Dwelling unit circuits

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

bealfi

Member
I'm working on this job where this motel is being converted to a studio dwelling. Instead of adding a circuit for the new cooktop, and a new circuit for the microwave, we are putting in 2 selector switches. On one switch you can use either the window A/C unit or the cooktop. The other switch allows you to use either the microwave or the refrigerator. Does this seem right? I thought you had to have a separate circuit for the A/C unit, one for the cooktop, one for the microwave, and then one for the kitchen refrigerator. My boss call them non con-incidental loads. Please help settle this argument, Thanks
 
bealfi said:
I'm working on this job where this motel is being converted to a studio dwelling. Instead of adding a circuit for the new cooktop, and a new circuit for the microwave, we are putting in 2 selector switches. On one switch you can use either the window A/C unit or the cooktop. The other switch allows you to use either the microwave or the refrigerator. Does this seem right? I thought you had to have a separate circuit for the A/C unit, one for the cooktop, one for the microwave, and then one for the kitchen refrigerator. My boss call them non con-incidental loads. Please help settle this argument, Thanks
Click to expand...

Wow- so the food can be hot in the microwave, or warm in the fridge?
From a moral standpoint it would be so mean to do this it would almost be funny. No, it doesn't seem right.

From a NEC standpoint.... for load calc's, they sure would seem noncoincidental, by design. One problem is that noncoincidental loads are allowed to be calculated such in Section 220.60. That is for feeders and services, not branch-circuits. So he could be called on that.

Refrigerators are not required to be on individual circuits, they can be on one of the two Small Appliance Branch-Circuits.

Seems possible, but unlikely that the AC and the cooktop will be allowed on the same type of circuit (20 or 25 amp Max OCP for instance for AC, 30 amp min for cooktop, or similar).

But I wouldn't call the inspector, I'd call a newspaper reporter. :cool:

Welcome to the forum. Good luck. :roll:
 
Either A/C or cooktop

Either A/C or cooktop

This is in the desert southwest where the summertime temperature can reach 115 deg. that can sure heat up the room quickly while cooking without ventilation.
 
Hopefully that switch for the fridge and microwave has a timer. You know...in case you forget to switch it back to fridge after heating up your Hot Pocket late at night.
 
Sounds like the boss is being super-cheap. The owner is going to end up with a very sub-standard installation, hated by all.
 
I would think that in this instance since this is a "new conversion " from a motel to a "dwelling that it should comply with the code in force of TODAY. That would mean 2 circuits for the Kitchen, 1 for the A/c , 1 general lights and other circuits as code requires.

Hey you might even need to re-calculate the entire place. In some localities you might need to provide Seperate Electric meters.

I see this kind of mentality all the time. Oh I really don't have the money. Oh we're just doing some paint and patch. Oh Oh OH

I say so what! change it's use suffer the consequences.

It's pretty simple to me. Leave it alone and you're ok. Touch it and you must comply.

Oh well !
 
Sierrasparky said:
I would think that in this instance since this is a "new conversion " from a motel to a "dwelling that it should comply with the code in force of TODAY. That would mean 2 circuits for the Kitchen, 1 for the A/c , 1 general lights and other circuits as code requires.

Hey you might even need to re-calculate the entire place. In some localities you might need to provide Seperate Electric meters.

I see this kind of mentality all the time. Oh I really don't have the money. Oh we're just doing some paint and patch. Oh Oh OH

I say so what! change it's use suffer the consequences.

It's pretty simple to me. Leave it alone and you're ok. Touch it and you must comply.

Oh well !
Click to expand...


Totaly agree. If you can not do it correctly,don't muck it up. Cost more to fix it than to do it right the first time. How do people come up with such lame idea's ?????
 
That would never fly around here. In my opinion, it will take the tenants less than a week to figure out how to bypass that switch.

Then you have a dual hazzard: too much load on one circuit, and work done on the switch by unqualified people.

Steve
 
I would love watching the kids try to learn and remember this without costing you money several times a month. For that matter, would love to watch adaults trying to learn and remember. I cant even train my kid to turn the light off in the house when she leaves for school or lock the door on the house, or etc. etc.:)Definetely NO good situation.
 
iwire said:
I find that highly unlikely, that would have 'never get paid' written all over it.
Click to expand...



You think they knew, and agreed to this ahead of time? I find that highly unlikely. If that's the case, I don't feel sorry for them anymore,,,,in fact that changes everything as far as the EC goes,,,it's not HACK,,,,,,it's not CHEAP,,,it's not even worth talking about, they asked for it. If that's the case why is everybody bashing the EC He's doing his job
 
iwire said:
I think customers should be allowed to be as cheap as they want to be as long as it is not a true safety hazard.
Click to expand...

You're kidding right!

I'll agree with you but only on this one point!
If the owner or the one paying for the work lives in the dwelling and as condition does not rent or EVER offers the place for sale. In this case only I agree. But onece that hack imposes their faulty work onto another then I have a serious issue. In the case here this place is a rental and is a potential problem. An electrical installation shall comply with code as well as comply with it's intended use.
 
I would say that if this is being converted from a hotel/motel guest rooms to dwelling units, then it needs to comply with all of the code requirements for a dwelling unit. Doesn't matter what it was before.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top