Our Voltimum Experts answer your questions on a daily basis in our Technical Expertise area. This one, about fitting protective grommets to fluorescent strip light fittings, is answered by the NICEIC:
If grommets are required, can you suggest a manufacturer that can supply a suitable grommet that would fit the hole shown in the photo, or would you use a larger grommet to ensure a snug fit?
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Answer: There is a general requirement in Regulation 522.8.1 of BS 7671:2008 that, 'a wiring system shall be selected and erected to avoid during installation, use or maintenance, damage to the sheath or insulation of cables and their terminations'.
However, failure to provide a grommet where a cable, such as thermoplastic (PVC) insulated and sheathed twin-and-earth flat cable, enters a luminaire - such as a fluorescent strip light - is not, in its own right, a deficiency.
To comply with the requirements of Regulation 522.8.1, cable sheaths must be protected from any sharp edges along the whole of their length as well as at the entry point of the accessory. There are several different ways of achieving this at the fluorescent strip light, including deburring the entry hole, providing suitable physical protection for the cable, and/or providing an appropriate grommet. As with all electrical equipment, however, the luminaire should always be installed in accordance with the instructions provided by the manufacturer.
If a grommet is required but a suitable one is not available, grommet strip can be purchased from most electrical wholesalers, which can be cut to size and fitted around the entry hole.
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