Wall scones in a tub surround

[Randy Clayton]

I found this yesterday in a millon-plus type custom home;though the builder did a great job I had one issue the wall sconces inside the tub enclosure. I did not thank they should have been there in the first place and was evan more surprised that that they were not even gfi'd.

[Rick Hurst]

Those lamps should be removed.

rick

[wayne soper]

Those are X wife sconces

[John Arnold]

From the 2008 NEC.
" 410.10 Luminaires in Specific Locations.
- - (D) Bathtub and Shower Areas. No parts of cord-connected luminaires, chain-, cable-, or cord-suspended luminaires, lighting track, pendants, or ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans shall be located within a zone measured 900 mm (3 ft) horizontally and 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold. This zone is all encompassing and includes the space directly over the tub or shower stall. Luminaires located within the actual outside dimension of the bathtub or shower to a height of 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower threshold shall be marked for damp locations, or marked for wet locations where subject to shower spray."

I don't see anything there that describes those light fixtures.

[Rick Hurst]

Yeah, some man will become a widower when she has to lean over that tub to reach the water faucet to fill the tub and accidentally fall and hit her head on the tub wall.

Now whats a poor single man going to do with a big arse house as such? :D

rick

[wayne soper]

Honey, CAn you scrub my back?
Sure, just screw in this new lightbulb so I can see better.
Really?
You bet!

[Richard Abrams]

These would only be allowed in my jurisdiction if there were 8 feet above high water level and were GFCI protected. The fixture also has to be suitable for wet locations.

[Jerry McCarthy]

Richard, you'll find that its 8 ft. above the tub rim.

[Jim Robinson]

Is that not a surface mounted light, which is allowed by the code picture JM posted? I interpret the code to be referring to pendant lights, track lights and others that hang down by some means.

[Rick Hurst]

8 ft. or a surface mount, that lamp fixture is probably not "damp rated" for such use.

rick

[John Arnold]

"Luminaires located within the actual outside dimension of the bathtub or shower to a height of 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower threshold shall be marked for damp locations, or marked for wet locations where subject to shower spray."

My bold. I don't think they have to be rated/marked for damp location, because they aren't "within the actual outside dimension of the bathtub".

Well, I guess they could be, after viewing the photo again. Hard to tell.

I'm not saying it's a good idea. Just trying to interpret the code.

[Jerry McCarthy]

Really bad idea I agree and is that window adjacent the tub provided with safety/tempered glazing?
BTW, those top-set rim tubs have become the PC inspectors best friend since they invented stall showers.

[Jim Robinson]

They may or may not be rated for a damp location. I certainly can't tell from the photo. There's lots of sconces out there that are rated for damp locations, and lots that aren't. You'd have to get the model number to make sure.

Search (http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?query=wall+sconce+damp+location&first=20&only=0&categ=all&catalog=fiverivers)

[Jerry Peck]

Setting aside the "Damp Location" issue for a moment ...

Those wall sconces are not considered "surface mounted" light fixtures and do fall within the prohibited zone for those types of lights (luminaires).

... times up, now back to "Damp Location" ...

I also doubt those would be damp location rated simply based on the upward-facing open glass around the lamp.

[Jerry McCarthy]

Hey, don't you know that imported English Scones come with pre-drilled holes in their bottoms to let out any accumulated moisture?
















Just a silly mood today, sorry................:)

[Michael Larson]

Sconce
http://common.csnstores.com/common/marketing/foscarini/minikitewall.jpg

Scones
http://www.littleshamrocks.com/image-files/scones1_lg.jpg

[BARRY ADAIR]

The key to this passing and getting the CO is a little "good fortune" ;)

Money talks, millionaires don't have to play by the rules and those are some pretty cheesy fixtures for such a "high end" house.

[Aaron Miller]

... times up, now back to "Damp Location" ...


ECJ:

I find that, the more expensive the home is, the more likely it is that I will find lights or luminaires (oo-la-la) and ceiling or paddle (ouch!) fans above and around the bathtub. I've even seen them in the shower stalls. The builders don't necessarily want to put them there, but the clients insist, so what's a mother to do?

I tell them that I would like to have them as repeat clients which is unlikely to occur after they've fried themselves in the tub. Do you think they listen. Phuque no, if they saw it in Architectural Digest or on HGTV, they've just gotta have it.

Land of the freaks and home of the knaves,

Aaron:D

[Randy Clayton]

Arron i'll have to agree (customers always right) I just didn't think lights were allowed in the tub enclosure..

[Michael Greenwalt]

I thought this setup I ran across yesterday was pretty nice, shower and shave at the same time