Digital lighting controls, Are they worth it? Energy Code or NEC?

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brother

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Was called about a digital lighting control system where the lights are dimmed and will not brighten. After checking them out, these cat5 infrared switches, photosensors, etc.. are a bit expensive, and can be very time consuming trouble shooting if you have nto worked on their brand before. This is a small office/department area and appears to be an overkill in expense just for a few switches and light dimming smart system installation (watt stoppers). One person told me that its now in the NEC requirements to have energy managment. I believe they are mistaken and its only an energy code requirement.

What NEC article requires this, if any?
 
Energy code, those things are kind of rare around here where there is no energy codes being enforced by anyone.

If it were NEC required the EI's would be required to enforce it.
 
Based on the 2017 NEC, the only reference to energy management that I am aware of in the NEC is in an exception to 220.12 that allows somebody to size equipment using energy code LPDs instead of the the VA/sf numbers of the NEC. The VA/sf numbers in the NEC are significantly larger than the maximums allowed per the energy code. I am not sure if this is applicable to your case.
 
PD1972 said:
Based on the 2017 NEC, the only reference to energy management that I am aware of in the NEC is in an exception to 220.12 that allows somebody to size equipment using energy code LPDs instead of the the VA/sf numbers of the NEC. The VA/sf numbers in the NEC are significantly larger than the maximums allowed per the energy code. I am not sure if this is applicable to your case.
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Whether or not it's applicable, in the NEC it's a permission and not a requirement.
 
brother said:
Was called about a digital lighting control system where the lights are dimmed and will not brighten. After checking them out, these cat5 infrared switches, photosensors, etc.. are a bit expensive, and can be very time consuming trouble shooting if you have nto worked on their brand before. This is a small office/department area and appears to be an overkill in expense just for a few switches and light dimming smart system installation (watt stoppers). One person told me that its now in the NEC requirements to have energy managment. I believe they are mistaken and its only an energy code requirement.

What NEC article requires this, if any?
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You mention this is a digital system. Is this a DALI system?
 
texie said:
You mention this is a digital system. Is this a DALI system?
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The OP mentions Wattstopper so I am assuming that they are referring to products under the Wattstopper digital lighting management family. All components (light switches, motion sensors, room controllers, daylight sensors, network bridges, etc.) are connected together using Cat5E or better cables. I don't think this is a DALI system; I have only seen this system used with 0-10V dimming to the drivers from the room controllers or dimming relays.
 
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