I doubt this will fly in many jurisdictions, if the "home office" is on an exterior wall and could meet the requirements of a bedroom, it's a bedroom no matter what you call it.
AFCI Locations….
- Thread starter Seven-Delta-FortyOne
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Seven-Delta-FortyOne
Goin’ Down In Flames........
- Location
- Humboldt
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- EC and GC
Not here. If it’s drawn as something else, and there is no closet, it can be something else.
If there is a built-in closet, it’s a bedroom, no matter what.
where in the code does it say a bedroom needs a closet? If there is an exterior wall that can fit an egress window and there is a door on the room, its a bedroom, closet or no closet.
rc/retired
Senior Member
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- Bellvue, Colorado
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- Master Electrician/Inspector retired
letgomywago
Senior Member
- Location
- Washington state and Oregon coast
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- residential electrician
But just because it's not a bedroom doesn't mean it's not living space so it'd still require afci from 2014 nec on
rc/retired
Senior Member
- Location
- Bellvue, Colorado
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- Master Electrician/Inspector retired
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
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- EC
When I mentioned 2 and three pole units I was referring to more recent additions/changes requiring GFCI protection required for receptacle outlets that are not 5-15 or 5-20 receptacles. Until they added the SPGFCI to the mix you were for the most part limited to two and three pole GFCI breakers to provide this protection if it was required. The SPGFCI's that existed before were mostly only recognized components and had to be incorporated into listed units and couldn't be used for general purpose use.
Seven-Delta-FortyOne
Goin’ Down In Flames........
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- Humboldt
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- EC and GC
It doesn’t.
Like I said, that is the determination for a bedroom HERE. If you submit a set of plans in my area, and there is a closet in a room, plan check will require it to meet the requirements of a bedroom. If there is no closet, and the designer labels it as something else, that works.
Just like the definitions that make it an ADU, a Junior ADU, or a “Detached Bedroom”.
I am a Building Contractor as well as an EC, so I work with my local building depts on this stuff quite a bit.
kwired
Electron manager
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- NE Nebraska
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- EC
That "or similar rooms or areas" sort of covers an office. Libraries and dens are included in the list which may also help justify what is similar areas.
If your "office" happens to share circuit(s) with other spaces that are most definitely on the list they will have AFCI protection anyway.
ramsy
NoFixNoPay Electric
- Location
- LA basin, CA
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- Service Electrician 2020 NEC
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
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- EC
IDK, likely not but maybe possible?
Is this a SPGFCI ?
The ones I'm talking about from before NEC included SPGFCI usually had a CT that you physically ran the protected conductors through plus the associated electronics to process what was being measured by the CT. They usually had to power a relay or contactor to be able to interrupt load being protected that often was not an integral component of the GFCI device, which likely had something to do with them being a recognized and not a listed item, but they could work with more than 20 amp circuits like the GFCI receptacles, and back then GFCI breakers were only made up to 50 or 60 amps and there were no three pole versions.
Seven-Delta-FortyOne
Goin’ Down In Flames........
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- Humboldt
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- EC and GC
Maybe “home office” isnt a thing. Someone had mentioned it the other day, maybe that’s why it was stuck in my head.
Not a big deal.
My only point in this thread was that it’s a little suspect that if the entire branch circuit must be protected, and not just the receptacle, like with GFCI, then it’s odd that every branch circuit would not be required to be protected.
Not that I think they should, I think the AFCI requirements should be removed.
Not a big deal.
My only point in this thread was that it’s a little suspect that if the entire branch circuit must be protected, and not just the receptacle, like with GFCI, then it’s odd that every branch circuit would not be required to be protected.
Not that I think they should, I think the AFCI requirements should be removed.
letgomywago
Senior Member
- Location
- Washington state and Oregon coast
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- residential electrician
Part of the issues I've heard is that who ever is in charge of the CMP for various parts of the code fight against them and others lean hard into them. Depending on who pays them in their normal jobs
ramsy
NoFixNoPay Electric
- Location
- LA basin, CA
- Occupation
- Service Electrician 2020 NEC
I prefer your first argument. You should double down on that F.U.D.
Getting it stamped as something else still works with enclaves on 2005 NEC or earlier, with AFCI's limited to bedrooms.
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