While backing up his pickup truck, Charlie Abruscato from Astoria, N.Y., damaged this outdoor lighting fixture located along a driveway at a hotel property in Indianapolis, Ind. Recognizing this as a possible hazard because of the lost illumination and exposed wires, he reported the damage to the hotel security guard.
When Charlie left the hotel around five the next morning, the luminaire was repaired, and shined brightly once again. But Charlie said it looked like someone used about “three rolls of plastic tape” to make the repair. After a few hours on the road, he thought about the possibility that the fixture was not properly grounded. Was it? Probably not.
Editor's Note. Article 410, Part V, covers grounding. Section 410.17 indicates that luminaries (fixtures), and lighting equipment must be grounded as required by Article 250. See Sections 410.20 and 410.22 for equipment grounding conductor attachment, connection and size required in accordance with Section 250.122.
Note: This article includes the author's “personal opinions” and should not be considered as a formal interpretation on the NEC.
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