Recessed lights and fire rated ceiling question

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kolyan2k

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I know you can install recessed lights that go inside the jbox, but customer wants regular 4'' cans. The building is like a 10 story condo, the floors are all concrete and ceilings are suspended sheetrock. Question is how do I know the fire rating for that ceiling? Or would suspended sheetrock in concrete building automatically be none rated?
 
If I had to guess I would agree with you. The fire rating is provided by the concrete decks, the suspended ceiling is just for aesthetics.
 
kolyan2k said:
I know you can install recessed lights that go inside the jbox, but customer wants regular 4'' cans. The building is like a 10 story condo, the floors are all concrete and ceilings are suspended sheetrock. Question is how do I know the fire rating for that ceiling? Or would suspended sheetrock in concrete building automatically be none rated?
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Not all sheetrock are created equal. The Type X Firecode C which is 5/8" thk, 2hour fire rated and is clearly stamped as such.

Other Type X 5/8" variety are not 2-hour fire rated.
Look at the unpainted side of the drywall to see what type you have.
 
myspark said:
Not all sheetrock are created equal. The Type X Firecode C which is 5/8" thk, 2hour fire rated and is clearly stamped as such.

Other Type X 5/8" variety are not 2-hour fire rated.
Look at the unpainted side of the drywall to see what type you have.
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It's all painted obviously :) it's probably not rated now that I think about it, why would you fire rate suspended ceiling when there is concrete. I live in a condo myself and we don't have sheetrock, just concrete blocks. Didn't hurt to ask anyway, sometimes code is weird
 
How much head room is there between the sheetrock and the concrete deck? If it's tight, I can imagine you will be fighting conduit and ducting at every turn to get those cans in. You would be much better off with disk lights (as you mentioned in post 1)
 
There may be a 15 minute flash rating for that ceiling. Basically, you cant have exposed holes in it.

If clearance to the concrete decking or other mechanical is an issue, you can buy recessed LED lights that are only ~ 1/2" thick, something like this (but better, judging on the reviews).
 
I asked contractor to take a picture. The owner really wants to install HIS lights, even though its some cheap stuff from HD (I would understand if it was some expensive designer lights) I usually just recommend what I always install and its IC and fire-rated so there is never an issue.
 

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kolyan2k said:
I know you can install recessed lights that go inside the jbox, but customer wants regular 4'' cans. The building is like a 10 story condo, the floors are all concrete and ceilings are suspended sheetrock. Question is how do I know the fire rating for that ceiling? Or would suspended sheetrock in concrete building automatically be none rated?
Click to expand...

You need to know if that ceiling is fire rated. It should be on the construction drawings.
 
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