OP. . .with, perhaps, the exception that the j-box is down low.

Marcb, Raider & Ryan, are you saying a "zero tolerance" of cord is required. . .even when the cord is entering the cable clamp within the ceiling tile, and arguably, never getting above the top of the tile?
 
The way I read 400.8(2) you can not run the cord through the tile at all.

"Where run through holes in walls, structural ceilings, suspended ceilings, dropped ceilings, or floors."

I think that the diagram that shows the cord going through the tile and then attaching to the box just above the tile is a violation of 400.8(2)

Chris
 
ryan_618 said:
I typically see this installed with a 4" round box on a t-bar bracket and canopy, so the cord penetrates the canopy and goes imediatley into a j-box, flush mounted in the cieling.
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That is what I typically see as well.

Chris
 
If running a cord into a clamp in a hole in the suspended ceiling is the same as running a cord through the suspended ceiling, then how can one even run a cord into a j-box that is mounted in a hole in the suspended ceiling?

Edit - wrote "cable" when I meant "cord". Al
 
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See the instruction from peerless. I would approve either one shown. What I said earlier was that would run the cable through the ceiling about 6" or more above the tile. That would be in violation of 400.8
 
marcb said:
I would approve either one shown. What I said earlier was that would run the cable through the ceiling about 6" or more above the tile.
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Thanks for the clarification on what you were thinking of. The cord exposed above the suspended ceiling, I agree, is prohibited.
 
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