Dedicated circuit for range hood

[TOMWELDS]

I agree that the hood dedicated circuit is a design issue...considering the upper cabinet will have to be changed (18" to 12" for clearance). It's a renovation..If this is allowed, then we should put a 12/2 in each outside wall in case a room is added on..L..I mean, we are in this to make money..arent we?

 

[Kessler4130]

I have only run across 1 cord and plug connected range hood, and it was of the type that extend down from the ceiling, not your typical wall mounted versions.

 

[hillbilly]

I've never seen a range hood that was cord and plug connected.
Everyone seems to want a built in microwave above the range, so I always (include and run) a dedicated 20A for the range hood just in case.
To me, it's just part of doing a good job for the cistomer.
steve

 

[e57]

The 'bathroom circuit' can feed as many bathroom receptacles in as many separate bathrooms as you want or it can feed all the equipment in one bathroom, lights, fans receptacles etc.

Not "all".... The exception that allows this reffers to 210.23(A), so if you had a fan with heat you might not be able to do "ALL"....

 

[iwire]

Not "all".... The exception that allows this reffers to 210.23(A), so if you had a fan with heat you might not be able to do "ALL"....

Not sure what you mean.

You can feed everything in the bathroom as long as you do not overload the circuit with fixed in place equipment.

 

[cbaman]

Can anyone come up with any other single piece of equipment that the NEC requires to be served by an individual branch circuit?

I can only come up with electrical furnaces, electrode-type boilers, some elevator stuff and perhaps a sign outlet. Otherwise, I don't think the code identifies any one appliance or equipment requiring a individual or "dedicated" branch circuit.

hOW ABOUT 210.11(c)(2). Laundry Branch Circuit. The last sentence says, "This circuit shall have no other outlets."

 

[iwire]

hOW ABOUT 210.11(c)(2). Laundry Branch Circuit. The last sentence says, "This circuit shall have no other outlets."

That circuit can supply all the receptacle outlets installed in the laundry.

It is not a dedicated circuit.

By the way....welcome to the forum.

 

[cbaman]

True enough. Thanks for pointing that out.

 

[hillbilly]

Not sure what you mean.

You can feed everything in the bathroom as long as you do not overload the circuit with fixed in place equipment.

I think that what e57 meant was...If the HLV unit is rated for more than 10A, you can't put it on a 20A circuit that supplies receptacles or lighting.
Hence, you can't supply a single bath with only one 20A circuit if it has "utilization equipment fastened in place " that's pulls more than 10A.
210.23(A)(2) 2005
steve

 

[stickboy1375]

Personally I think this is 'bad code' it is not a safety issue it is a design issue.

There is nothing unsafe about the hood being combined on other circuits and if a microwave is added later it is not unsafe to connect it to the circuit although it may be inconvenient.



In my opinion the 422.16(B)(4) goes beyond the NECs stated purpose.

Maybe we should add another rule for a dedicated circuit where a the homes entertainment center might be located. :roll:

I agree, sounds like an upgrade to me, I run a 15a receptacle for a gas stove then they upgrade to electric... is it my fault there is no range receptacle? same with gas dryer as well...

 

[Paul B]

I agree that the code should remain as a minimum safety standard, If it was to become a design code then there would be more special interests buying there way into it then there already is. Maybe they could even start selling advertising in it.

Yea and then maybe it will be free.

 

[chuck mccarty]

Boy, this is a great question and there's some great information in the replys. My thoughts lean both ways- if the NEC starts requiring dedicated circuits to every location where someone may change a load in the future we'll be needing to increase a residential service to 80 circuits just to handle the 'maybe' factor. However, a good installer will try to anticipate the needs of the customer. Often they have no idea what they need, so it's our job to help. My house was built in 1905. Over 100 years ago they didn't even put in an electrical service. It was added in the 1930's. I still have gas piping in my walls and ceilings that I could reconnect for gas lights. You can imagine all the different wiring methods used over the years. Knob and tube, bx, cloth 'romex' w/ and w/o ground, rigid pipe, round (not octagonal) boxes, etc, etc. Looking at my wiring is looking at an NEC history. My point...while we need to anticipate future needs, the NEC is a safety standard and not a 'future design' standard. My house was built to code in 1905. Even if they had thought of the future, how could they know what to expect? How far do we take this idea of future possibilities?

Final thought- by bringing up this point you show yourself to be above and beyond many electricians who don't really care. Adding a breaker and perhaps a few more feet of wire doesn't cost much, and a satisfied customer is always worth far more. That's how you get the next job...

 

[tallgirl]

Maybe we should add another rule for a dedicated circuit where a the homes entertainment center might be located.

If you support me in having dedicated circuits where computers might be installed, I'll support you in having dedicated circuits where entertainment centers might be installed.

I hestitate to admit that I get jealous every time I work in something like a Habitat house because the electricians who do them tend to put in more outlets than electricians who wire tract homes and the like. What I'd like to see -- seriously -- are code changes aimed at getting rid of power strips. If the 12' rule is supposed to be about keeping people from unsafely using extension cords, why hasn't someone figured out how to keep people from needing to plug a power strip in for their TeeVee, home theatre, family computer, etc?

I've never seen a range hood that was cord and plug connected.

Here --

Now you've seen one

I might be missing something, but how does someone install a microwave there and still have a useable stove top?

 

[George Stolz]

Don't most plug strips come with a 15A breaker on them nowadays?

