Light fixtures have always been an important part of our business at Historical Arts and Casting, Inc. We have built thousands of them over the years, and most of these fixtures are small quantities of custom lights specifically designed for discriminating clients.
I am often asked about the testing requirements through which our lights are required to pass. Are they UL approved? And what are the standards?
Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an organization that has established a set of standards for quality and safety of electrical appliances that is universally accepted throughout the United States. These standards require that fixtures be manufactured in such a way that they are structurally sound, and that they are wired in a manner that will be safe for the public to use and maintain without the danger of electrocution.
Bronze Chandeliers (LF018) - 800 North Capitol, Washington DC
A UL label certifies that a light fixture passes these standards and that Underwriter Laboratories certifies that the manufacturer also is responsible for any liabilities associated with the fixture. To obtain one of these labels, the fixture must pass certain tests, and the company is subject to periodic inspections by UL representatives. In addition a fee is charged by UL per label. Each label is identified with an individual certification number. Typically a certification number identifies a specific type of fixture that meets these strict standards. Therefore each different type of fixture is subject to this labeling fee and newly numbered label.
For a company like HACI, that builds small quantities of hundreds of different fixtures, this labeling procedure could be a challenge, even though the actual electrical components of each fixture are essentially the same.
Our approach was to contract with TEi-Listing Services, a testing laboratory, who certifies that our fixtures meet UL standards, and provides a numbered label that covers all of our fixtures under one “umbrella”. This label is accepted nationwide just as the UL label is.
Bronze Light Post (LF157) - Kansas City Public Library - Kansas City, MO
The standards to which we build our lights actually exceed those required by UL in many instances. All of our fixtures are built of cast metal, be it aluminum, bronze, or iron. All of the fasteners are brass or stainless steel, so there is no danger of corrosion. They are rated for “Wet Location” which is the toughest standard, which means that the lights are designed with adequate weep holes to allow moisture to evacuate. The light sockets are nickel plated porcelain sockets, wired with double insulted THHN wire. All of the components are UL rated, and are purchased from a reliable distributor.
Each completed fixture must pass a dielectric withstand test, which means that a 120 volt fixture is submitted to 1500 volts through the wires to insure that there are no short circuits. Each fixture has a common, neutral, and ground wire.
Bronze Hanging Pendants (LF142) - Private Residence, Naples, FL
In addition all of the structural hard points, such as hanging loops or hanging pipes, are fastened with stainless steel components. Glass is typically glazed with Dow Corning 795 Silicone caulking expertly finished, and finally the fixture is tested with lighted bulbs before packaging.
Aluminum and iron fixtures are painted with PPG CONCEPT high performance automotive paint, and Bronze fixtures are colored using a variety of statuary or hand grained patinas sealed with a coat of wax.
At Historical Arts and Casting we are proud of our work, and honored to have our fixtures adorning some of the most prominent buildings in the nation.
