Actually, Title 24 2016 for California exempts the use of automatic shut-off (i.e. occupancy sensors) for electrical rooms. However, the automatic shut-off exception in T24:2016 SPECIFICALLY states that "electrical equipment rooms [are] subject to Article 110.26(D)"
You can find this on T24 CEC 2016, pg 155, "Exception 4 to 130.1(c)".
So my question still stands, do you NEED an automatic shut-off (i.e. occupancy sensor) for electrical rooms. So far majority of people say you don't.
an automatic shut off would be something like a wind up timer.
turns the lights off after a fixed time passes. no matter what is happening
in the room.
occupancy sensors don't do that. they turn off the lights when nobody is present.
and... a local override, such as on a wattstopper, when in forced on, or forced off,
will remain in that status until the room has been cleared and it times out.
in my experience, it is going to come down to the AHJ. if he says put it in, most
folks are going to have to put it in. if he says take it out......
the key word here is "only". if there is no local control of the light, it's not code
compliant. if there is occupant sensing in a way that can be locally overridden,
and won't turn off the lights when someone is present in the room, it's code
compliant.
