For simplicity sake, let’s say I have a customer that would like to plug a lamp into an outlet and dim that lamp with a switch controlling the outlet. Is that legal? Obviously anything plugged into that outlet other than a light could be adversly affected by dimming but is there a legal or functional problem with it?
Thanks,
Eric
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Replies
It is against the code as you can plug other things into the receptacle.
You can get an line dimmer that you can install on a lamp cord.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill,
Let's complicate it a little. What if the outlet is installed in the ceiling (actually above a black drop ceiling grid with no tiles installed) and clearly labelled?
The dimmer control on the cord would not work as the cord will not be accessible.
Functionally would this work or does it create some other issue like the outlet overheating?
I ask 2 electricians I work with occassionally and they both said they had never seen it but weren't sure what piece of the code would prohibit it.
Thanks!
Eric
Yes, you can put a dimmer on SOME OUTLETS in the ceiling.One of the problems is that outlet has a specific meaning in the code. It is any place that connections are made to use electricity.Thus a light fixture is an OUTLET.You are talking about a receptacle.Here is what the code says."(E) Dimmer Switches General-use dimmer switches shall be used only to control
permanently installed incandescent luminaires (lighting fixtures) unless listed for the
control of other loads and installed accordingly."But next to it is the NEC Handbook says."General-use dimmers are not permitted to control receptacles or cord-and-plugconnected
table and floor lamps. Section 404.14(E) does not apply to commercial
dimmers or theater dimmers that can be used for fluorescent lighting and portable
lighting. If a dimmer that has been evaluated only for the control of incandescent
luminaires is used, the potential for connecting incompatible equipment such as a cordand-
plug-connected motor-operated appliance or a portable fluorescent lamp is
increased by using the dimmer to control a receptacle(s)."So it might follow the intent of what you want to do.But it brings up the question of having a corded fixtured install above a suspended ceiling.And I have no idea of what the code is on that.BTW, is this a residence or commercial?.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Bill,
It is actually in the youth room at my church. I started my post trying to keep it simple but that never seems to work!
The suspended ceiling is grid only with no panels and everything above is sprayed black. The receptacle and cord would remain visible and accessible.
The "lamp" is actually a light fixture that was made for a retreat the youth went to back January. It is designed to plug in and was used as part of the portable lighting system for the event.
I run the light and sound stuff in our worship space where everything is DMX controlled and the various fixtures simply plug in. That situation is obviously covered by the NEC you quoted. It seems like I would be doing the same thing in the youth room just not quite as fancy!
What do you think? Is it safe?
Eric
I would think so..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Thanks - I'll try to put it together this weekend!
Of course you could end-run the whole issue by using a plug-in X10 remote control dimmer.
It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way. --Rollo May
Sounds like you simplified it. You're now talking about a specific use receptacle. Thats a different story.
Could you hard wire the light?
Edited 7/31/2008 8:16 pm ET by MSA1
Well I don't know the current code BUT we have outlets for lamps that are on a dimmer circuit on a former Lightolier system. (now converted to Light Touch) These outlets have two horz and one ground versus two vertical and one ground receptacle.
I'll add they have never been used but are active. I made the mistake many years ago of using 12V (A-19) bulbs in them thinking they were 12V. Bulbs were about 10/ea and lasted a split second when I turned that channel on. No wonder the bulbs were so hard to find. :-)
If they are about the size of a standard 15a/120v receptacle then they are NEMA 6-15 and are suppose to be used for 15a/240 circuits.If they are bigger then they are 6-30 for 30a/240vhttp://www.stayonline.com/reference-nema-straight-blade.aspxBut it is possible that someone put those in for 120 so that nobody would be plug in the vac in those receptacles.Or instead of a dimming that controller might have been on/off and it was used for a window AC.And I have heard of people doing things like that to connect speakers..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
They are 6-15 and next to the bedsides for lamps.
Strange.Clearly not being used as God and the NEC intended..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I asked exactly the same thing about 6 months ago and got exactly the same answer.