fluorescent stip fixuture as wireway

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mdshunk

mdshunk

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Is there any prohibition against using the gutter space of a fluorescent strip fixture to pass extra conductors through, not associated with that lighting?
 
Marc, see 410.31.

Commentary from the Handbook;

According to the UL Luminaire Marking Guide, luminaires listed for use as raceways are marked ``Suitable for Use as a Raceway'' and also ``Maximum of _____?C permitted in raceway.'' Without these markings, a row of luminaires connected end to end cannot be used as a raceway for circuit conductors other than the 2-wire or multiwire circuit supplying the luminaires. Luminaires identified for use as a raceway have been evaluated for the heat contribution caused by additional current-carrying conductors.
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Roger
 
mdshunk said:
Is there any prohibition against using the gutter space of a fluorescent strip fixture to pass extra conductors through, not associated with that lighting?
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(Edited to include NEC text)

It's somewhat permitted; see underlined:

410.31 Luminaires (Fixtures) as Raceways. Luminaires (fixtures) shall not be used as a raceway for circuit conductors unless listed and marked for use as a raceway.

410.32 Wiring Supplying Luminaires (Fixtures) Connected Together. Luminaires (fixtures) designed for end-to-end connection to form a continuous assembly, or luminaires (fixtures) connected together by recognized wiring methods, shall be permitted to contain the conductors of a 2-wire branch circuit, or one multiwire branch circuit, supplying the connected luminaires (fixtures) and need not be listed as a raceway. One additional 2-wire branch circuit separately supplying one or more of the connected luminaires (fixtures) shall also be permitted.

FPN: See Article 100 for the definition of Multiwire Branch Circuit.

410.33 Branch Circuit Conductors and Ballasts.Branch-circuit conductors within 75 mm (3 in.) of a ballast shall have an insulation temperature rating not lower than 90?C (194?F) unless supplying a luminaire (fixture) listed and marked as suitable for a different insulation temperature.
 
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LarryFine said:
Read 410.31, .32, and .33.
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Thanks a million. I vaguely remembered that section, thus I asked my question. I'm still wondering if fixtures exist that are marked so that they can take additional conductors? It seems that with the newer electronic ballasts, there's tons of room to get by the ballast now.
 
mdshunk said:
Are strip lights normally so marked? Or is this a rather rare, obscure fixture?
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Marc, actually most of the strip fixtures we use are listed as raceways.

Roger
 
roger said:
Marc, actually most of the strip fixtures we use are listed as raceways.
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Thanks. Just out of curiosity, do you use one brand, most normally? I know that myself, I sorta order them by the most generic description, and seem to get a different brand each time. Often, it's not all that clear to me exactly what brand the fixture actually is, even by reading the labels.
 
As I do all commercial and Industrial work the fixtures are usually engineer specified, Metalux, (Cooper) Daybright, Williams, Lithonia are some of the most specified it seems.

Roger
 
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