seismic bracing and support for lights and mc whips

[wes cooper]

i know if i use erico style clips to support my light fixtures to the ceiling grid i don't have to take slack wires up to the structure. but then i still am required to hang slack wires for my mc cable to attach to, which my st. louis county inspector says i need to paint a different color or use colored break away clips to signify the pencil rod is for electrical support only. what i need to know, is if i just do away with the erico clips, and i screw all 4 corners of my fixture to the grid, and i take 2 wires up to the structure at opposite corners of the fixture(within the weight limitations of needing 2 or 4 wires), and then use the wires supporting my fixture to attach my mc cable to, do i still need to paint that wire as well, even though it is attached from structure directly to my fixture and does not touch the grid at all?

 

[raider1]

Unless this is a fire-rated ceiling assembly, you don't have to color the independant support wires that you install according to 300.11(A) of the 2005 NEC. There might be a local code that might come into play so check with the local AHJ.

Chris