# GFCI Landscape Lights



## Cletis (Aug 20, 2010)

This is a spin-off but thought it was appropriate here. On a dedicated run where UF is run 12" or greater below grade and comes up to 120V landscape lights sleeved properly does this need to be gfci protected? A hunch yes but cant't find yet in 310.5 and 210.8. I've only had 1 cup of coffee though I'm still looking for ref.....


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

you need more coffee Cletis:thumbsup:

if i may interject a similar concern to LL's, how would a GFCI protect the LV variety through an Xformer....?

~CS~


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

chicken steve said:


> you need more coffee Cletis:thumbsup:
> 
> if i may interject a similar concern to LL's, how would a GFCI protect the LV variety through an Xformer....?
> 
> ~CS~


It is 120V Steve.

Look at T.300.5


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Yes i know he said 120V Denny

i'm questioning it further, as we see a lot of xformer low V lights, with manufacturers instructions to bury wires under the grass

we also see low V amenities around pools & hot tubs

so...again.....how does a 120V gfci protect anything on the secondary side?

~CS~


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> so...again.....how does a 120V gfci protect anything on the secondary side?


It does not and does not have to.

Why would I need protection for personal on a 12 volt circuit?


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

chicken steve said:


> Yes i know he said 120V Denny
> 
> i'm questioning it further, as we see a lot of xformer low V lights, with manufacturers instructions to bury wires under the grass
> 
> ...



For one, the secondary of those kinds of transformers are usually ungrounded, so to be part of the circuit, you'd need to contact both conductors. For two, nobody, anywhere, has ever even felt a 12 V shock, let alone died from one:laughing:


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

InPhase277 said:


> For one, the secondary of those kinds of transformers are usually ungrounded, so to be part of the circuit, you'd need to contact both conductors. For two, nobody, anywhere, has ever even felt a 12 V shock, let alone died from one:laughing:


I disagree-- you can feel 12V but I agree no one has probably died from it.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

BBQ said:


> It does not and does not have to.
> 
> Why would I need protection for personal on a 12 volt circuit?


Because i've installed low V landscape lighting , and the instructions _say_ so BBQ

further, there's more than one place in the code that would have us do so as well

680.51 for example....

perhaps i've a brain fart today?:blink:

I just can't imagine a gfci protecting the secondary from grounding out...?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

A 120v gfci will not protect the secondary of a transformer. 680.51 excludes low voltage that are listed for pool areas


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

chicken steve said:


> Because i've installed low V landscape lighting , and the instructions _say_ so BBQ
> 
> further, there's more than one place in the code that would have us do so as well
> 
> ...


It doesn't protect past the transformer and it can't.

What does that have to do with the manufacturer saying to use one?

We all know it is cover their ass boiler plate instructions but so what?


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## RePhase277 (Feb 5, 2008)

Also, it isn't unheard of for a primary-to-secondary short, either in the field wiring or the windings. A 12 volt circuit could get energized by 120 V. Not a bad idea to GFCI it.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

BBQ said:


> We all know it is cover their ass boiler plate instructions but so what?


true BBQ,
i guess i'm just being a big baby needing a theory related rationale to feel ok about the installs i've done....~CS~


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## therain (Jan 18, 2013)

Per 120V circuit Table 300.5 column 4


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