Plenum projector housing or environmental air space housing?

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Sep 24, 2009

(Spiceland, Ind.)–Dealers and installers of Draper products may have noticed a change in how we refer to the metal housings we provide for installation of projector lifts above a ceiling, and also some of our projection screen housings.

The housings used for projector lifts were in the past referred to as plenum housings. Draper, and other manufacturers, now refer to these items as Environmental Air Space Housings.

The reason for the change has to do with Draper’s commitment to provide products that are certified by UL, and which meet standards contained in the National Electric Code (NEC). Those standards handle plenums used for environmental air and other environmental air spaces differently.

According to NEC 300.22: Wiring in Ducts, Plenums, and Other Air-Handling Spaces, Section (B) Ducts or Plenums Used for Environmental Air, “Equipment and devices shall be permitted in such ducts or plenum chambers only if necessary for their direct action upon, or sensing of, the contained air.”

However, according to NEC 300.22: Section (C) Other Spaces Used for Environmental Air, “Electrical equipment with a metal enclosure, or with a nonmetallic enclosure listed for the use and having adequate fire-resistant and low-smoke-producing characteristics, and associated wiring material suitable for the ambient temperature shall be permitted to be installed un such other space unless prohibited elsewhere in this code.” Draper’s Access, Paragon, Signature and Ultimate Access projection screen cases have been approved by UL for use in these “other spaces used for environmental air.”

When you need a projection screen case installed in the environmental air space above a ceiling, look for this wording on the installation instructions: “Suitable for use in environmental air space in accordance with Section 300-22(c) of the National Electrical Code, and Sections 2-128, 12-010(3) and 12-100 of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1, CSA C22.1.” When you see this information referenced on your Draper installation instructions, you know for certain that the product has been UL approved for use in the site conditions.

The same reference to environmental air space housings is used with Draper’s video projector lifts which are provided with housings for installation in these spaces, including the Micro Projector Lift—the first scissor-style projector lift to be UL-certified.

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