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Wet niche fixture

earshavewalls

Bronze Member
Joined
Oct 21, 2009
Messages
77
Location
Southern California
We have been wrestling with a part of the pool code (electrical, NEC 680) dealing with the installation depth of pool light fixtures, in particular wet niche fixtures. Article 680.23(B)(6) states:

(6) Servicing. All luminaires shall be removable from the water for relamping or normal maintenance. Luminaires shall be installed in such a manner that personnel can reach the luminaire for relamping, maintenance, or inspection while on the deck or equivalently dry location.

Well, how do you accomplish this with a bottom-mounted fixture? There is a section dedicated to this (680.23(A)(6)), but it does not say anything, really, other than the lens needing to be guarded against contact by persons.

We are getting ready for California's next cycle (adopting the 2008 NEC as the model) and wish to clear this issue up.

What say ye?????
 
Re: Wet niche fixture

One thing you need to really review is the pool plans and make sure there is a copy on site.

We require all pool plans to show location of lights, any waterfalls, built up benches and so forth.

We inspect the lights at the belly steel and ground inspection. At that time we know where the waterfall may be and if the electrician has installed a light where a "raised area" will be, we red tag it and require them to move the light to a location where the light can be serviced without having to enter the water.
 
Re: Wet niche fixture

Would this hot tub have a place for dry or wet niche fixtures?

HillBillyHotTub.jpg
 
Re: Wet niche fixture

Fun answers and photo (the only thing lacking in each photo is proper seanoning of what is being...or getting ready to be...cooked).......

So, if the bottom-mounted fixture is a wet niche fixture, you still must be able to remove it for servicing without entering the water? Nice trick!

It would be nice if the code had another one of the "uses permitted" and "uses not permitted" as far as these fixtures go.......you know.......clarity.....I realize that asking for clarity in the codes is like asking for tax relief, but it would be nice.....

We will continue to wrestle with it. As was pointed out, this applies only to wet-niche fixtures, but that is what we see the most of around these parts.
 
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