Dry or damp?

[bill1952]

Porch with roof (ply, ice and water, architectural shingles) and ceiling. LED down lights in ceiling. NM-B or UF?

Thanks.

 

[ICE]

Dry location.

 

[bill1952]

Thank you.

 

[Gregg Harris]

My vote is for damp location NEC definitions
Location, Damp. Locations protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches, and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns, and some cold-storage warehouses.

 

[wwhitney]

Location, Damp. . . . roofed open porches

I take that to refer to wiring exposed within the user portion of the roofed open porch, and so possibly directly exposed to moisture from the side. Whereas I understand the OP to be about wiring in the porch's "attic," which would not be so exposed, and hence would be a dry location. Like any other attic.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[bill1952]

Is a porch with a ceiling - creating an attic as wwhitney suggests - and "open porch"? Clearly no exposed, just not conditioned.

I did find both damp and wet LED fixtures. Soffit lights being key term. Fewer choices than dry.

Thanks for the discussion. My preliminary search suggested it was clear cut.

 

[Gregg Harris]

I concede, I missed the ceiling.

 

[ICE]

What about the light fixture? I have not considered a light fixture in a porch ceiling to be in a wet location. The policy has been that unless it can be rained on, it is not a wet location and we just never paid much attention to a damp location. Every bathroom with a shower could be damp.

 

[wwhitney]

Every bathroom with a shower could be damp.

NEC 410.10(D) is pretty clear about when a luminaire near a shower needs to be damp or wet rated. Outside the (projected) footprint of the shower only requires a dry location rating.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[bill1952]

Now it makes me wonder if lights recessed in a soffit and the wiring is dry or damp?

In my case, also substantial porch "attic" and lights and wiring not near any "edge". But a soffit seems closer to that line between dry and damp.

 

[wwhitney]

Now it makes me wonder if lights recessed in a soffit and the wiring is dry or damp?

Unless the roof above the soffit leaks, the wiring above the soffit would be in a dry location. Whether the luminaire exposed through the soffit needs to be damp location rated depends on your interpretation, but if close to the roof edge, using a damp location luminaire seems like a good idea.

Cheers, Wayne