# Bedroom lighting requirements...



## Chris1971 (Dec 27, 2010)

joemar4 said:


> Haven't done residential in many years, so not up on the current code for such. I know back in the day a switch controlled outlet was the only requirement for bedrooms as far as lighting. Someone was telling me that a switch and ceiling light is now required and switch controlled outlets are no longer accepted. Any truth to this? :confused1:



Check with the AHJ they might have some additional requirements.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

All outlets in bedrooms (including lighting and smoke detector outlets) need to be AFCI protected.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Here's the whole shebang:



> *210.70 Lighting Outlets Required.* Lighting outlets shall
> be installed where specified in 210.70(A), (B), and (C).
> (A) Dwelling Units. In dwelling units, lighting outlets
> shall be installed in accordance with 210.70(A)(1), (A)(2),
> ...


That, and the AFCI thing, and the fact that you need to have a grounded (neutral) conductor present at your switch location, unless it is in conduit or fishable, is about all you need to know on this topic.


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## joemar4 (Oct 13, 2011)

erics37 said:


> Here's the whole shebang:
> 
> 
> 
> That, and the AFCI thing, and the fact that you need to have a grounded (neutral) conductor present at your switch location, unless it is in conduit or fishable, is about all you need to know on this topic.


No more switch leg splice with a two wire at the switch and the white marked with black tape? Well I guess that's a good thing. Really confuses the crap out of Johnny homeowner when they wonder why they can't add an outlet off the switch box!


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

joemar4 said:


> No more switch leg splice with a two wire at the switch and the white marked with black tape? Well I guess that's a good thing. Really confuses the crap out of Johnny homeowner when they wonder why they can't add an outlet off the switch box!


You can still do that, you just need to use a 3-wire cable instead of a 2-wire and just stuff the neutral into the back of the box.


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

404.2(C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. Where switches
control lighting loads supplied by a grounded general purpose
branch circuit, the grounded circuit conductor for the controlled
lighting circuit shall be provided at the switch location.
Exception: The grounded circuit conductor shall be permitted
to be omitted from the switch enclosure where either
of the following conditions in (1) or (2) apply:
(1) Conductors for switches controlling lighting loads enter
the box through a raceway. The raceway shall have
suffıcient cross-sectional area to accommodate the extension
of the grounded circuit conductor of the lighting
circuit to the switch location whether or not the
conductors in the raceway are required to be increased
in size to comply with 310.15(B)(3)(a).
(2) Cable assemblies for switches controlling lighting
loads enter the box through a framing cavity that is
open at the top or bottom on the same floor level, or
through a wall, floor, or ceiling that is unfinished on
one side.

Informational Note: The provision for a (future) grounded
conductor is to complete a circuit path for electronic lighting
control devices.


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## joemar4 (Oct 13, 2011)

erics37 said:


> 404.2(C) Switches Controlling Lighting Loads. Where switches
> control lighting loads supplied by a grounded general purpose
> branch circuit, the grounded circuit conductor for the controlled
> lighting circuit shall be provided at the switch location.
> ...


Thanks for the info. Really appreciate it! :thumbsup:


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