Current AFCI requirements?

[DigiMan]

I am planning on doing a whole house rewire in Wilkes-Barre, PA. I got stumpped on how many AFCI's I need, on what circuits...

I'm assuming that I need AFCI circuits pretty much everywhere per 210.10.... Does this apply to electric heat circuits also?

What is the minimum number of independent circuits I need for the house?
The entire house (excluding the unfinished basement) is about 560sq ft...
There are 2 bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, a small hallway between the kitchen and living room, and a flight of stairs between 1st floor and 2nd floor.

I calculated the minimum number of circuits as follows:
(2) kitchen independent small appliance circuits for the kitchen counter (GFCI RECEPTICLES, NO-AFCI)
(1) kitchen refridgerator circuit (GFCI RECEPTICLES, NO-AFCI)
(1) kitchen lighting and 3 wall outlets (AFCI?)
(1) kitchen 240V range circuit (NON-AFCI)
(1) kitchen electric heating circuit (NON-AFCI)

(1) LIVING RM 20A circuit for 5 outlets and a ceiling light (AFCI)
(1) LIVING RM electric heating circuit (NON-AFCI)

(1) Hall Util outlet / light and Porch light circuit (AFCI?)
(1) Hall heaing circuit (NON-AFCI)

(1) 240V water heater circuit (NON-AFCI)
(1) Laundry - washer 120V GFCI outlet (NON-AFCI)
(1) Laundry - Dryer 240V (non-gfci/non-afci outler)

(1) Bathroom - 20A GFCI outlet
(1) Bathroom - lighting (NON-AFCI)
(1) Bathroom - heating circuit (NON-AFCI)

(1) BD RM 1 - ceiling light and 5 util outlet circuit
(1) BD RM 1 - electric heat circuit

(1) BD RM 2 - ceiling light and 6 util outlet circuit
(1) BD RM 2 - electric heat circuit
---------------------------------
20 Circuits in total

Did I miss anything? Are the new AFCI requirements correct?

 

[augie47]

You could get by with less (circuits), but what you described should work. Probably a typo, but you,left AFCI off your bedrooms.
Don't forget outdoor outlets,

 

[al hildenbrand]

I'd suggest starting with one item of Code at a time.

Picking 210.12 first, the AFCI requirement, note that the term used in the words of the passage is outlet. This is a defined term in the front of the book, in Article 100.

A hardwired 120 volt electric heater, either 15 or 20 amp, falls under the requirement of 210.12, while a 240 volt hardwired electric heater does not.

The luminaires in the kitchen are connected at an outlet yet no AFCI is required. It can be, but it is not required.

 

[DigiMan]

Thanks for your input...

Bedroom circuits I meant to include AFCI note... thanks

Which circuits do you think I could combine? I'm trying to converse the number of AFCI circuit breakers I need to purchase.

I don't need AFCI's on the electric heating units nor the outdoor electric outlet and porch lights, right?

 

[al hildenbrand]

Which circuits do you think I could combine?

Turn that thought to "what load does the circuit serve, by Code?"

In a dwelling, a lot of the square foot area of the house is provided for by general lighting load. Take a look at Table 220.12 (I assume you are under the 2008 NEC, tell us if you aren't). It sounds like you are only "required" to have one 15 Amp circuit.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Your 2 bedrooms could be on one circuit, in most cases and if you are using baseboard heat then I bet you can combine the heaters in at least the 2 bedrooms. A 20 amp 240V cir. will be good at 3840 watts of heat that is taken in account continuous load (16 amps).

I bet you can combine other heaters also.

You could also add you hall light to another AFCI circuit and run a non afci circuit for the exterior lights and receptacles.

 

[roger]

DigiMan, this is a little of topic but, I was visiting the website you link to in your profile and it incorrectly states that

If you have any circuit breakers with more than one wire under each terminal screw, you have a code violation. The NEC (National Electric Code) allows for only one wire per screw.

this is not true, see 110.14(A)

SQ D and C-H both list their smaller breakers to accomodate two conductors and I believe some of the others do to.

Roger

 

[drive1968]

I would combine the bathroom receptacle and lighting onto the same 20A circuit.

 

[DigiMan]

SQ D and C-H both list their smaller breakers to accomodate two conductors and I believe some of the others do to.
Roger

Thanks for catching that! I will have it changed asap...

 

[DigiMan]

Thank you to all for your replies! Very insightful and extremely helpful...