[rbucking]

We are doing a reconstruction job for a fire damaged single family residence. It is circa 1900 and has 3 levels (plus basement). We subbed out the electrical rough-in and the electrician saying that by code we need 5 lights down the second floor corridor and 1 at the top of the stairs at the landing. The entire house is only 2500 square feet and this corridor may be 30 feet long. I cannot find a reference to this situation in the NEC. Does someone know the code requirement for this situation?

 

[3onthetree]

NEC 210.70(A)(1)/IRC 3903.2 requires a wall switch-controlled light in habitable rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. An exception is any room other than kitchen or bathroom is that lights can be connected to switch-controlled receptacles.

NEC 210.70(A)(2)/IRC 3903.3 requires at least one switch-controlled light in hallways and stairways. Additionally requires stairways over 6 risers to have a switch at each entry point of the stair (e.g. top, bottom, or at any doorway located on a landing within the stair).



A long hallway should have additional lights, but you should not be relying on the electrician to design it for you. He can offer pointers and insight, but hopefully he is wiring according to a drawing with all electrical requirements, and not getting direction from you pointing your finger "here or there."

 

[Wiredindallas]

The number of fixtures is a lighting design call, not NEC. 5 in 30' is 5' apart. Ok for recess lights used as wall accent lights, but not mandatory.

 

[seharper]

We are doing a reconstruction job for a fire damaged single family residence. It is circa 1900 and has 3 levels (plus basement). We subbed out the electrical rough-in and the electrician saying that by code we need 5 lights down the second floor corridor

Just put in 4 lights and tell him that there are 5.

Let's see who gets that joke...

and 1 at the top of the stairs at the landing. The entire house is only 2500 square feet and this corridor may be 30 feet long. I cannot find a reference to this situation in the NEC. Does someone know the code requirement for this situation?

NEC only says there must be lights, and the lights must be controllable from sensible locations... classically a 3-way/4-way requirement. Make sure you get the wiring for that in the walls, and take special care to comply with the NEC 2011 requirement for neutrals at certain switch locations.

NEC doesn't say one word about how many lights or how well they should cover the area. That's all either building code (required lux in certain locations) or AHJ discretion.

One other thing: when placing lights in difficult-to-serve areas, there's an argument to be made for bulbless LED, but for Pete's sake, use quality. Don't get one of those Chinese "Commercial Electric / Feit Electric / Utilitech" cheapies from the bog box store, and then the poor homeowner has to struggle with all the LEDs failing within months of each other. They shouldn't fail at all. I'd almost even make a case for low-voltage lighting, as those are pretty bulletproof, and you can place the power supply (the thing that will fail) in an accessible location.