ECN Forum Forums Photo Discussion Forums Violation Photo Forum Lampholders Are Not Allowed in Clothes ....

CLOSETS



Because they are a FIRE HAZARD when used with open light bulbs!!

They must have been allowed at some point as there seem to be millions of these around. I see the potential danger here but I can't recall hearing of any house fires caused by these. Any stats on this?

they are everywhere here......

I see similar installations all the time in England as well.

I think it comes down to common sense on the part of the homeowner to not stack stuff where it will too close to the bulb. Unfortunately, common sense seems to be a vanishing commodity these days.

When I come across them, I recommend changing them. On renovation projects my local inspector requires them to be changed or removed.

OK, here is my recollection of the history of this prohibition. There are two fundamental problems with lampholders such as this installed in closets. The first is that they are rated typically for up to 600 W or so with NO warnings as to use a certain wattage bulb. Now it is unlikely that the "average person" will put much more than a 100-200 W in there it has been established that 100 W and higher MAY develop bulb surface temperatures that can ignite light combustibles. Here you have essentially an unprotected bulb. Secondly, it is not usually predictable how the "average person" will configure (reconfigure) a closet for storage, or literally cram the space full. 100 W and some smaller wattages can easily develop bulb surface temperatures that can ignite light combustibles WHEN INSULATED, as by a comforter or other storage that falls forward from a shelf or is pushed by other storage against the bulb. (Joe, your photo is a good example of how the proximity of storage could allow this to happen!)
There were enough documented cases of fires originating from these installations to convince the NFPA committee to restrict lampholder use. The change occurred some time ago and there may be additional justification in some of the older NEC Handbooks.

I believe that it was the '96 code that first addressed this issue.
An easy improvement would be to replace the bulb with one of the new screw-in fluorescents. (Existing need not be updated to new code).
I often, in remodeling, install a recessed can. (Code requires less clearance for a recessed fixture). Or, I mount the light on the wall, above the closet door.

Replacing the bulb with another edison base of any kind still vioates the rule. The keyles lampholder is the issue, it is not and never has been allowed because it is not a fixture!

Hey Joe;

This situation is why I started the thread about closet fixtures. I have changed half of them in my house now to hard wired enclosed flourescent, and the others will be done shortly, In the meantime, I am paranoid about clearances and how long the light stays on. Only for a few minutes at a time, and only when someone is in front of the closet.
I would like to ask a question, I tried the last time, but I think the moderator thought I was flaming you, and edited my post. ( I don't mind by the way). My question is,
What makes a fixture, a fixture, as opposed to being only a lampholder?
If these lampholders were never allowed, why are there so many of them around?

Thanks for the info.

TW

And to clarify, these lampholders are only prohibited in closets, correct?

I assume they're OK to use in a bedroom or living room ceiling? I've been to places where they're used in the bathroom.

Thanks for the info. I'm just slightly confused with this also.

Don't recall the so-called flame, and if I did see it I would probably have deleted it if it was on this violations thread.

See the definition of Luminare for lighting fixture.

Also, the only restriction I know of is that the L...H..der is not alloed in a clothes closet.

So it is written!

THANKS JOE!!

Have a good weekend y'all!

This picture does not show a 'storage' space (shelf) above the hanger rod. 410.8(A).

As Joe has pointed-out, procelain (key or keyless) Lamp Holders are not Lighting Fixtures ( Luminaires ) and are not permitted in Clothes Closets (CC).

A side note;

In the typical 24" or even 30" deep closets, why do most electricians install the outlet in the center of the ceiling?
The light, in most cases, will be casting a shadow on the rear side of the closet where the light is most needed.

Why not install the outlet in the ceiling close to the door or in the wall just above the door?

The light will then cast a much-less shadow on the rear side of the closet.

Just read about a house fire recently in Burlington, Ontario.

Heh, you guessed it.

Fire Marshall says the light bulb in the closet started it.

You're right, Joe. I looked it up in my IAEI book, and it is not enough, to meet code for new installations, to simply install a screw-in fluorescent bulb; the fixture must be changed.
For Joe Homeowner, looking to reduce an existing hazard, I think a cool bulb beats a hot one. Remember, new code only applies to new work. "There shall be no ex poste facto legislation..."

Was the original installation installed per the code adopted at the time of the installation ?

[This message has been edited by Gwz (edited 01-23-2003).]

