NEC Article 410 outlines the electrical safety standards for lighting. Learn more about the ground fault protection needs for indoor horticulture lighting.

NEC Article 410 deals with the location, electrical protection, and inspection requirements involved with luminaires, lamp holders, and lamps. This section is very large and involves guidelines to lighting structures in a variety of commercial and industrial industries. There is one that has a very specific guidance involving ground fault protection, which is:

NEC Article 410.184 is the Ground Fault Circuit Interruption section of NEC article 410, which relates to horticulture lighting. Just as many subsets of NEC guidelines, it is very to the point, stating that “for any horticultural use employing flexible cords with one or more conductors shall be supplied by lighting outlets protected by a (UL) Listed ground-fault circuit interrupter”. This means that in larger growing operations, the lighting fixtures must be protected by a UL recognized GFCI. Also, with the 2023 update language, it includes Listed special purpose ground-fault circuit-interrupter (SPGFCI) protection for circuits exceeding 150V, as this is common for the size of lighting installations in this industry.

Just like it is stated above, lighting structures in horticulture growing settings need UL Listed ground fault protection. Now however, the NEC has added more to accommodate the large lighting structures involved in this specific industry, so circuits with over 150V can now have SPGFCI protection, which is a higher trip threshold (Class C 20mA) than normal Class A GFCI protection (6mA).

1. 30 Amp Permanent GFCI
2. 30 Amp Portable GFCI
3. 60 Amp Class A GFCI
4. 60 Amp SPGFCI