CSLB C-10 Electrical ContractorEquipment and InstallationMedium
A homeowner asks an electrician to install a surface-mounted luminaire with a completely enclosed light source (incandescent) on the wall inside a clothes closet. Per NEC 410.16, what is the minimum clearance required between this luminaire and the nearest point of the closet storage space?
- A6 inches
- B18 inches
- C24 inches
- D12 inches
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. 12 inches
Table 410.16 requires a minimum clearance of 12 inches between a surface-mounted incandescent luminaire with a completely enclosed light source and the nearest point of a closet storage space, to reduce fire risk from stored combustibles.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. 6 inches applies to recessed or fluorescent-type fixtures, not surface-mounted incandescent.
- B. 18 inches exceeds the code-required minimum for this fixture type.
- C. 24 inches is not a recognized clearance distance in Table 410.16.
Clothes Closet Luminaire Clearance
NEC 410.16 sets minimum clearances between luminaires and closet storage space based on fixture type to prevent contact with combustible stored items.
- Surface-mounted incandescent (enclosed lamp): 12 inches
- Recessed incandescent/fluorescent (enclosed lamp): 6 inches
- Surface-mounted fluorescent: 6 inches
Memory trick: 'Surface incandescent needs a foot of room.'