Basement remodel

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I recently extended the 3 wire smoke alarm circuit in a dwelling that had originated with 14/3 from a local lighting circuit and used 12/3 to the new required location. The inspector would not allow this because he did not feel it was allowed by the NEC and did not approve of mixing 14 gauge and 12 gauge within the same branch circuit,when I told him I did not feel t
his was a code violation he told me that I would need to show him where in the book it allowed me to do this and my response was that he would have to show me where it was not allowed and the inspection ended immediately ,I still think I am correct but don't know how to proceed,need advise
 
You are correct of course as long as the wiring is protected at the smaller size-- 15 amp.

Ask the inspector what does one do when you have a long distance and voltage drop is an issue.... You run a larger wire and sometimes downsize to a smaller conductor.

There is nothing in the code that says this is allowed or not allowed as far as I know. As long as the circuit is protected for the smallest conductor size then it is compliant
 
240.4(d)(3)
Minimum size conductor for 15A OCPD is 15A.

When you get a citation from a police officer the burden of proof is on them, not on you. You get the citation with a vehicle code written next to it.

The building inspector should provide the same service. Write the NEC code rule, otherwise it is not valid.
 
The circuit in question is protected by a 15 a breaker, I only extended it with 12/3 because of convenience .the inspector did take issue to some other methods I used and would like opinion on but I'm not sure if I should start a new thread ? This inspector seems to be one that enforces his opinion rather than code enforcement
 
Ask the inspector if in his opinion he requires you to install 10AWG for all of your lighting circuits? Should you do it?
 
To play Devil's Advocate, and since I recently got beat up over this:

250.122(A)

Mixing 12 and 14 on a 15a OCPD protected circuit is a non issue to me, but adding 12/x to a 14/x circuit might bring the above code into play for some.
 
I agree w/ the others- not against the rules provided the smaller conductor is fused appropriately.

Not really seeing why this inspector is concerned- sounds like a "just because" type of deal.:happyno:
 
To play Devil's Advocate, and since I recently got beat up over this:

250.122(A)

Mixing 12 and 14 on a 15a OCPD protected circuit is a non issue to me, but adding 12/x to a 14/x circuit might bring the above code into play for some.

Not seeing your logic.

250.122 Size of Equipment Grounding
Conductors

(A) General. Copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum
equipment grounding conductors of the wire type shall not
be smaller than shown in Table 250.122, but in no case shall
they be required to be larger than the circuit conductors supplying
the equipment.

Seems to me that a #12 ground is larger than required for a 15a circuit.

-Hal
 
Not seeing your logic.

250.122 Size of Equipment Grounding
Conductors

(A) General. Copper, aluminum, or copper-clad aluminum
equipment grounding conductors of the wire type shall not
be smaller than shown in Table 250.122, but in no case shall
they be required to be larger than the circuit conductors supplying
the equipment.

Seems to me that a #12 ground is larger than required for a 15a circuit.

-Hal

Continuing with Devil's Advocacy to an extreme level:

I suppose that if you were relying on "...in no case shall they be required to be larger than the circuit conductors..." you could be subjected to the argument that it did not say "the smallest circuit conductors", and so if you mix #12 and #14 a #14 ground would be too small.
 
Continuing with Devil's Advocacy to an extreme level:

I suppose that if you were relying on "...in no case shall they be required to be larger than the circuit conductors..." you could be subjected to the argument that it did not say "the smallest circuit conductors", and so if you mix #12 and #14 a #14 ground would be too small.

Ah, but the #12 NM has a #12 EGC and the #14 NM has a #14 EGC, both EGCs are sized correctly for their respective circuit conductors.
 
210.3 Rating. Branch circuits recognized by this article shall
be rated in accordance with the maximum permitted ampere
rating or setting of the overcurrent device. The rating for other
than individual branch circuits shall be 15, 20, 30, 40, and
50 amperes. Where conductors of higher ampacity are used
for any reason, the ampere rating or setting of the specified
overcurrent device shall determine the circuit rating.


My .02
 
240.4(d)(3)
Minimum size conductor for 15A OCPD is 15A.

When you get a citation from a police officer the burden of proof is on them, not on you. You get the citation with a vehicle code written next to it.

The building inspector should provide the same service. Write the NEC code rule, otherwise it is not valid.
Actually...in many states the electrical inspector doesn't have to cite the code reference until requested. The localities I was in charge of required it by our inspectors but the state again did not require it unless requested after the original ticket was given.
 
That was a contrived example based on the explicitly false assumption that the size of the ground was determined in the example case by the conductor size rule rather than the rating of the breaker.
Forget it. :)

"Forget it", us- never. We have uncontrollable urges to beat every subject to death. Twice even.:p

It is gonna be a slow holiday so we have time for 600+ posts on this silly tangent.:D
 
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