Enclosed troffers

[jmellc]

I should know this but haven't seen much of it and missed some info along the line.

My church has 2x4 troffers all over. Many of them are enclosed in pieces of ceiling tile or drywall. I don't recall doing that when I did commercial work for a large firm. I hung hundreds of those lights and never enclosed any of them. Is this a new practice for reducing heat in a plenum? Most of our ceilings aer plenums. I couldn't see any other benefit from it.

Thanks for any answers.

 

[chris kennedy]

That is done around here as a feeble attemt to maintain the fire rating of the drop ceiling.

 

[Besoeker]

Ignorant Brit strikes again......
"Troffer"?

 

[Besoeker]

A troffer is a long recessed light fixture, especially on in the ceiling or for a fluorescent light according to your dictionary.

 

[jmellc]

Ignorant Brit strikes again......
"Troffer"?

Also called a lay in fixture. Lays in the ceiling grid, in place of a tile. 2'x4' is most common. 2'x2' are
also used. All are flourescent that I have ever seen. 2x4 have 2, 3 or 4 tubes, some now may have more. 2x2's sometimes have U shaped "horse shoe" lamps. Some have 2' tubes. I have only recently heard the "troffer" term myself. I have largely been away from commercial work for about 10 years. Most people were still calling them "lay ins" at that time.

 

[kwired]

That is done around here as a feeble attemt to maintain the fire rating of the drop ceiling.

That would be my guess as to why you would enclose it in that manner. It is going to develop heat whether enclosed or not, enclosing it may end up resulting in excess heat effecting the operation of the luminaire. If space above is used for environmental air you can not have a fire rated ceiling - how would the environmental air get into the space above?

 

[jmellc]

That would be my guess as to why you would enclose it in that manner. It is going to develop heat whether enclosed or not, enclosing it may end up resulting in excess heat effecting the operation of the luminaire. If space above is used for environmental air you can not have a fire rated ceiling - how would the environmental air get into the space above?

Good point, because plenums have the return as an open grate from room to ceiling.

Sometimes, I think fire concerns are extreme today, given that drywall is the primary wall material today. It takes a lot to burn it. Metal studs are most often used. Any lumber used is fire retardent. Carpets are flammable to some degree, but smolder more than burn. Some office furniture could burn, but will that spread all over the building? Ceiling tiles would be hard to ignite. A 911 situation with a jet crashing & spraying burning fuel is all I could see in a modern building today.

Sometime soon I will put a piece of drywall and ceiling tile in the back yard, soak it with gasoline & see how well it burns. I bet there will be substantial chunks left over.

 

[kwired]

Good point, because plenums have the return as an open grate from room to ceiling.

Sometimes, I think fire concerns are extreme today, given that drywall is the primary wall material today. It takes a lot to burn it. Metal studs are most often used. Any lumber used is fire retardent. Carpets are flammable to some degree, but smolder more than burn. Some office furniture could burn, but will that spread all over the building? Ceiling tiles would be hard to ignite. A 911 situation with a jet crashing & spraying burning fuel is all I could see in a modern building today.

Sometime soon I will put a piece of drywall and ceiling tile in the back yard, soak it with gasoline & see how well it burns. I bet there will be substantial chunks left over.

And these fire codes are strictest in public and commercial buildings - where people are generally alert to what may be going on and have time to evacuate in the event of a fire, yet we relax the fire codes to some extent in our homes where we sleep at night, makes a lot of sense doesn't it?

 

[jmellc]

And these fire codes are strictest in public and commercial buildings - where people are generally alert to what may be going on and have time to evacuate in the event of a fire, yet we relax the fire codes to some extent in our homes where we sleep at night, makes a lot of sense doesn't it?

For sure. I worry about baseboard heaters in houses. I have done work in rental houses with units covered by beds, piles of clothing, etc. I warn people about that but I know it goes out the other ear the next day.

 

[kwired]

For sure. I worry about baseboard heaters in houses. I have done work in rental houses with units covered by beds, piles of clothing, etc. I warn people about that but I know it goes out the other ear the next day.

For a new install I will strongly discourage baseboards in bedrooms especially. Cove heaters are what I push for this application. Suprisingly there doesn't seem to be too many fires from baseboards that I hear of anyway.

 

[ptonsparky]

Ditto