Lights in small walk in freezer

[BCES]

Have a customer that needs a couple lights added in a walk in freezer. Has one jelly jar in there now. Health inspector says more light is needed. I've never done a freezer before. Can I run MC cable or does it need to be in sealtite? Im assuming anywhere I put a strap and mount a light I need to put a dab of silicone where the screw is going.

Thanks for any input

 

[Buck Parrish]

EMT will be okay, too. With compression couplings, connectors and thhn/thwn wire.

 

[kwired]

The covered lamp is there more because the health inspector requires it for food safety reasons then because NEC might call it a wet or damp location.

I don't see what a dab of silicone gains you on your mounting screws.

 

[ActionDave]

The inside of a walk in freezer is as dry as a location can be, I use emt and regular fittings to hook up lights.

 

[Electric-Light]

The covered lamp is there more because the health inspector requires it for food safety reasons then because NEC might call it a wet or damp location.

I don't see what a dab of silicone gains you on your mounting screws.

The inside of a walk in freezer is as dry as a location can be, I use emt and regular fittings to hook up lights.

Light is at the interior temperature and it will condense water out when it gets blasted with warm air when you open the door.

 

[ActionDave]

Light is at the interior temperature and it will condense water out when it gets blasted with warm air when you open the door.

When I see that actually happen I will worry about it.

 

[kwired]

Light is at the interior temperature and it will condense water out when it gets blasted with warm air when you open the door.

Worst case would be if the cooler/freezer opened to the outdoors and you opened the door on a hot humid day. Otherwise most are inside a building and probably an air conditioned building so humidity level is lower then it would be outside. Heat produced by the lamp will offset the effect - especially if an incandescent lamp.

I still say more people will get a request to put in a covered lampholder for food product safety reasons then because an EI calls it a wet location. They still don't really like the glass period, but the glass jar is more shatter resistant then an incandescent lamp. They usually will accept an exposed glass lamp if it is teflon coated.

 

[GoldDigger]

... They usually will accept an exposed glass lamp if it is teflon coated.

Some glass LED lamp globes are silicone coated, since the temperature is lower.

 

[Electric-Light]

When I see that actually happen I will worry about it.

Happens all the time. Socket arcing from corrosion is quite common in refrigerated cases because of this.

 

[ActionDave]

Happens all the time. Socket arcing from corrosion is quite common in refrigerated cases because of this.

Sahara Desert, Death Valley, inside a cooler; of the three I choose inside a cooler as the driest.

 

[kwired]

Sahara Desert, Death Valley, inside a cooler; of the three I choose inside a cooler as the driest.

How about a cooler located in Sahara Desert?

 

[tom baker]

there are several mfgs of 4 ft or 8ft 2 lamp t-8 IP 66 luminares, most are poly carbonate and easy to install. I have seen them at the big box stores. jelly jar luminare with 100 W inc will be about 900 lumens, not very much light

 

[wallyworld]

Inside freezer is not an issue with moisture but any penetration to outside freezer walls may be an issue with moisture. I've seen switch boxes full of ice

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[al hildenbrand]

Inside freezer is not an issue with moisture but any penetration to outside freezer walls may be an issue with moisture.

Exactly. Yes.

See 300.7(A). In the case of a small walk in freezer, the opening and closing of the door will act as a bellows, to a degree, and exacerbate the movement of air in any raceway that penetrates the insulated enclosure of the freezer.

 

[brantmacga]

I use 4' LED vaportite fixtures; typically I'll have one penetration coming though the ceiling panel and either EMT for long runs or NMLFC for short loops between them.


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[norcal]

Make sure conduits entering a refrigerator, or freezer are sealed or you will be back. Duct seal works fine.

 

[Electric-Light]

there are several mfgs of 4 ft or 8ft 2 lamp t-8 IP 66 luminares, most are poly carbonate and easy to install. I have seen them at the big box stores. jelly jar luminare with 100 W inc will be about 900 lumens, not very much light

Fluorescent is bad news for this. Normal T8 might never get to working temp in a freezer. This is where LED works well. Vapor tight or something designed for refrigeration is ideal.