Section 410.10 (D) Bathtub and Shower Areas of the 2014 NEC requires that downlight luminaires located within the outside dimension of a shower be wet location listed if subject to shower spray. Some local codes, such as the City of Seattle Electrical Code, go one step further than the NEC (National Electrical Code) and add that luminaires with exposed metal parts must be ground fault circuit interrupter protected (GFCI).
The requirement to add GFCI protection to the luminaire circuit within the shower or bathtub zone adds complexity and cost. As an alternate, contractors can utilize non-conductive dead front trims to get around the GFI requirement as it is only applicable to grounded metal trims.
What is a dead front trim?
The term dead-front is defined by the NEC (National Electrical Code) as, “Without live parts exposed to a person on the operating side of the equipment,” and usually applies to electrical panels, in which the front or accessible part is insulated from line voltage and can be operated without receiving an electric shock. In recessed luminaires, the term dead-front usually implies the trim is constructed out of a material such as polycarbonate, with good electrical insulation properties that likewise does not conduct electricity.
Why is this feature useful?
The 2014 NEC, in section 410.10 (D) Bathtub and Shower Areas states, “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 900mm (3ft) horizontally and 2.5 m (8ft) 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.”
The NEC only requires that downlight luminaires located within the outside dimension of a shower, be wet location listed, if subject to shower spray. Some local codes such as the City of Seattle Electrical Code2 go one step further than the NEC and add: “Luminaires, with exposed metal parts that are grounded, must be ground fault circuit interrupter protected.”
The requirement to add GFCI protection to the luminaire circuit within the shower or bathtub zone adds complexity and cost. Contractors may opt to use the dead-front trim as an alternative to GFCI requirement, as it is only applicable to grounded metal trims.
DMF’S Dead Front Trims & Luminaires
DMF offers several different trims and luminaires which completely cover the metal parts of the underlying luminaire, thus creating a non-conductive electrical insulation barrier or dead-front. Look for the “DF” option at the end of any trim or product code to indicate dead-front, and see the complete list below for DMF’s different dead-front options.
• M Series Residential Square and Round Downlight – M4TxSWHDF
• S Series 4” Round 750lm in 2700k or 3000k – DRD5S4R079xxxDF
• C Series – All C Series Trims are naturally non-conductive