Rewire wooden chandelier to code


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Old 03-25-19, 07:10 PM
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Rewire wooden chandelier to code

10 years ago during a kitchen redo, an "electrician" designed a built an attractive ceiling fixture. I took it down today for repainting and found what appear to be clear cut code inadequacies. I would like to do something to preserve the esthetic, but retain the design elements and would appreciate expert input. I will attempt to attach photos, but am not certain of the outcome. A descriptions follows, please bear with me. Picture 2---¾ x 3 ½ x 36 inch (actual measurements) wood product boards running east to west about 9 inches apart and attached directly to the ceiling. Then 3---¾ x 4 ½ x 19 inch boards running across the east/west boards equally spaced. Finally, a third board ¾ x 5 ½ x 36 paralleling the east/west boards and attached to the north/south boards. 4 pendant lights hang from the intersections of the ceiling and north/south boards, and 1 pendant hangs from the center. The pendants are suspended via hollow rods through which 14 ga wire runs. The wires then run through dados and end up in the center area where they are connected by wire nuts and then go to the ceiling J box. The whole thing is attached to the ceiling with screws and does not depend on the ceiling fixture for support. At least some of the issues are that the connections are not made within a junction box and the wires are running in wooden channels. Any suggestions? TIA.

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Last edited by PJmax; 03-25-19 at 08:28 PM. Reason: cropped/resized pictures
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Old 03-25-19, 08:35 PM
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Welcome to the forums.

Many violations.

In the last picture the wiring is bent sharply at the top of the threaded rod. That should have had some type of bushing. That type wire is designed to be encased in a jacket or conduit with splices in an approved box.

That looks smaller than #14 as #14 doesn't usually fit in a 3/8" threaded rod. Maybe #16.

A bit of a challenge here.
 
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Old 03-26-19, 08:24 AM
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Thanks. Actually 18 gage wire as you noted. Still trying to come up with a design that keeps the esthetic but that is code compliant.
 
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Old 03-26-19, 08:55 AM
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You might be able to work up something with 3 x 1/2 inch pancake boxes, 1/2 inch extension rings or WireMold extension boxes and surface wire way (in the dados).

But I am not so sure that is is not safe as it is (excluding any chafing of insulation at sharp corners, just not to code.

BTW code applies to building wiring, not fixtures. UL and CSA standards/ratings apply to fixtures and may be different than building electrical codes. Obviously this custom, one-of-a-kind fixture is not UL rated.
 
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Old 03-26-19, 10:37 AM
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There really is no code covering this lighting because as 2john02458 mentioned NEC doesn't cover wiring in light fixture and UL doesn't cover custom lighting like this.
UL is closest requirements that you can follow. I am familiar with UL, but what you have may be considered acceptable for UL as I see similar setup in commercially available light fixtures as well.

I'd put a steel plate or a thin metal junction box where you have splices.
I'd also put a sleeve of some sort at the end of the tube where wires enter the socket. to protect wires from sharp edges.
 
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Old 03-26-19, 01:50 PM
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Many light fixtures use a braided tubing to protect wires at turns and joints.

Something like this:

https://www.delcity.net/store/Fiberg...CABEgLP0fD_BwE

Looks like a couple of shallow 4 inch square boxes (with grommets or bushings in the holes) could be mounted on each side of the center box to contain the splices leaving the round center box (is there one?) for the connection to the ceiling box.
 
 

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