Room Controller in Hard Lid Ceiling

[RookiEE]

Hello, I am new to the forum and also new to the engineering industry.

Question about how contractors/lighting reps install lighting room controller when the ceiling type is hard lid (gypsum) ceiling and not drop ceiling. For example Legrand Wattstopper LMRC-100 series room controllers, usually on plans we just show the room controllers on the ceiling, if you look at the sample connection diagram in the cutsheet, the room controller is attached to a junction box, in which the junction box can hide in the ceiling if the ceiling type is drop ceiling. However how do they install the room controller attached to the junction box if its hard lid (gypsum) ceiling? I know that per NEC, you can not conceal junction box, you must be able to access it. Do they just install a recessed junction box with blank cover? They definitely dont want the junction box to show on ceiling for new construction. Never being on site when they are installed so I don't know how its being done.

Thanks!

 

[Strathead]

Either they are placed in a different room where they can be accessible, or an access hatch must be installed. So, they can be all the way back in the electric room, if necessary, it just means the low voltage control wires have to be run all the way there. Or the can be in a nearby closet or a room with a drop ceiling.

 

[RookiEE]

Yeah, don't think we ever coordinated with the architect to have them provide access panel at where the room controllers are. Maybe the contractor/lighting rep just changed the layout of the low voltage system slightly to make it code compliant.

Thank you!

 

[Strathead]

Yeah, don't think we ever coordinated with the architect to have them provide access panel at where the room controllers are. Maybe the contractor/lighting rep just changed the layout of the low voltage system slightly to make it code compliant.

Thank you!

In my experience for commercial n there is always a room nearby where the controller can be accessible.

 

[RookiEE]

We do some government renovation projects too, the existing buildings are two stories and with only some of the offices with gyp ceiling, these type of structures would probably not have accessible ceiling anywhere, would be better to coordinate with the architect for access panels.

 

[Kansas Mountain]

We do some government renovation projects too, the existing buildings are two stories and with only some of the offices with gyp ceiling, these type of structures would probably not have accessible ceiling anywhere, would be better to coordinate with the architect for access panels.

Don't get too focused on concealing above ceilings. A lot of your controllers/power packs will have communication ranges that would allow them to be placed in janitor closets, equipment rooms, storage spaces, etc. where an exposed installation would be generally acceptable.

However, if you are dealing with projects where there truly is no good place to locate controllers/power packs, you should consider using fixtures with integrated fixture controllers like Vive Kiwi's, Athena Wireless Nodes, etc. The examples I'm giving are both Lutron products, because that's who I primarily deal with, but there are a ton of options out there.

 

[RookiEE]

Coming back to this post, if the building is just a shower/latrine with no other rooms in the building, no accessible ceiling around the area. I assume the next option would be just wall mount the room controller, I've seen room controller in a JB and attached to another JB(wire termination). This seems fine since mounting the JB with room controller in it, whether surface mount for flush mount would allow the JB with blank cover to be accessible if the room controller needs to be serviced.

 

[Trinityalps]

Same problem here. All hard lid, large area, multiple controllers, and NO above ceiling access. This doesn’t seem at all ideal to me, but can the controller even be in a blanked off box or in a fixtures box? The connections would all be accessible but the unit itself wouldn’t be. So if it dies you’re cutting out drywall.