700.12 (I) (3) b. 2020 NEC change

[david]

It was much better before, why make this change. So now you have to loose the whole panel to have a min amount of lighting in an area, what since does that make when it was more effective before

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The panel statement for this change said:

This revision to the new (I)(2) (previously (F)(2)) recognizes that lighting technology has improved significantly and it is not likely that there will be three normal lighting circuits in any given area. The exception is deleted and the permission for a separate branch circuit capable of being locked in the “on” position is added in positive text.

However, it was safer when you had to use the lighting circuit that supplies the general illumination for the area as the power source for the battery back up lighting.

 

[david]

I was working on the mezazine at a supper kmart Franklin PA. The whole 2nd floor went dark, there was a unit equipment em light right behind me mounted to the bar joist, it never came on.

It was wired to the lighting circuit first level.

It was wired wrong

Now the code allows the whole area to go dark. With unit equipment this makes no sence