?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Charlie I do not have my book but I believe that definition is in article 100 under branch circuit; individual

IMO a duplex is clearly two receptacles however I don't see what difference that makes.

An individual branch circuit can only supply one piece of utilization equipment, there is no restriction of the number of receptacles that circuit may have.

 

[jwelectric]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

When I am speaking about a receptacle I might use an adjective to describe this receptacle such as dryer receptacle or range receptacle.

Another adjective that I might use is duplex. Just what kind of receptacle would I be talking about?

du?plex
adj.
1. Twofold; double.
2. Having two apartments, divisions, or floors.
3. Relating to or being a single assembly of machinery having two identical units that are capable of operating simultaneously or independently.
I would think that a duplex receptacle even if I just say receptacle would constitute two receptacles.
The debate starts.

 

[dpenbert]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by charlie b:
May I ask where that is defined? I don't see it in Article 100, and I don't know where else to look?

Charlie, this is in article 100 under "Branch Circuit, Individual", as iwire just stated. I also missed it at first.
Bring on the debates, I love them.

Thanks,

---------------
David - St. Louis

 

[charlie b]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Thanks for reference. OK, the debate I had in mind has already been started:

Originally posted by iwire: An individual branch circuit can only supply one piece of utilization equipment, there is no restriction of the number of receptacles that circuit may have.

I hate to say it, but I agree with Bob here.

 

[jwelectric]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Branch Circuit, Individual. A branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment.

Receptacle. A receptacle is a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug. A single receptacle is a single contact device with no other contact device on the same yoke. A multiple receptacle is two or more contact devices on the same yoke.

210.11 (C) (1) Small-Appliance Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets specified by 210.52(B).

210.52 (B)(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.

Exception No. 2: The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater.

Based on the sections outlined above I am left under the impression that any receptacle that is installed anywhere in the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit is required to be on a twenty amp circuit unless allowed by exception.
Those that are allowed by exception to be on a smaller amp circuit would be required to be a single device.


Edited to add;
Do I see the 1000 post on its way?


[ February 22, 2006, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: jwelectric ]

 

[charlie b]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by jwelectric:Do I see the 1000 post on its way?

Doubtful. However, I agree with everything you said except this:

Originally posted by jwelectric:. . . Those that are allowed by exception to be on a smaller amp circuit would be required to be a single device.

You can run #14 wire from a 15 amp breaker in the panel to a single outlet "behind the fridge," install one 15 amp duplex receptacle in that outlet, plug the fridge into one of the two available sets of contact devices, and you will meet the requirement of supplying only one utilization equipment. No violations here.

 

[jwelectric]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Here we disagree, the ability to use the second receptacle is now available should I chose to plug another piece of equipment (radio) in. Here in lies the violation. I have supplied two pieces of equipment.

If this refrigeration equipment required two receptacles or if I was going to use two pieces of refrigeration equipment then a duplex would be fine.

I see this as being the same as the exception found in 210.8(A)(2) although not worded the same.


I was at one point in time convinced that I could install as many 15 amp circuits and receptacles as I wanted in those rooms outlined in 210.52 until I went to Cocoa Florida. It was there that my mind was set straight and it was done so in front of about a 1000 people, a lesson I shall long remember.

The way I understand those present from panel two if it is in any of the rooms found in 210.52 then it will either be required to be on a twenty amp circuit or supply only one piece of equipment. We all know that a duplex supplies two pieces of equipment.


Edited to add;

1000 minus 26 leaves 974 to go


[ February 22, 2006, 03:25 PM: Message edited by: jwelectric ]

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by jwelectric:
Here we disagree, the ability to use the second receptacle is now available should I chose to plug another piece of equipment (radio) in. Here in lies the violation. I have supplied two pieces of equipment.

Yes the person that plugged in the radio created a violation, not the electrician.

The NEC says what it says and it does not say that an individual branch circuit shall supply a single receptacle or single outlet.

 

[jwelectric]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by iwire:
The NEC says what it says and it does not say that an individual branch circuit shall supply a single receptacle or single outlet.

You are correct it doesn?t say one receptacle or outlet but it does say one piece of equipment.

Branch Circuit, Individual. A branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment.

This would mean that only one piece of equipment could benefit from this circuit. The duplex would constitute two pieces of equipment.

Equipment. A general term including material, fittings, devices, appliances, luminaires (fixtures), apparatus, and the like used as a part of, or in connection with, an electrical installation.

Device. A unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry or control but not utilize electric energy.

Now that we have installed two receptacles we have served two pieces of equipment.

Every post brings us one post closer to the big 1000

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by jwelectric:
We all know that a duplex supplies two pieces of equipment.

We do?

I look around my room now and I see duplex's supply 0, 1 or 2 pieces of equipment.

We all know 200 amp fuses fit in 200 amp fuse holders but that does not prohibit me from using 125 amp wire on the load side of those fuse holders.

If I was to agree that a single receptacle was required for this particular installation it would be because of the use of the singular receptacle in the exception.

Exception No. 2: The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater.

Of course if we read that exception to literally it only allows one 15 amp receptacle even if I have more that one refrigerator.

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by jwelectric:

Originally posted by iwire:
The NEC says what it says and it does not say that an individual branch circuit shall supply a single receptacle or single outlet.

