
The safety precautions that need to be taken are correspondingly less stringent, and are reflected in NEC article 725, which lay out the types of wires and connection methods that are allowed. Therefore, the electrical shock and fire risk are significantly lower for Class 2 circuits compared to those that plug directly into regular 120V/240V AC mains power supply.

Are LED strips exempt from UL requirements under NEC because they fall under Class 2?Ĭlass 2 is a special designation for circuits which by definition are limited to a certain voltage (60V DC) and power (100W).

LED strip lighting kit), or listed separately as one of the components of an assembled system. In other words, LED strip lights must be listed (UL/ETL or otherwise) as a part of a listed lighting system (e.g. The luminaires, power supply, and luminaire fittings (including the exposed bare conductors) of an exposed bare conductor lighting system shall be listed for use as part of the same identified lighting system. (6) Cable, conductors in conduit, or other fixed wiring method for the secondary circuit (5) Cord (secondary circuit) for which the luminaires and power supply are listed for use A lighting system assembled from the following listed parts shall be permitted: The luminaires, power supply, and luminaire fittings (including the exposed bare conductors) of an exposed bare conductor lighting system shall be listed for the use as part of the same identified lighting system. Lighting systems operating at 30 volts or less shall be listed as a complete system. Lighting systems operating at 30 volts or less shall comply with 411.3(A) or 411.3(B). Under the NEC, article 411 describes requirements for lighting systems operating under 30 volts or under connected to a Class 2 (less than 100W) power source.
12 volt led panel lights code#
The specifics and Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) can depend on the particular region and locale, most will reference the National Electric Code (NEC), which lays out minimum requirements for protecting the safety of persons and property from injury and damage arising from the use of electricity. In the United States, before a construction project involving new buildings or renovations can begin, a variety of permit and inspection processes must take place. For an LED strip, typically the UL or ETL logo, along with the corresponding file number is printed directly onto the surface of the LED strip substrate. If it passes the test, the product is considered "listed" and will have the corresponding marking to distinguish this. 12V and 24V LED strips, for example, fall under the standard: UL2108, Low Voltage Lighting Systems. Once a product is submitted for testing by a manufacturer, the product is tested against the UL standard for which the product is categorized under. You may come across other test agencies and certifications such as ETL and TUV.

Because these alternative NRTLs offer lower pricing and faster turnaround times, many manufacturers often go down this route.

Although UL develops many of these standards, other Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL) can also perform testing against the same UL standards. UL, formerly known as Underwriters Laboratory, is an agency that both develops product safety standards and performs product testing to see if they meet safety standards. As a low voltage product, however, you may be wondering if 12V and 24V LED strips are exempt from UL listing requirements. If you've worked with electronics and lighting, you will undoubtedly have encountered the familiar UL marking.
