Is there a way to properly run 110v power across a hinge to power LEDs mounted in a large door?

[mayutt]

I've been asked if I can install LED lights in a large 55'x14' door that is hinged at the top and opened/closed hydraulically. I'm quite certain I can do it...but less certain I can do it and not violate NEC. Anyone have any experience wiring across a hinge like this?

 

[LarryFine]

How about a pair of handy boxes with a length of non-metallic flex between them?

Basically a line-voltage version of an alarm door cord.

 

[mayutt]

How about a pair of handy boxes with a length of non-metallic flex between them?

Basically a line-voltage version of an alarm door cord.

Sounds good to me...do you think stranded wire in the flex?

 

[LarryFine]

Sounds good to me...do you think stranded wire in the flex?

Well, yeah, obviously.

 

[tthh]

Can't you get the LED's down to Class 2 wiring before getting to the door?

 

[zbang]

How much power do you need to squeeze through to the door? Might be able to use a short section of coiled/retractile code, you can get that up to at least 10g.

 

[Mr. Serious]

Would it be a code violation to just use SO cord? One box on the door next to the hinge, one box on the wall on the other side of the hinge, and a short length of cord between them.

Oh, I just noticed the dimensions are feet, not inches. In that case, the customer and architect and AHJ probably expect all wiring to be in some sort of metallic conduit.

 

[winnie]

I was thinking of 'cable chain', such as used to protect flexible wiring on machine tools. They make versions capable of twisting.

Jon

 

[zbang]

Maybe a flexible conduit with type W (or other fine-strand cable) inside. Again, the amount of power drives the solution.

 

[Fred B]

Can't you get the LED's down to Class 2 wiring before getting to the door?

Do that all the time for under cab lighting where providing driver in remote location to the LED. Seems to be a reasonable solution vs trying to get line voltage across door swing.

I've been asked if I can install LED lights in a large 55'x14' door that is hinged at the top and opened/closed hydraulically. I'm quite certain I can do it...but less certain I can do it and not violate NEC. Anyone have any experience wiring across a hinge like this?

while not directly applicable the code address some occurrences requiring flexibility.
553.7 for floating buildings, and 555.17 for marinas floating docks. Both address cord requirements.

 

[Kansas Mountain]

Can't you get the LED's down to Class 2 wiring before getting to the door?

This ⬆

 

[Strathead]

Can't you get the LED's down to Class 2 wiring before getting to the door?

Best solution. It is best to contact the lighting distributor directly and ask for a fixture with a remote Driver that meets the requirements, barring that you can ask your favorite Supply house.

 

[LarryFine]

Curious as to what the low-voltage current will be.

 

[tthh]

Curious as to what the low-voltage current will be.

for a door that size especially

 

[hbiss]

for a door that size especially

I guess that would depend on what lighting equipment is desired, wouldn't it? And that's something we haven't been told about by the OP, or for that matter the actual door either.

I, for one, have never seen lighting attached to such a door.

-Hal

 

[GoldDigger]

If you can get the voltage lower, there are several manufacturers of this.

If you Google Power Carrying Hinges you will get a lot of really strong hinges as well as some things that might work for you.
It all depends on the power needed. For low power, but still requiring 120V, look at a step-down to step-up transformer pair.

 

[Todd0x1]

How about a pair of handy boxes with a length of non-metallic flex between them?

That will fail in short order. Not designed to continuously flex (learned this the hard way when I did something similar on a gate, lasted a few weeks). There are other flex conduits that are designed for continuous flexing, however those are usually a special order affair.

Flexible cord can be used for this application under 400.10(A)(9)

 

[Flicker Index]

https://www.mckinneyhinge.com/en/products/Electrified-Hinges?size=n_20_n

There's a PoE hinge.
There are other models of power transfer hinges. No idea if there are ones rated for line voltage AC. If you can use constant current, or PoE load and feed the output of LED ballast into the hinge, you should be able to use rather common electrified hinges.

 

[PaulMmn]

I've been asked if I can install LED lights in a large 55'x14' door that is hinged at the top and opened/closed hydraulically. I'm quite certain I can do it...but less certain I can do it and not violate NEC. Anyone have any experience wiring across a hinge like this?

Burglar alarm wiring uses a U-shaped loop, from frame to door. The loop takes the repeated flexing. This is low-voltage stuff... but they might make something for higher voltages.