You are correct it doesn?t say one receptacle or outlet but it does say one piece of equipment.

Mike get real, don't just try to stretch this out.

You know as well as I do that an outlet is equipment but it is not utilization equipment.

 

[charlie b]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

You can put the following three things on a table: (1) A receptacle with room for only one attachment plug, (2) A receptacle with room for two attachment plugs, (1) A receptacle with room for three attachment plugs. You can then point to any one of these things, and say "that is a receptacle," and you would be right. The definition of "receptacle" allows for the possibility that there might be an adjective in front of that noun (i.e., "single" or "multiple"). But it does not require that there be an adjective.

Furthermore, the word "receptacle" is used in the NEC as an adjective, even though the NEC does not define it in that context. An example is "receptacle outlet." Here, "receptacle" is an adjective, modifying the noun "outlet." That phrase is not defined, and its first word is not defined in such a way as to allow it to be used as an adjective. So I guess I don't know what that would be. However, I am willing to look at one contact device in an outlet, or two contact devices in an outlet, or three contact devices in an outlet (I have one of these in my bathroom), and I will use the phrase "receptacle outlet" for all three. What I am getting at is this: having more than one contact device does not prevent the thing from being accurately described as a "receptacle," nor does it prevent the outlet from being accurately described as a "receptacle outlet."

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by charlie b:
You can put the following three things on a table: (1) A receptacle with room for only one attachment plug, (2) A receptacle with room for two attachment plugs, (1) A receptacle with room for three attachment plugs. You can then point to any one of these things, and say "that is a receptacle," and you would be right.

Charlie I am not following you, is it your position that a duplex (A receptacle with room for two attachment plugs) could be referred to as 'a' receptacle?

I will have to respectfully disagree with you at least as far as the NEC is concerned.

That flys against sections in article 220 about multi outlet assemblies.

By your description I could install a plug strip with 20 receptacles and count it as one.

You will also find sections of the NEC where one or more receptacles are referenced you find (s) at the end of receptacle.

IMO when the word receptacle is used in the NEC it referrers only to a receptacle with room for only one attachment plug

[ February 22, 2006, 05:13 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Disregard having trouble working off a laptop.

[ February 22, 2006, 05:02 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[LawnGuyLandSparky]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by charlie b:

Originally posted by dpenbert:[qb]

Or am I just getting cynical in my old age, and am I just gunnin' for a debate?

Gunnin' for a debate would be: "Should that receptacle, singlex or duplex, be mounted ground up or down?"

 

[George Stolz]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by charlie b:
Furthermore, the word "receptacle" is used in the NEC as an adjective, even though the NEC does not define it in that context. An example is "receptacle outlet." Here, "receptacle" is an adjective, modifying the noun "outlet."

I disagree. When the NEC defines a term such as "receptacle outlet" then that definition excludes itself from the conversational rules of English. "Receptacle outlet" is effectively one word, not an adjective and a noun.

 

[charlie b]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by iwire: Charlie I am not following you, is it your position that a duplex (A receptacle with room for two attachment plugs) could be referred to as 'a' receptacle?

99% of the country would say yes. I am in that group.

Originally posted by iwire: That flies against sections in article 220 about multi outlet assemblies.

No it doesn't. 220 does say that a duplex counts as 180 VA, and that a "simplex" (if I may be permitted that term) counts as 90 VA. But I can still look at a single yoke that has room for three attachment plugs, and it would still fit the definition of "receptacle." That definition has what might be called a "separate included definition" that would further describe the 3-plug thingy as a "multiple receptacle." But it is still a receptacle, and can be described by that one word alone.

Originally posted by iwire: By your description I could install a plug strip with 20 receptacles and count it as one.

Once you get beyond a single yoke, you are definitely into the plural "receptacles."

Originally posted by iwire: You will also find sections of the NEC where one or more receptacles are referenced you find (s) at the end of receptacle.

The English language would require the "(s)." The adjective phrase "one or more" makes the subject both singular and plural, and requires the associated noun to be both singular and plural.

Originally posted by iwire: IMO when the word receptacle is used in the NEC it refers only to a receptacle with room for only one attachment plug

I had been agreeing with you in this thread, and that's the thanks I get! OK. So now I withdraw my support, and disagree with whatever I thought I might have said, despite whatever it was that I actually had written. So there! }

[ February 22, 2006, 06:24 PM: Message edited by: charlie b ]

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Just so we are clear.

When the NEC refers to a receptacle that includes duplex receptacles?

If yes I will have to respectfully disagree.

Is this

a switch or is it switches?

[ February 22, 2006, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: iwire ]

 

[iwire]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

Originally posted by charlie b:

Originally posted by iwire: Charlie I am not following you, is it your position that a duplex (A receptacle with room for two attachment plugs) could be referred to as 'a' receptacle?

99% of the country would say yes. I am in that group.

Yes I bet 99% of the country would, I bet the other 1% would be users of the NEC.

90% of the country may call a duplex a 'plug' that does not make it so.

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: ?Individual Branch Circuit" for a Kitchen Refrigera

I am in the 99%.
I also agree with Bob. You could install a "Quad" on a dedicated 15 amp branch circuit and still be legal. Is this the intent of the NEC? I don't know as I didn't write it.