Lights needed in water heater utility closets?

[jim dungar]

Who says the required light is for actually serving the equipment? The language of the NEC infers the light is to provide a degree of safe movement in the space.

Say the WH was in the back corner of a room 4' wide and 12' deep. The code language says nothing about the location of the luminaire, only the location of its control. So a fixture above the door meets the letter of the code.

Thus, if you can't enter the room/attic/underfloor area this code section does not apply.

 

[Tulsa Electrician]

I have this discussion more than once with inspectors on many projects all with the same out come. Common sense was applied.

Usually in multiple family.
Some as shown and some with the closet that has the electric furnace and water tank in same space stacked with door opening into the living room or the bathroom.

The first part of the discussion covered can the space be occupied with the door shut and have working space. The answer every time was NO.

The second part was adequate illumination to service the equipment. The answer was YES or a comment of "relocate or add an additional lighting outlet".

The third part was the switch location. Was the switch within site of the equipment being serviced with the door in it most opened position with minimum of 90 degrees. In most cases yes.
In the OP case where it was in a hall way. A switch had to be added either In side or out side the room with in site and with in 50' with the door in it's open position.

The reason was the hall lighting was controlled where the insite rule could not be applied. In one case a additional light was added in the hall in front of door centered with others and was on 24/7 tied to the emergency lighting circuit.

The forth part was, can the servicing of the equipment be completed with the door closed.
In every case the answer was NO.

The fifth part was who is going to removed the fixed equipment so I can service the switch and the lighting outlet with out climbing on the equipment possibly causing damage to the equipment or harm to my self.

In every one of my case common sense was applied for effective outcome.

Only in one case did they want the wall switch for a hall way light install inside the closet.

Another item I brought to the discussion was who is doing the maintenance. In my cases there was onsite maintenance dept and they preferred the the lighting outlet not be with in the closet.

I now address this in advance every time I see it on plans prior to install.

Good luck and hope common sense is used. After all the goal is to provide a safe working environment.

Now I have a follow up question.
Where does it say what the requires amount of illumination.

Would be nice if they added the wording from last part 518.6. just add when equipment can not be serviced with door closed.
Which seams like common sense and would apply here.

 

[roger]

Now I have a follow up question.
Where does it say what the requires amount of illumination.

Since illumination is not required there is no amount.

 

[Tulsa Electrician]

Since illumination is not required there is no amount.

Thank you

 

[Johnny B.]

No lighting outlet is required in the room with the label F9 in the OP. A closet is not a utility room. Make the room 6' x 6', add another piece of equipment, that's a utility room.

Cheers, Wayne

Can you help me understand what do you mean by label F9 in the OP? Sorry I am not understanding the nomenclature.

 

[wwhitney]

Can you help me understand what do you mean by label F9 in the OP? Sorry I am not understanding the nomenclature.

OP = Original Post. The OP has an image. That image has a small closet that contains a circle, which I understand to represent the water heater. The closest text to that closet is "F9".

Cheers, Wayne

 

[jap]

The third part was the switch location. Was the switch within site of the equipment being serviced with the door in it most opened position with minimum of 90 degrees. In most cases yes.
In the OP case where it was in a hall way. A switch had to be added either In side or out side the room with in site and with in 50' with the door in it's open position.

Aren't you referring to the "disconnecting means" for the equipment?

To require a light switch to be within site and within 50 ft. of the equipment would be a new on on me.

Jap>

 

[Johnny B.]

Thank you everyone for your help on this. The conclusion the inspector was fine with is if the closets were big enough for someone to step inside they had to have the light, but the ones were they were not even big enough for someone to step inside could be lit by the corridor.

 

[Johnny B.]

Thank you everyone for your help on this. The conclusion the inspector was fine with is if the closets were big enough for someone to step inside they had to have the light, but the ones were they were not even big enough for someone to step inside could be lit by the corridor.

So some of the closets still had to have a light, but most of them not even big enough for someone to step inside.