Load calc measuring question

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S'mise

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
Nec says when calculating for gen lighting to measure using outside dimentions.

What if you have a single story 1000sq ft house and 1/2 of the basement is later finished. The service then needs to be recalculated with an aditional 1000sq ft added as oposed to just the 500sq ft. thats actually finished, Right?
 

yired29

Senior Member
Nec says when calculating for gen lighting to measure using outside dimentions.

What if you have a single story 1000sq ft house and 1/2 of the basement is later finished. The service then needs to be recalculated with an aditional 1000sq ft added as oposed to just the 500sq ft. thats actually finished, Right?

In 220.12 it says the floor area for each floor shall be calculated from the outside dimensions of the building.

This sounds like the basement would be another floor and use its outside dimensions.
 

S'mise

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
How do you measure the outside of a basement on a finished home? Shovel? :D

Thanks Yired29, "Each floor" is key to remember. Often a basement is much smaller than the first floor. It still seems like you should have to include only the finished portion. What if you have a 3000 foot basement and only a 100sq ft room is finished? Thats kind of crazy.
 

yired29

Senior Member
How do you measure the outside of a basement on a finished home? Shovel? :D

Thanks Yired29, "Each floor" is key to remember. Often a basement is much smaller than the first floor. It still seems like you should have to include only the finished portion. What if you have a 3000 foot basement and only a 100sq ft room is finished? Thats kind of crazy.

Back to 220.12 last sentence.
shall not include open porches, garages, or unused or unfinished spaces not adaptable for future use.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
Back to 220.12 last sentence.
shall not include open porches, garages, or unused or unfinished spaces not adaptable for future use.

We were always told to count finished sections of basement, unfinished does not count.

Seems that 220.12 is telling us to include every sq ft that can be finished.
One of the things I've learned in my construction experience is there is no such thing as something that cannot be changed. Only when we start placing conditions on the change does it become impractical, but almost never is it impracticable.

One of the conditions where I would say it is not practical, is when the basement is not full height (i.e. you would not be able to install a standard height door), and you'd have to lower the foundation and floor.
 

wawireguy

Senior Member
In WA the minumum residential service you can install is 200 amps. Even if you are a cheap skate and don't calculate the basement in your load calc you are going to end up with a 200 amp service for smaller houses.
 

S'mise

Senior Member
Location
Michigan
In WA the minumum residential service you can install is 200 amps. Even if you are a cheap skate and don't calculate the basement in your load calc you are going to end up with a 200 amp service for smaller houses.

Even cheap skates have to follow min code. The VA 200amp min is superfluous and a waste of materials imo. It's like wearing a helmit on your head all day in case it might rain. :roll:
 
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