ElectricAL

Good information! I will look at my copy when I return home. I would like to see what they were calling out as a "lampholder" then.

I may have an old catalog so that I can check it out. In the meantime I deleted the message I posted indicating that lampholders were never permitted in a clothes closet.

1956 NEC;

4156. LAMPHOLDERS,SCREW-SHELL TYPE. Lampholders of the screw-shell type shall be installed for use as lampholders only.

4113. FIXTURES NEAR COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL. Lampholders installed over specially combustible material shall be of the unswitched type and unless individual switches are provided, shall be located at least 8 feet above the floor, or shall be otherwise so located or guarded that the lamps cannot be readily be removed or damaged.

1956 NEC;

4115. FIXTURES IN CLOTHES CLOSETS. Fixtures in clothes closets shall be installed on the ceiling or on the wall above the door. Pendants shall not be installed in clothes closets.

Gwz,

1956 NEC 4113 is todays 2002 NEC 410.6.

NEC Handbook commentary: I find the section use of "lampholder" while pointing to "luminaire" interesting.

[This message has been edited by ElectricAL (edited 02-07-2003).]

At one time, wall-mounted 'receptacles' for serving portable appliances had traditional edison-base screw shells. You could literally screw a lamp into a wall-mounted receptacle. The one I have seen in an older house had a brass, hinged cover to save unintentionally contacting live conductors.

There's an open-bulb lampholder in my closet here, (I DID NOT INSTALL THIS!). I keep a small 7.5W light in it (the medium based one), plus I barely use it anyways. so I dunno. was pondering CFL

A keyless lampholder is not a luminaire??? Then what is it? As far as I know, it's a luminaire- of a type specifically banned from closets. Where does the "not a luminaire" come from?

Otherwise- on this subject, I accept the challenge, and shall submit a better illustration of why lamps in closets might be a hazard...stay tuned :-)

Has anyone else seen an old (Disney???) cartoon where a cat-and-mouse chase is going on; the mouse of course runs into the baseboard mouse hole and the cat heads right into an UNCOVERED Edison-base receptacle in the baseboard!

Ya gotta wonder how many babies were shocked/electrocuted with those...

Oops, sorry for the threadjack!

[This message has been edited by Sir Arcsalot (edited 05-04-2005).]

Defined in Article 100 see:

Thanks for the clarification that "keyless" lampholders are only proscribed from clothes closets- and may be used most anywhere else.

Yeah. That was Tom & Jerry, an MGM cartoon.

Am I allowed to be installed in attic spaces and crawl spaces? Where should my switch be located?

Nice artwork, Joe! IMO, yes, these can be installed in attics and crawl spaces.
Switch location is a matter for the building code; here, at least one light needs to be controlled at the access point. How? I suppose even a long string, passed through eyehooks, would qualify. The only time I've been "called" on this issue was when the homeowner was planning on moving the access point.

That said, I sometimes think I'm the only one who hangs these things properly....that is, uses a box, connectors, etc.

Code doesn't really address the issue of lights in these "service" areas...which isn't surprising, as the issue is never addressed by architects, designers, or anyone else.

Huh?

Tom & Jerry is also good for the representation of knob-&-tube wiring within walls. There's at least one in which Tom uses some kind of hooked stick (a walking cane?) trying to scoop Jerry out and ends up hooking the K&T conductors and shorting them out.

Could somebody please clarify a little terminology for me? What exactly is a keyed vs. a keyless lampholder?

Good question, Paul.

These basic lampholders were once made in another variety, one that had a switch in the base that you twisted to operate the light. This was the "key". While this "key" usually remained in the fixture, you turned it like a key (rather than flipping it or pushing it).

In other words: keyed = switched, while keyless means not switched.

Keyless:


Pull-chain:

Ah, thanks. So were these like the switches still commonly found on tablelamps, where you keep turning in the same direction for both on and off?

I don't think that latter type was ever used here in England. Switched lampholders had either a pullchain, or often a pushbar right through -- Press in on one side for on, the other side for off.

Pretty much.

Some of them (Where the knob is shaped like a little paddle), you can turn them in either direction since the plastic "key" is molded on the metal shaft of the switch.

I haven't seen these sold in the USA very often. They're common in Latin America, however.

The more common ones you have to turn in the same direction use a little round plastic knob that is screwed onto the shaft. You turn these clockwise.