Wall switch locations

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mwm1752

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Location
Aspen, Colo
210.70 Lighting Outlets Required
(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one wall switch–controlled lighting outlet shall be installed in every habitable room and bathroom.
Exception No. 2: Lighting outlets shall be permitted to be controlled by occupancy sensors that are (1) in addition to wall switches or (2) located at a customary wall switch location and equipped with a manual override that will allow the sensor to function as a wall switch.

Just wondering -- the requirement is for a "wall switch–controlled lighting outlet" which does not designate a location for the switch but only for the lighting outlet -- The Exception No.2: uses language " located at a customary wall switch location " for a descriptive location if the occupancy sensor is the only control for the lighting outlet.
There is no requirement to install a switch inside the specified rooms in fact they could be anywhere in the building and it does make sense to install motion detectors inside the room -- but it seems to me describing a location as customary for a motion dectecting switch has association to the wall mount switch requirement.
 

charlie b

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Lockport, IL
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Retired Electrical Engineer
I suppose you could control a lighting outlet in a second floor bedroom with both a wall switch in the basement and an occupancy sensor in the bedroom ceiling, and satisfy the rule. But I am OK with their use of the word "customary." That word would not apply to the installation I just described. I think the intent, and the language used to convey the intent, are that we can put an occupancy sensor just inside the doorway, on the same wall as the doorway, about 4 feet above the floor, on the non-hinged side (i.e., a wall switch's customary location), and as long as that sensor includes a manual on/off capability we don't need to install a separate wall switch.
 

mwm1752

Senior Member
Location
Aspen, Colo
My thought was really pertaining to the fact that the code has no specific location for the manual switch but does refer to to a manual switch location as customary (arbitrarially 36" to 60" AFF) -- maybe its the only reference to common sense practices in the book -- we know general recepts can be up to 5'6" but has anyone seen an entire residence with gen recepts at that height? Some may think the best place for the OC would be in the ceiling and is possible with a manual switch option -- IMO kinda mixing fact & fiction in a book of specifics. -- Kinda like macmikeman's comments of obvious humor which would still involve having the manual switch in the basement on for the OC to work -- Just a simple query that's all
 
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gadfly56

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
I don't like the use of "customary location". I think you're well into unenforceable language with that phrase, which supposedly the NEC is going away from. Yet they still use "workmanlike" regarding installations. Go figure. :roll:
 
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