Gotta love it!!!!!!!

[surf more]

I went out of my way on 2 houses by roughing in my light circuits with my garage -laundry-kitchen-bath lights all on 1 circuit to save a afci breaker.
the inspec did not like that ,and said it is a sim... room.also he uses key word outlet..i did look up def... of outlet and he does have a point there.
no hard fellings just did it---2 more afci done the drain!!!

so many differ views on the code ---sometimes it is a pain!!!

 

[augie47]

"outlet" is a term that throws a lot of folks until they learn to speak "Code". GrounED and groundING are other good examples.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I went out of my way on 2 houses by roughing in my light circuits with my garage -laundry-kitchen-bath lights all on 1 circuit to save a afci breaker.
the inspec did not like that ,and said it is a sim... room.also he uses key word outlet..i did look up def... of outlet and he does have a point there.
no hard fellings just did it---2 more afci done the drain!!!

so many differ views on the code ---sometimes it is a pain!!!

I would not agree with your inspector. A laundry room is not similar to the other rooms mentioned nor is the bath, kitchen and garage.

A receptacle is an outlet so does he want the recep. on an AFCI in the kitchen?

 

[radiopet]

Your inspector is incorrect in my opinion with the current intent of the NEC. If they expected bathroom, garage, laundry and kitchen lighting outlets to be on AFCI then NEC 210.12(B) would directly say this, and it does not. While I think it is a matter of time where it may require this, I dont believe it does at this time and those are not similar rooms or area's in my opinion.

 

[mlnk]

I do not understand what the inspector was complaining about and what you did to fix it?

 

[pete m.]

Similar

Similar

The word "similar" as used in 210.12(B) is bad code verbiage. "Similar" is an unenforceable term in accordance with Table 3.2.1 of the NEC manual of Style. I haven't checked, but I hope someone did make a proposal for the 2011 NEC to remove that word from the verbiage.

Pete

 

[jimport]

I just called one AHJ about receptacles in a mudroom I just wired and they said it was similar enough to require AFCI protection.

I know you can only enforce the words as written, but in reality, why would rooms not mentioned be any less likely to have a problem than the rooms specifically mentioned? Aren't we really splitting hairs here? If the cost of one or two more breakers is breaking the job was it priced too close to cost anyway?

IMO it would have been easier just to make AFCI protection everywhere and remove the doubt. Why is it required on the sabc in the dining rooms but not in the kitchens?

 

[480sparky]

So is all that extra NM and labor worth the cost of an AFCI breaker?