I was asked to look at a commercial warehouse bay today 30ft by 60ft. Three quarters was made into 4 offices with loft above about 5 years ago without permit. Owner needs electrician to sign off. Panel has 20 amp breakers and #12 wire, when I removed switches and receptacle devices found #14 wire and lighting and receptacles on same circuits like you would wire a home. I can not find anywhere in the code where you can't put 15 amp breakers in a commercial building or receptacles and lighting on same circuits. I was told this is ok but it just does not set well with me. Can anyone show me this doesn't meet code and can't be done.
Commercial office and Warehouse wiring
- Thread starter J R
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Perhaps 210.21(B)(3) and its Table. You can't have 20A receptacles on a 15A multi-receptacle circuit. You didn't say what the receptacles are rated. They may have used 15A receptacles (which are permitted on 20A circuits).
However, even if they used 20A receptacles, you can change them out to 15's rather than repulling all the #14 wire.
However, even if they used 20A receptacles, you can change them out to 15's rather than repulling all the #14 wire.
Commercial Office and Warehouse Wiring
Commercial Office and Warehouse Wiring
Receptacles are 15 amp not a problem, I still need to know is 15 Amp Branch circuit breakers on #14wire and lighting and receptacle loads on same circuit together legal in commercial buildings. I have never done it this way. It's Always 20 amp on Receptacle loads with there own circuit and 20 amp on lighting loads seperate.
Commercial Office and Warehouse Wiring
Receptacles are 15 amp not a problem, I still need to know is 15 Amp Branch circuit breakers on #14wire and lighting and receptacle loads on same circuit together legal in commercial buildings. I have never done it this way. It's Always 20 amp on Receptacle loads with there own circuit and 20 amp on lighting loads seperate.
This is getting into Charlie B's interpretation, i.e. calculating at 180VA per receptacle is required,but installing at 180VA per receptacle is not.
To provide a more direct answer, there is nothing in the NEC which directlyprohibits lighting and receptacles on the same circuit.
While figuring circuit load using 180VA per receptacle is not a direct requirement, it is required to have an adequate number of circuits to handle the calculated load. In dropping the circuits from 20A to 15A, the required number of circuits will increase. That is, number of circuits required for the calculated lighting and receptacle load would be divided by 15 rather than 20. However, that number of circuits do not have to be installed, but that number of circuits must be available in the panel(s).
growler
Senior Member
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- Atlanta,GA
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
If I understand your post correctly, then you have a situation where all the wiring and circuits in the panel are #12 on 20A breakers, whereas upon opening outlets you're finding #14 wiring in places. If that's the case, then as-is the system violates the NEC since someone tapped #14 to a 20A circuit. You would need to identify all of the circuits that have #14 wiring tapped in and replace the 20A breakers with 15A breakers. It would also be a good idea to label those wires in the panel somehow so that others down the road know not to replace the 15s with 20s. Second option would be to eliminate the #14 wiring throughout the space.
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