Supporting a luminare from low voltage wires.

[egwmiv]

We received lights from a Canadian based company that are made to utilize the low voltage control wiring for support. These lights were spec'd by an engineer to go into a high school cafeteria. The manufacturer says its okay to do it. As the EC I do NOT want to hang these things 8ft high supported only by LV wiring, I am sure there is code to support not doing this but the language is a bit vague to me.

"300.11(D) Cables Not Used as Means of Support. Cable wiring methods shall not be used as a means of support for other cables, raceways, or nonelectrcial equipment."
Would a luminare be considered "non-electrical equipment??"

410 Part IV Luminare Supports also doesn't specifically call out support via conductors

Again, I DONT want to hang these lights this way, but need a solid code reference to tell the manufacturer, engineer and GC to take 60k worth of lights and tell them they specified the wrong one.

Help me out, and don't crucify me too much.

Thanks

 

[hbiss]

Do you have a spec or manufacturer's instruction that we can look at?

-Hal

 

[infinity]

Is this a listed light fixture?

 

[jim dungar]

Would a luminare be considered "non-electrical equipment??"

A luminare is definitely electrical equipment.
How heavy are they?

 

[egwmiv]

Here is the installation method which states supplied aircraft cable and Power over suspension cord. What they provided was a vinyl jacketed low voltage wire that is already installed in the fixture. The manufacturer is telling us that this wire is acceptable to them for support. The fixture is ETL listed.

 

[rambojoe]

Before you make a issue that doesnt exist for a $65k light package, you may want to mock up a fixture first. The Lv cable "sisters" a nice and sturdy aircraft cable...

 

[hbiss]

The Lv cable "sisters" a nice and sturdy aircraft cable...

That's what I'm seeing. The power cable does not support anything, it just runs with one of the support cables. This is just like many other pendent fixtures and chandeliers that have been around forever. Ever see a hanging fixture with the power zip cord run down with the chain it hangs from?

Oh, and there are many pendent fixtures that DO hang from their power cable.

"300.11(D) Cables Not Used as Means of Support. Cable wiring methods shall not be used as a means of support for other cables, raceways, or nonelectrcial equipment."

I think you have it backwards. ELECTRICAL cables shall not be used to support other cables, raceways or non-electrical equipment.

Again, I DONT want to hang these lights this way, but need a solid code reference to tell the manufacturer, engineer and GC to take 60k worth of lights and tell them they specified the wrong one.

Now say "thank you" to us for saving you from looking stupid.

-Hal