Electric Room Illumination Levels

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beanland

beanland

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2008 NEC 110.26(D) requires illumination but I can find nothing in the NEC that sets a level of illumination. As the NEC reads, a single night-light would meet code. Does anyone know of any code that sets any illumination levels?
 
Light Levels

Light Levels

As a user of the equipment, I would want 20-30 footcandles as a minimum for normal inspection and use. Levels of 50-70fc would be nice for any construction work. The NEC seems to imply that 0.000001 fc would meet code.
 
Osha = nec

Osha = nec

1910.303(g)(1)(v)
Illumination shall be provided for all working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, panelboards, and motor control centers installed indoors. Additional lighting fixtures are not required where the working space is illuminated by an adjacent light source. In electric equipment rooms, the illumination may not be controlled by automatic means only.

Still no levels!
 
The GSA recommends about 20 footcandles for electrical & mechanical rooms in their facilities.
http://www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentId=14291&contentType=GSA_BASIC&noc=T

I always try to get as much as possible, and use higher-than-average-quality luminaires. 8' industrial fluorescent with 4' T8 lamps whenever possible.
I would consider the GSA value the absolute minimum - try for 50.
The various energy codes should be able to accomodate higher values, because the lighting is off 99% of the time. There are usually exemptions for specialized tasks.

As you have noticed, the NEC is silent on this design issue.

db
 
IES (Illumination Engineering Society) Recommendations:

Utility Room = 30 footcandle
Equipment Service Room = 50 fc

Those are the closest descriptions I could find to an electrical/mechanical room at the moment in the guide that I have on hand.

ASHRAE 90.1 limits "Common Space: Electrical/Mechanical Rooms" to 1.5 W/sq ft.

The 90.1 limit is not excepted in any way ... it is what it is ... and 90.1 is by no means the strictest code out there.

Knowing that the light will be off most of the time matters not in the eyes of the code!

Hope this helps...

Pam
 
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Great References

Great References

These are great references. The GSA one could be helpful in setting a precedent. IESNA only makes recommendations so has few teeth.

Thanks!
 
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