110.26 (D) - Equipment Room Illumination

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Npstewart

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If I have a little electrical room with a standard occupancy sensor that controls the light, is this permitted?

The wording for this paragraph is a little strange to me where it says "illumination shall not be controlled by automatic means only". To me this means that it cannot be controlled by a time clock only. Typically the occupancy sensors have a little push button on them though.

This is a small room for a couple pool pumps, and motor control center. The entire room is visable cause its just a square box, less then 200 ft^2.

Thanks!
 
Npstewart said:
If I have a little electrical room with a standard occupancy sensor that controls the light, is this permitted?

The wording for this paragraph is a little strange to me where it says "illumination shall not be controlled by automatic means only". To me this means that it cannot be controlled by a time clock only. Typically the occupancy sensors have a little push button on them though.

This is a small room for a couple pool pumps, and motor control center. The entire room is visable cause its just a square box, less then 200 ft^2.

Thanks!
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As long as it has the bypass switch I think it is.
 
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In some states, every room in some types of buildings must use occupancy sensors. I have used occ sensors in electric rooms in schools, just to comply with energy code.
 
It probably has a bypass but it would probably just keep it on for 20 mins or so.

I guess I will just put in a standard switch rather then arguing with the plan reviewer lol

Thanks everyone.
 
Npstewart said:
It probably has a bypass but it would probably just keep it on for 20 mins or so.

I guess I will just put in a standard switch rather then arguing with the plan reviewer lol

Thanks everyone.
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+1.
The Code concern is that the light not be able to go off by itself while someone is working on equipment. A separate switch that bypasses the occupancy sensor completely would satisfy that need, and would allow the occupancy sensor to work when the room is entered for other purposes. You could even use a switch with a pilot light so that people could tell whether the bypass was on or not.
If the only use of the room is to house electrical equipment and it is not accessible to other than qualified personnel, then there would be no value to the occupancy sensor in the first place.
 
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How would you do that. If you use another switch then you have a parallel run so you would need a contactor. Would it be easier to put a separate set of lights that work with the standard switch so the room can't go dark?
 
beanland said:
In some states, every room in some types of buildings must use occupancy sensors. I have used occ sensors in electric rooms in schools, just to comply with energy code.
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All the energy codes (or at least one engery code - the IECC) has exceptions for safety or security. So the NEC requirements trump any energy code requirements.

It is possible to simply parallel an occupancy sensor and a standard toggle switch. But then, if someone leaves the switch on, the lights stay on, and the occupancy sensor doesn't really provide any benefit.

And the IECC has exceptions for 24 hour lighting, so you could install one fixture as a 24 hour night light. Sometimes, the more they try to force everyone to follow energy conservation codes, it seems like it leads to things like 24 hour night lights, which just waste more energy.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
How would you do that? If you use another switch then you have a parallel run so you would need a contactor.
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I suppose if you were worried about that you could just use a standard SPDT (3-way) switch to drive the lights from either the branch circuit directly or from the sensor output. I do not see any Code violations or room for confusion that way.
If you have more than one occupancy sensor (it is a small room, though) you might have other problems which would require more wires to be pulled.
 
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