# T-bar fixture supports and seismic



## Fractured (Feb 15, 2011)

We had our ceiling inspection yesterday. The inspector was a huge weiner, but thats beside the point. We are working in a commercial office building, a TI job. 
2 questions:

1.When it comes to securing and supporting 2x4 fixtures in tbar, we usually will secure opposite corners with button head tek screws through the tbar and use ceiling wire to tie off the corners that are not screwed. The inspector said we had to screw all 4 corners, and I had never heard of that. Any ideas if that is legit or he is just on a powertrip?

2.Also, he said we could not use ceiling wire to support mc unless it was tied off to the tbar ( not the actual tbar seismic, but seperate wires we shot into the pandeck and then tied to the tbar). I could not find anything in NEC any thoughts?


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

How long you been doing electrical work. What you got nailed on has been the rule for years. 4 screws and 2 wires. MC zip tied to fixture wires. When spacing is over 6', like in a corridor, drop another wire with a banana clip. Never had to paint wires yet.


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## SparkYZ (Jan 20, 2010)

knowshorts said:


> How long you been doing electrical work. What you got nailed on has been the rule for years. 4 screws and 2 wires. MC zip tied to fixture wires. When spacing is over 6', like in a corridor, drop another wire with a banana clip. Never had to paint wires yet.


He speaks the truth!


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## knowshorts (Jan 9, 2009)

SparkYZ said:


> He speaks the truth!


The only time I will lie is when I'm talking to a really nice rack.


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## Rockyd (Apr 22, 2007)

knowshorts said:


> How long you been doing electrical work. What you got nailed on has been the rule for years. 4 screws and 2 wires. MC zip tied to fixture wires. When spacing is over 6', like in a corridor, drop another wire with a banana clip. Never had to paint wires yet.


Bcause yournot in Washington - wires get painted there. WAC rules.


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## Billy Bob (Aug 20, 2011)

Here we must either paint or flag grid wires, these being seprate from grid wires used to support ceiling. Never had to screw fixture to grid though.


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## nitro71 (Sep 17, 2009)

Rockyd said:


> Bcause yournot in Washington - wires get painted there. WAC rules.


Pretty sure that's only fire rated ceilings Rocky, good try though :thumbsup:


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## cabletie (Feb 12, 2011)

This one could go on like ground up/ground down.
I have only screwed 4 corners when the inspector has asked for it, otherwise it is only two and two drop wires to opposite corners. I have noticed every inspector to be different. One said he wanted all four corners screwed because it makes changing the lamps easier, whatever! Some want screws in fire rated ceilings which I thought defeats the purpose. Some things may fall under building codes which may be different in CA. I gave up on that section of the code.


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