80% total load on a service??

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crtemp

crtemp

Senior Member
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Wa state
I have a customer that is building a separate structure on his property for rental. He had an existing 200 amp service that fed his house. I did a load calculation on his house and it came out to 98 amps. What we decided to do was to replace his existing meter to a meter pack that has 2 meters and 2 main disconnects. I feed his house with a 100 amp breaker and fed the new building with 100 amps. The inspector tagged me with a code I have never seen before. He did not site a code. Has anyone ever seen this before? Am I just not seeing this in the code book?
 

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crtemp said:
I have a customer that is building a separate structure on his property for rental. He had an existing 200 amp service that fed his house. I did a load calculation on his house and it came out to 98 amps. What we decided to do was to replace his existing meter to a meter pack that has 2 meters and 2 main disconnects. I feed his house with a 100 amp breaker and fed the new building with 100 amps. The inspector tagged me with a code I have never seen before. He did not site a code. Has anyone ever seen this before? Am I just not seeing this in the code book?
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The inspector is wrong, on two counts. The load calc already includes the 125% for any continuous loads. Besides A dwelling doesnt even have many continuous loads.
 
electrofelon said:
The inspector is wrong, on two counts. The load calc already includes the 125% for any continuous loads. Besides A dwelling doesnt even have many continuous loads.
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That's pretty much what I was thinking also. Just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something obvious. Thanks
 
Definitely full of dookie. Besides what the previous poster said, I would add that it's perfectly allowed by code for the calculated connected load to be exactly 100a on a 100a service. Although it's bad design, except maybe in multi-dwelling units where there is little or no chance of future expansion.

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I agree also, the inspector is confused about the calculation already containing the 125% for continuous loads which in this case I would guess that none even exist.
 
The cartoon cat and others have made an assumption that is likely correct. But before you talk to the inspector, . . .
crtemp said:
I did a load calculation on his house and it came out to 98 amps.
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. . . can you confirm that your load calculation did, in fact, include 125% for any continuous loads? If so, I agree that the inspector was in error.

 
charlie b said:
The cartoon cat and others have made an assumption that is likely correct. But before you talk to the inspector, . . . . . . can you confirm that your load calculation did, in fact, include 125% for any continuous loads? If so, I agree that the inspector was in error.
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I was thinking the exact same thing.

One must confirm the calculations are correct before saying the inspector was wrong, but, I agree with the others because it seems the inspector is basing his judgment solely on the 98 amps.

JAP>
 
jap said:
I was thinking the exact same thing.

One must confirm the calculations are correct before saying the inspector was wrong, but, I agree with the others because it seems the inspector is basing his judgment solely on the 98 amps.

JAP>
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He is wrong on two counts. First is that the standard load calc procedure includes continuous loads. Second is that the inspector seems to think the 80% rule applies to everything.
 
cowboyjwc said:
That 80% thing has been around for a long time, and I don't really know where it started.
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There are so many rumors and assumptions like that made by even master electrician's. Some people hear something through word-of-mouth that may or may not be true or they think that it applies universally

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charlie b said:
The cartoon cat and others have made an assumption that is likely correct. But before you talk to the inspector, . . . . . . can you confirm that your load calculation did, in fact, include 125% for any continuous loads? If so, I agree that the inspector was in error.
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Just a dryer, water heater, range and a dishwasher.
 
jap said:
I was thinking the exact same thing.

One must confirm the calculations are correct before saying the inspector was wrong, but, I agree with the others because it seems the inspector is basing his judgment solely on the 98 amps.

JAP>
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Why? They asked for a load calculation and the inspector based his response on the load provided by the guy doing the calculation. The inspector never stated that the calculation was incorrect, it's his code knowledge that's in question.
 
kylelee said:
just wondering how u argue with the inspector if his wrong
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It's called appealing his decision. You politely and respectfully, but firmly, ask him to arrange for his/her supervisor to inspect the work, and either agree with you or with the inspector.

I have challenged an inspector's failing of my work twice over the years, and "won" both times.
 
If you use the optional calcs for an existing dwelling there's nothing about adding 25% for continuous loads. Then again, there doesn't seem to be any requirement to account for that.
 
jaggedben said:
If you use the optional calcs for an existing dwelling there's nothing about adding 25% for continuous loads. Then again, there doesn't seem to be any requirement to account for that.
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The limitations on loading are already in place on the individual Branch circuits. There's no reason to apply it again to the service

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jaggedben said:
If you use the optional calcs for an existing dwelling there's nothing about adding 25% for continuous loads. Then again, there doesn't seem to be any requirement to account for that.
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There also is seldom any significant continuous load in a dwelling.
 
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