314.27(C) (Boxes at Ceiling Suspended Fan Outlets)

[Jgarzon88]

Good afternoon,

I am a local electrical contractor, and I am struggling with my local municipality on the interpretation of this code.

My inspector interprets this code as saying if a fan is capable of being installed from a ceiling outlet box in a habitable space
then the box must be fan rated. To further his interpretation, the inspector concluded that a fan is capable of being installed
from an outlet box that is 3' or more away from a wall. Being that the code uses the word "habitable", this extends to locations
such as boxes intended for pendant lighting over a kitchen island, LED light locations in a dining room where a fan rated box is
already placed in the center of the room, LED lighting in the kitchen where the light box is more than 3' from a wall or cabinet.

My conflict is that in habitable places such as a bedroom where I have installed a fan rated box in the center of the
room for the purpose of a ceiling fan and (4) additional outlet boxes in a square around the perimeter of the room. The inspector
is stating that the (4) boxes (which are intended for LED light discs which will be installed before the home closes) are in a location
that have the potential for a fan to be installed therefore are "acceptable for a fan" and are under the requirements of this code.

In my experience, when the fan rated box is in the center of the room, that is the guaranteed spot where a fan will be installed.
Never have I seen a homeowner install a fan in the corner of the room in leu of the center spot which is the designation.

Appreciate all the help, even if I don't see this code the right way

 

[don_resqcapt19]

It is a subjective rule and as written, your inspector is well within his or her authority to require those all to be fan rated boxes.
They have worked on this in the First Draft of the 2026 code. Sometimes the local inspection authority will let you use a proposed rule from the next edition of the code.

Ceiling outlet boxes mounted in a location identified by the installer, designer, or building owner for the installation of a ceiling‐suspended (paddle) fan or mounted in the ceilings of living and sleeping areas in dwelling units in a location typical for the installation of a ceiling-suspended (paddle) fan shall comply with one of the following:
(1)Listed for the sole support of ceiling-suspended (paddle) fan
(2)Installed so as to allow direct access through the box to structural framing capable of supporting a ceiling-suspended (paddle) fan without removing the box
Informational Note: A typical location for a ceiling‐suspended (paddle) fan is in the center of a room or space or centered over a sitting area.

That change takes it out of the hands of the inspection authority and gives it to the installer, designer, or owner.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

It is a subjective rule and as written, your inspector is well within his or her authority to require those all to be fan rated boxes.
They have worked on this in the First Draft of the 2026 code. Sometimes the local inspection authority will let you use a proposed rule from the next edition of the code.

That change takes it out of the hands of the inspection authority and gives it to the installer, designer, or owner.

Yes, the inspector is within his rights but IMO, he may be pushing that rule too far and he is not using common sense.

 

[LarryFine]

Welcome to the forum.

The inspector is nuts. I would ask him to have his supervisor rule on the matter.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Yes, the inspector is within his rights but IMO, he may be pushing that rule too far and he is not using common sense.

I don't see a requirement in the code language for that.

 

[gene6]

Good afternoon,

I am a local electrical contractor, and I am struggling with my local municipality on the interpretation of this code.

My inspector interprets this code as saying if a fan is capable of being installed from a ceiling outlet box in a habitable space
then the box must be fan rated.

Thats not exactly all the code says, I looked it up a while back and there are two options, only one was a fan rated box, the second option is to install a 2X4 or some 'structural framing' capable of supporting a ceiling fan above the box.

 

[Steve16]

Don't forget the smoke detector boxes in the ceiling...