I thought I would be ahead of the curve and install a three-gang full of duplex receptacles where my TV sat in my living room. It worked out pretty sweet...

...until the wife moved all the furniture, and the TV wound up on a different wall. Now, it just looks stupid, sitting out there all exposed. Lesson learned.

Julie, haven't you seen rangetop microwaves? They're all the fashion out here.

 

[tallgirl]

Don't most plug strips come with a 15A breaker on them nowadays?

Some do, many don't. The ones at the Wally-World end of the price range may not even have an "off" switch.

I thought I would be ahead of the curve and install a three-gang full of duplex receptacles where my TV sat in my living room. It worked out pretty sweet...

Well, I think that's excessive. I think that an additional duplex within 2' of a CATV, TelCo or CAT5 box that doesn't count towards the 12' requirement would be sufficient and not look stupid. So, you'd have at least 4 outlets within 6' of that media box, and another 2 not so far away. And that's about how many outlets are in most power strips and about as many pluggies as it takes to handle a reasonable entertainment center.

All in favor say "Aye!"

...until the wife moved all the furniture, and the TV wound up on a different wall. Now, it just looks stupid, sitting out there all exposed. Lesson learned.

You need a new wife.

Think of the favor I'm doing you -- by getting divorced now you can start paying child support and/or alimony and be one step closer to your Master's license.

Julie, haven't you seen rangetop microwaves? They're all the fashion out here.

Not that were a replacement for a range vent hood like what I've got. The ones I've seen won't allow the cabinet like what I have over mine.

Plus, I have pots for pasturizing beer and wine (boiling it to kill any bugs before adding brewers yeast) that require a HUGE amount of vertical space above the range. I'm talking 24 quart pots. Giant stainless steel monsters

 

[George Stolz]

Well, I think that's excessive. I think that an additional duplex within 2' of a CATV, TelCo or CAT5 box that doesn't count towards the 12' requirement would be sufficient and not look stupid.

Sufficient for what? I still have six appliances to plug in.

Not that were a replacement for a range vent hood like what I've got. The ones I've seen won't allow the cabinet like what I have over mine.

If the brim of that hood is at 5' 8" or so (eye level for me at 6'1" tall) then an rangetop micro will fit just fine. They're a little odd for my taste, I prefer the hood, and a micro sitting somewhere else. A friend of mine got one, and it made me a little claustrophobic, to be honest. But I think he had a low upper over his range.

 

[tallgirl]

Sufficient for what? I still have six appliances to plug in.

How wide is your entertainment center or whatever? Mine is about 7' wide. That would put all of the 6 outlets I've proposed within a few of each side.

See -- problem solved!

Dittos for the CAT5 and TelCo boxes -- the most convoluted computer setup I've got is 6 pluggies: server, monitor, speakers, USB HD enclosure, shredder, switch. The desk is 5' wide and the server is a 1' wide deskside. That's all plugged into a 1100VA UPS (Belkin, if anyone cares ...) with 6 outlets (3 UPS,3 surge protected only) (oh, shredder isn't, obvious -- if the power is out the shredding can wait!)

I think these are pretty typical scenarios -- computer, monitor, printer, cable or DSL modem, powered speakers, maybe a router or WAP. That's 6 right there and forces the user to have a power strip. TeeVee, cable box, DVD player, receiver, game console and maybe a CD player (my DVD player is also a 5 disk CD changer ...). That's another 6 (I have 9 or 10 pluggies over there -- you don't want to know ...)

If the brim of that hood is at 5' 8" or so (eye level for me at 6'1" tall) then an rangetop micro will fit just fine. They're a little odd for my taste, I prefer the hood, and a micro sitting somewhere else. A friend of mine got one, and it made me a little claustrophobic, to be honest. But I think he had a low upper over his range.

I'll look into it. Mine is, I think, about 4" lower than yours. Eye level for me, at 6' 2", is just above the TOP of the hood. There's 16" inches above the tallest pot I cook with, so ... not a lot of room to work with.

The only break I've gotten with this stupid house is that the vent is on a separate circuit along with the clock on the gas range. So, if I can find a microwave-vent combo that fits, I could get some counter space back

 

[jameshot]

why should it be required a dedicated circut ?for a lil motor and light bulb on a new installation,if they put in a microwave later on then thats future service work YOU GOT TO PLAN FOR FUTURE SERVICE CALLS......LOL

 

[celtic]

I might be missing something, but how does someone install a microwave there and still have a useable stove top?

I must have missed this question ....I'll snap some pics for you come Monday.

 

[allenwayne]

I must have missed this question ....I'll snap some pics for you come Monday.

It is done all the time.Me when roughing in i send a dedicated circuit to the hood area have been doing that for years.For several reasons.#1 The majority of the homes here get an over the range micro,#2 By doing this we can still get a final inspection even if the micro or hood are not on site.A single recep and be done with it.Same for D/W and disposal.I found that by cord connecting these appliances it makes life allot easier in the long run.Some might argue that it is a waste of money IE: wire breaker etc.But think for a minute, if the appliance is not on site then you can`t get a final and can`t bill for a completed job.Then you tie up a service crew to go back and hook up the appliance.So you can get paid the final draw.I found that by installing a dedicated circuit with a single device then getting a final.When the builder calls to get them hooked up so they can get the other finals a trip charge is the least of there problems (just do it you`ll get paid for it )No arguments about it is in the scope of the work.You have done your job final inspection done and now they want you to come hook up these things so they pay without a gripe.