Disconnect fluorescent luminaires safely

By Plant Engineering Staff January 2, 2007

The Sta-Kon luminaire disconnect enables disconnection of power to fluorescent lighting fixtures without exposure to live wires. Developed in response to a new NEC requirement that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2008, the luminaire disconnect is UL listed and CSA certified for this application. A similar industry requirement currently is in effect in the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, Canada, 2006 Edition. It complies with NEC

The luminaire disconnect consists of a male and female disconnect body with

pre-stripped wire connected to the male and female contacts. The contacts are made of tin-plated brass. The disconnect terminals are housed in polycarbonate that is resistant to cracks, abrasions and impact.

Among the luminaire disconnect’s features is a finger-safe female line side with wire connectors that prevent the installer from touching hot contacts. The male side is connected to the fluorescent luminaire ballast — not to active power. Other features include #18 Ga. AWG solid-copper insulated integral wire leads that are compatible with multiple sizes of copper or aluminum wire to simplify installation, as well as an integral latch in the polycarbonate housing, providing a visible and audible verification that the contacts are secured and preventing nuisance outages by not disengaging under small amounts of tension on the wires. An additional benefit of the integral leads is the ability to provide a safe disconnect for a single luminaire that includes multiple ballasts.

Thomas & Betts www.tnb.com