Lighting Branch Circuit Calculations

[Will Wire]

Does it state in the NEC that lighting loads are continuous? Is it just our knowledge that the circuits we are considering a calculation for are continuous? I was always taught to never load a lighting circuit to more than 80 %. Thank you, Trent

 

[victor.cherkashi]

No, it states load that continue 3 hours

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[iwire]

Does it state in the NEC that lighting loads are continuous? Is it just our knowledge that the circuits we are considering a calculation for are continuous? I was always taught to never load a lighting circuit to more than 80 %. Thank you, Trent

No it does not.

Lighting loads can be either continuous or not.

For instance the sales floor lighting in a store would be considered continuous. On the other hand a closet light would not be.

The determining factor is found in article 100.

Continuous Load. A load where the maximum current is expected to continue for 3 hours or more.