Art. 210.52(E)(1&2)

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Dennis Alwon

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Does anyone have any idea why a one or two family dwelling is required to have a receptacle outlet installed at the front and back and a multifamily building only requires one outdoor receptacle.

Is a duplex a 2 family dwelling? I am trying to imagine a 2 family dwelling with both having grade access and not be a duplex? Is a triplex a multifamily dwelling?


IMO, a duplex should not be a multifamily dwelling but other than an apt house I am trying to understand this section. I have seen apts in a home but some of them don't have a front and back to the home.
 

infinity

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Article 100 gives us the distinction between the two:

Dwelling, Two-Family. A building that consists solely of
two dwelling units.

Dwelling, Multifamily. A building that contains three or
more dwelling units.

Dwelling Unit. A single unit, providing complete and in-
dependent living facilities for one or more persons, includ-
ing permanent provisions for living, sleeping, cooking, and
sanitation.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Article 100 gives us the distinction between the two:


I read that but it did not answer my question. I think I need an example of what a 2 family building would be. If there is a fire wall between the units then I see this as being 2 separate structures so what would the situation be to have the structure considered 2 or 3 family.

Also why the difference in recep. requirements
 

GoldDigger

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The notion that a firewall divides a single physical building up into two separate "buildings" for purposes of electrical installations seems to me to be permissive rather than mandatory. Just because you can call it two buildings does not require you to do so. Otherwise high fire rated rooms totally inside one building occupancy would become a second building. In any case, this distinction is based in other codes than the NEC, so it is hard to comment in isolation not knowing what other codes have been enacted in a particular community.
 

iwire

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The notion that a firewall divides a single physical building up into two separate "buildings" for purposes of electrical installations seems to me to be permissive rather than mandatory. Just because you can call it two buildings does not require you to do so.

I think that is a great explanation.
 

charlie b

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I am trying to imagine a 2 family dwelling with both having grade access and not be a duplex?
I see the word "duplex" as being a generic term, one that is spoken in what I like to call "conversational English." The NEC term is "two-family dwelling unit." The rule we are discussing tells us that if the second dwelling unit is on the second floor (i.e., it may have grade access using an outdoor staircase, but it is not itself at grade level), then you don't need a second receptacle in front and a second receptacle in back to serve that unit.

Keep in mind that even for the multifamily dwelling unit, you only need outdoor receptacles for the units that are grade level. I think the reason they don't require a front and back in this instance is that you could have back-to-back units. I can walk out my front door and see a receptacle. But I don't get a receptacle at the back of my unit because the back of my unit is my neighbor's unit, and they will have a receptacle outside their front door.

 

david

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I guess you could speculate on the intended use of the receptacles, listing to a radio, decretive lighting, and yard maintenance, electric lawn mowers hedge trimmers and other maintenance issues.

I would speculate when it comes to yard maintenance in the multifamily units three or more dwelling units, yard maintenance for the most part becomes the responsibility of the owners who seldom use 120 volt maintenance tools. Use of outside property becomes more of community rather than private for multifamily dwellings.

As far as decretive lighting for multifamily dwellings you may tend to hang something out front and seldom in the back
 

Dennis Alwon

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I see the word "duplex" as being a generic term, one that is spoken in what I like to call "conversational English." The NEC term is "two-family dwelling unit." The rule we are discussing tells us that if the second dwelling unit is on the second floor (i.e., it may have grade access using an outdoor staircase, but it is not itself at grade level), then you don't need a second receptacle in front and a second receptacle in back to serve that unit.

Keep in mind that even for the multifamily dwelling unit, you only need outdoor receptacles for the units that are grade level. I think the reason they don't require a front and back in this instance is that you could have back-to-back units. I can walk out my front door and see a receptacle. But I don't get a receptacle at the back of my unit because the back of my unit is my neighbor's unit, and they will have a receptacle outside their front door.


Sounds like you would consider a duplex a two family unit and thus a triplex would be a multifamily unit... I am not sure I would agree with that

My take was also for back to back units but what about a place that does not have back to back.... only a front or back receptacle is req. if it is at grade access. What about a triplex. Again terminology but is that a multifamily dwelling. Are town houses, condos etc that are under the same roof multi family?
 

charlie b

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Sounds like you would consider a duplex a two family unit and thus a triplex would be a multifamily unit... I am not sure I would agree with that
I guess I don't understand your statement here. Duplex = 2. Multifamily is more than two, and triplex is also more than 2, so those are the same thing.

My take was also for back to back units but what about a place that does not have back to back.... only a front or back receptacle is req. if it is at grade access.
I think it would be too difficult for them to write a code article that says you need front and back if the unit does not have a neighboring unit behind it, but you only need one in front if the space behind the unit is somebody else's unit.

Also, "grade access" is not the issue. Being at grade level is the issue. A second floor unit is not at grade level, but it would have grade access if there were an outdoor staircase.

 

jap

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I guess you could speculate on the intended use of the receptacles, listing to a radio, decretive lighting, and yard maintenance, electric lawn mowers hedge trimmers and other maintenance issues.

I would speculate when it comes to yard maintenance in the multifamily units three or more dwelling units, yard maintenance for the most part becomes the responsibility of the owners who seldom use 120 volt maintenance tools. Use of outside property becomes more of community rather than private for multifamily dwellings.

As far as decretive lighting for multifamily dwellings you may tend to hang something out front and seldom in the back


That's what I was thinking.
The more public the place the less likely the need of many outlets.

JAP>
 

Dennis Alwon

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I guess I don't understand your statement here. Duplex = 2. Multifamily is more than two, and triplex is also more than 2, so those are the same thing.

I think it would be too difficult for them to write a code article that says you need front and back if the unit does not have a neighboring unit behind it, but you only need one in front if the space behind the unit is somebody else's unit.

Also, "grade access" is not the issue. Being at grade level is the issue. A second floor unit is not at grade level, but it would have grade access if there were an outdoor staircase.


Thanks Charlie-- I do understand the grade access etc. I guess what I am really trying to figure out what is exactly meant by a multifamily dwelling. Personally I don't see a triplex as being a multifamily unit but perhaps it is. If three condos were built with grade access under and they were attached do they become a multifamily unit? I think not as I suspect an outlet would be req. both front and back.

The answer to this may be in the building code- IDK.
 

nosparks1

Member
My thought is that a multi-family unit would be rental units and not owner occupied and would most likely have a public meter service. The outside receptacle outlet would be connected to the public service for landlord use. If outside receptacle outlets would be connected to tenant meters, there would be a conflict when someone other than that tenant would use the outlet.
 

Dennis Alwon

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My thought is that a multi-family unit would be rental units and not owner occupied and would most likely have a public meter service.

That definition would open up a can of worms. I can own a condo and rent it-- then what???? Many triplex units are rented but what difference should that make?
 

kwired

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I think what most people call a duplex is typically side by side style units, they may be single or multiple floors.

Then you can have stacked dwelling units - maybe owner lives on main floor and rents out the upstairs that is otherwise a complete dwelling unit.

IMO both those situations would be a NEC defined two family dwelling.

Add a third (or more) units in any configuration all under same roof and it is a multifamily dwelling.
 
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