Closet Lightning Question

[James L. Keilson]

OK what is the code on Fluorescent lightning in a closet. I know it says 6" from the vertical plane of a shelf in a closet, but does that include a closed covered fluorescent light? I am away from the office so no access to my NEC so can someone paste for me the actual code?

Thanks In advance.
Jim

[Robert Meier]

2008 nec:

410.16 luminaires in clothes closets.
(a) luminaire types permitted. Listed luminaires of the following types shall be permitted to be installed in a closet:
(1) a surface-mounted or recessed incandescent luminaire with a completely enclosed lamp
(2) a surface-mounted or recessed fluorescent luminaire
(3) surface-mounted fluorescent or led luminaires identified as suitable for installation within the storage area
(b) luminaire types not permitted. Incandescent luminaires with open or partially enclosed lamps and pendant luminaires or lampholders shall not be permitted.
(c) location. The minimum clearance between luminaires installed in clothes closets and the nearest point of a storage space shall be as follows:
(1) 300 mm (12 in.) for surface-mounted incandescent or led luminaires with a completely enclosed light source installed on the wall above the door or on the ceiling
(2) 150 mm (6 in.) for surface-mounted fluorescent luminaires installed on the wall above the door or on the ceiling
(3) 150 mm (6 in.) for recessed incandescent or led luminaires with a completely enclosed light source installed in the wall or the ceiling
(4) 150 mm (6 in.) for recessed fluorescent luminaires installed in the wall or the ceiling
(5) surface-mounted fluorescent or led luminaires shall be permitted to be installed within the storage space where identified for this use.

[Bob Elliott]

Article 410 Luminaries (Lighting Fixture), Lampholders, and Lamps

Article 410.8 (B) Luminaries (Fixture) Types Permitted. Listed. The following types of light fixtures shall be permitted to be installed in a closet. Closets (Clothes and storage) eight ( square feet (0.74 m²) or larger one of the following type of light fixtures shall be installed:

1. A recessed incandescent fixture with a completely enclosed lamp operated by a wall switch.

2. A surface mounted or recessed fluorescent fixture with a completely enclosed tube(s) operated by a wall switch.

410.8 (C) Luminaries (Fixture) Types Not Permitted. The following fixtures are not permitted:

1. Surface mounted incandescent fixture with enclosed, partially enclosed or open bulbs.
2. Pendant Style
3. Lampholders

Exception:
Walk-in closets of larger area where no storage exists within forty (40) inches (1016 mm) in any direction of a vertical line extending from the floor to ceiling, away from the wall, incandescent fixtures with totally enclosed bulb(s) may be used. Said light fixtures shall be operated by a wall switch.

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

2008 nec:

Oooops same thing.

[James L. Keilson]

So am I correct in calling out the builder who put the surface mounted florescent light directly above a 12" shelf ?

Jim

[Bob Elliott]

Originally Posted by jkeilson

So am I correct in calling out the builder who put the surface mounted florescent light directly above a 12" shelf ?

Jim

I say it is your call.
They are not actually going to do anything about it which all of us know so do you actually think of it as a hazard?
"You Make the call"

[Robert Meier]

Originally Posted by jkeilson

So am I correct in calling out the builder who put the surface mounted florescent light directly above a 12" shelf ?

Jim

Does it have the required clearances?

[James L. Keilson]

Originally Posted by Robert Meier

Does it have the required clearances?

Well that is my original question. The light is a surface mounted fluorescent light with a cover that has its ends directly over the closets shelves. /

[Bob Elliott]

Picture would be nice but I do not really see a issue if the cover is plastic.

[Robert Meier]

Here is the closet storage area as defined by the NEC. The surface mounted fluorescent cannot be within this area unless identified for use within the space. If not in the area it would need to be a minimum of 6" above the shelf and 6" in from each edge and from the back of the storage area in the graphic.

410.2 Definitions
Closet Storage Space. The volume bounded by the sides and back closet walls and planes extending from the closet floor vertically to a height of 1.8 m (6 ft) or to the highest clothes-hanging rod and parallel to the walls at a horizontal distance of 600 mm (24 in.) from the sides and back of the closet walls, respectively, and continuing vertically to the closet ceiling parallel to the walls at a horizontal distance of 300 mm (12 in.) or the width of the shelf, whichever is greater; for a closet that permits access to both sides of a hanging rod, this space includes the volume below the highest rod extending 300 mm (12 in.) on either side of the rod on a plane horizontal to the floor extending the entire length of the rod. See Figure 410.2.