15A Breakers in a Youth Shelter.

[Strife]

I have a question regarding a Youth Shelter House. This building is housing children with problems, abandoned, etc. Similar to a foster home, but is run by a church. So technically, it's a residential house.
The shelter is very small, I think there's only 15-20 children, and about 10 or so bedrooms.
They have 3-4 circuits feeding general lights and receptacles in the dormitories fed with a 20A breaker, but the wiring is #14.
My question is, can I install 15A breakers on these circuits, or do I need to install new wires to replace the #14.
Code Specific PLEASE, not what some of you feel can be safer.

 

[pete m.]

You would need to replace the wire only if the load(s) that it serves exceeds it's rating. If the wire can serve the load then, yes, the OCPD would need to be replaced with one that conforms with 240.4(D)

Pete

 

[charlie b]

First of all, let?s confirm that this counts as a ?dwelling unit.? Per Article 100, that requires not only sleeping space (bedroom), but also living space and provisions for cooking and sanitation. I am sure this building will have bathrooms, but does it have a kitchen as well? For now, I will assume it does.

Next, you only need to use 20 amp circuits in the specific places that the code requires them. These include the following, and the reference is 210.11(C)
? Small appliance circuits (i.e., receptacles in the kitchen and dining room)
? Laundry circuit (unless the building does not allow laundry equipment, see 210.52(F), exception 2).
? Bathroom receptacle circuits.

Other than that, you can use 15 amp circuits throughout the facility.

 

[Strife]

First of all, let?s confirm that this counts as a ?dwelling unit.?

That's kinda my question, does a youth shelter (glorified foster home) qualifies as a dwelling unit?

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I think that at the very least restrictive it is a dwelling. Who operates it has nothing to do with it.
I did get involved with a foster home a couple years ago that had even fewer kids with problems, really sad that such abuse happens. I had to wire in a fire pump to sprinklers on a well and huge water tank so they could use the second floor for bedrooms. The care taker was a very christion type lady and from what i learned the kids were better off there. Yes change breakers fast. I am surprised it did not get caught in an inspection before allowed to be used this way. I would check with what ever government aggency oversees this type of home. Good chance they will have far more demands than a normal house.

 

[kwired]

That's kinda my question, does a youth shelter (glorified foster home) qualifies as a dwelling unit?

If it does not qualify as a dwelling the bedrooms may be considered guest rooms like in a hotel or dormitory. The requirements for guest rooms are the same as for a dwelling bedroom, 15 amp circuits are allowed.

 

[tom baker]

210.12 requires AFCI protection for dwelling unit bedrooms, dining rooms and so forth.
If its not a dwelling unit then 210.18 requires AFCI for Guest Rooms and Guest suites with permanent provisions for cooking. A microwave is not permanent.

 

[kwired]

210.12 requires AFCI protection for dwelling unit bedrooms, dining rooms and so forth.
If its not a dwelling unit then 210.18 requires AFCI for Guest Rooms and Guest suites with permanent provisions for cooking. A microwave is not permanent.

210.18 requires guest rooms that have permanent provisions for cooking to have installed branch circuits meet the requirements for dwelling units, which involves more than just AFCI's, you need small appliance branch circuits, laundry circuit if there is laundry, 20 amp bath receptacle circuit if a bath, anything that would apply to a dwelling.

 

[Strife]

210.12 requires AFCI protection for dwelling unit bedrooms, dining rooms and so forth.
If its not a dwelling unit then 210.18 requires AFCI for Guest Rooms and Guest suites with permanent provisions for cooking. A microwave is not permanent.

Let's not forget that the building is at least 20 YO when AFCI's where not required. I don't think any AHJ will require to bring all that mess up to code. I just wanted to know if this would fall under dwelling where I can protect the conductors with 15A instead of replacing all the wires. Load is not a problem, like I said, they feed general lighting and receptacles in the bedrooms. Considering the "clients" (as they call them) are not allowed to have anything to plug in, receptacles are not even a factor in the circuit load.

 

[charlie b]

I just wanted to know if this would fall under dwelling . . . .

Then answer one question: Does this facility have a kitchen (i.e., with a stove/oven, not just a microwave oven or toaster oven)?

 

[wwhitney]

I just wanted to know if this would fall under dwelling where I can protect the conductors with 15A instead of replacing all the wires.

Even if it is not a dwelling, you can use #14 conductors protected at 15A, unless there is some local code to contrary.

Cheers, Wayne