Outdoor spotlights question

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jem.nola

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New Orleans, Louisiana
Hello all, I have a situation that I've been trying to find the answer on my own and I need help with this. I have a this house without a meter and a permit for an electrical inspection. Most of the electrical has been done previously by another electrician or someone that does electrical work (I'm sure we all know the difference) There's a list of things that needed to added or changed, before I file for an inspection which is why I'm here. There are 2 sets of outdoor floodlights located in the middle of the front yard pointed at the house. I didn't see them until I tripped on one of them. They are 120v lights and are not protected in the least.

What I want to do is to make a concrete pedastal with a rigid 90 encased in the concrete for the wiring and have these lights mounted to the concrete and about 6 to 12 inches above ground and 12" below ground level protected with gfci breaker.

I've turned the 2002 nec inside out looking for this particular application and I haven't had any luck. Is there any specs on this type of lighting or is it just common sense to make sure the protection is there.

I would appreciate any help with this situation.
 
Jem the code is not a design manual, I am not trying to be a wise guy here but the only thing you will find is how not to do it.

It sounds like you way would be fine, do you mind if I tell you how I do these?

First I get a single gang malleable steel FS box with two 1/2" hubs on at least on end. (Think heavy duty bell box)

Next I sweep a rigid into the box so that the box will be supported by the raceway at the height I want above grade. This rigid will never have conductors in it if it is the only fixture or at the end of a run of fixtures.

I than sweep another rigid into the box, this sweep must be longer so you can thread it into the box beside the first one, this raceway will connect to the raceway from the source and will likely change to PVC underground.

Finally I mount the fixture to the top of the steel box.

This is all very strong once backfilled with soil, I keep the box up a few inches so that a lawn mower will hit the rigid not the box.

This is also entirely code complaint, a box with threaded hubs may be supported by a minimum of two raceways threaded into the box.


To me the key of this is the steel box, if you do this with cast box IMO you are just wasting your time, the cast box will break when hit.

JMO, I have used this method to support fairly heavy HID fixtures to light signs, after five years they still are perfect.
 
stickboy1375 said:
floodholders are not allowed to be aimed above horizontal plane...
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That makes great sense.....but do you have a code in mind?

What is the gasket for that seals the lamp to the holder?.....at least the first lamp.
 
try these also

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stickboy1375 said:
floodholders are not allowed to be aimed above horizontal plane...
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I don't know about that, but I do know that the lamps wil have a very short life if you do. I prefer an HID solution for outdoor uplighting. Double ended quartz lamps (and the associated fixture) "self destruct" too quickly.
 
mdshunk said:
I prefer an HID solution for outdoor up lighting.
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I agree. :)


Double ended quartz lamps (and the associated fixture) "self destruct" too quickly.
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I consider most of those temporary fixtures.
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The big box stores sell a 300 Watt for like $7.00, you get what you pay for.

There are some good ones out there, they do work well for certain applications. Instant on...very bright white light in a small package.
 
stickboy1375 said:
too expensive, too much labor vs. pvc... and it gets the job done, plus VERY easy to replace light if need be...
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No doubt it's easer to use PVC.

It would be easer still to run an extension cord to one of those plug in flood holders that have a stake for the ground.
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It all depends on the application, those plastic posts worked great in some gardens we had to light, not much chance of damage in among the shrubs.

On the other hand we can think we thought of everything until..

At a large private school we put in underground can lights around trees in the open, they where flush with the sod so you could mow right over them.'

All was good until they ran them over with an 'aerator' on a farm tractor.
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It must have been a friend of Roger's
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Code?

Code?

I was also thinking light pollution, but why would it say something on the light? I can't believe that a light manufacturer would put something like that on the light because of a rule that some jurisdictions now enforce.
 
wirenut1980 said:
I was also thinking light pollution, but why would it say something on the light? I can't believe that a light manufacturer would put something like that on the light because of a rule that some jurisdictions now enforce.
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I agree. The markings are probably related to the UL listing and heat. A lot of vanity and sconce fixtures also have an "up".
 
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