I. General
600.1 Scope. This article covers the installation of conductors and equipment for electric signs and outline lighting. All installations and equipment using neon tubing, such as signs, decorative elements, skeleton tubing, or art forms, are covered by this article.
600.2 Definitions.
Electric-Discharge Lighting. Systems of illumination uti- lizing fluorescent lamps, high-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, or neon tubing.
Neon Tubing. Electric-discharge tubing manufactured into shapes that form letters, parts of letters, skeleton tubing, outline lighting, other decorative elements, or art forms, and filled with various inert gases.
Section Sign. A sign or outline lighting system, shipped as subassemblies, that requires field-installed wiring between the subassemblies to complete the overall sign. The subassemblies are either physically joined to form a single sign unit or are installed as separate remote parts of an overall sign.
Sign Body. A portion of a sign that may provide protection from the weather but is not an electrical enclosure.
Skeleton Tubing. Neon tubing that is itself the sign or outline lighting and not attached to an enclosure or sign body.
600.3 Listing. Electric signs, section signs, and outline lighting — fixed, mobile, or portable — shall be listed and installed in conformance with that listing, unless otherwise approved by special permission.
(A) Field-Installed Skeleton Tubing. Field-installed skel- eton tubing shall not be required to be listed where installed in conformance with this Code.
(B) Outline Lighting. Outline lighting shall not be re- quired to be listed as a system when it consists of listed luminaires wired in accordance with Chapter 3.
600.4 Markings.
(A) Signs and Outline Lighting Systems. Signs and out- line lighting systems shall be marked with the manufacturer's name, trademark, or other means of identification; and input voltage and current rating.
(B) Signs with Lampholders for Incandescent Lamps.
Signs and outline lighting systems with lampholders for incandescent lamps shall be marked to indicate the maximum allowable lamp wattage per lampholder. The markings shall be permanently installed, in letters at least 6 mm (VA in.) high, and shall be located where visible during relamping.
(C) Section Signs. Section signs shall be marked to indicate
that field-wiring and installation instructions are required.
600.5 Branch Circuits.
(A) Required Branch Circuit Each commercial building and each commercial occupancy accessible to pedestrians shall be provided with at least one outlet in an accessible location at each entrance to each tenant space for sign or outline lighting system use. The outlet(s) shall be supplied by a branch circuit rated at least 20 amperes that supplies no other load. Service hallways or corridors shall not be considered accessible to pedestrians.
(B) Rating. Branch circuits that supply signs shall be rated in accordance with 600.5(B)(1) or (B)(2).
(1) Incandescent and Fluorescent. Branch circuits that supply signs and outline lighting systems containing incandescent and fluorescent forms of illumination shall be rated not to exceed 20 amperes.
(2) Neon. Branch circuits that supply neon tubing installations shall not be rated in excess of 30 amperes.
(C) Wiring Methods. Wiring methods used to supply signs shall comply with 600.5(C)(1), (C)(2), and (C)(3).
(1) Supply.