Multi-family Dwelling unit Panel Location

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JNshorty

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Hi,

I am trying to find an NEC reference that shows whether or not a multifamily dwelling unit has to have its own individual load center, or can I run 3 units to a single loadcenter in a shared hallway. I am aware of the code restrictions for each branch circuit to only feed one dwelling unit, and that shared loads (in this case heating, hallway lighting, laundry, ect.) have to have their own "house" panel. I am not sure it meets the occupant access requirements of 230.72 (C), or 240.24 (B)

I dont think its a good design to have a shared dwelling unit panel in a shared hallway, if for no other reason than maintenance. But I have not been able to find an explicit code reference that prohibits it.

Thank you
 
JNshorty said:
I dont think its a good design to have a shared dwelling unit panel in a shared hallway, if for no other reason than maintenance. But I have not been able to find an explicit code reference that prohibits it.

Thank you
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240.24 (B) is where you are at and it does not say anything about the breakers being in a "shared hallway".

Each occupant has to have access to his own breakers....if every other occupant has access, well that is not a problem the NEC has decided to design against yet.
 
I would say the biggest issue to overcome would be maintaining the integrity of the fire wall that typically runs along the public hall.
 
I have a client that wants to reduce cost to a multi-dwelling unit by putting shared unit panels (more than one unit on each panel) in the hallway. As far as I can tell it meets code, provided none of the "house" loads come from the panel, and each branch circuit only feeds one unit. Again, I am strongly reccomending against this, but they wanted a code reference to indicate why they couldn't construct it this way.
 
There will be a main breaker in each panel. Throwing the main breaker will shut down multiple units, the only way to shut down only one unit would be to throw the branch circuit breakers associated with that unit. For example: each unit requires 5 circuits per code (minimum), the idea would be to feed lets say 4 units from a panel located in the hallway - 20 circuits (5 circuits per unit) protected by a main breaker in the hallway panel. The hallway panel will be fed by a distribution panel located on the first floor.
 
JNshorty said:
There will be a main breaker in each panel. Throwing the main breaker will shut down multiple units, the only way to shut down only one unit would be to throw the branch circuit breakers associated with that unit. For example: each unit requires 5 circuits per code (minimum), the idea would be to feed lets say 4 units from a panel located in the hallway - 20 circuits (5 circuits per unit) protected by a main breaker in the hallway panel. The hallway panel will be fed by a distribution panel located on the first floor.
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That may violate the 'grouped together' requirement in 230. A sketch or a line drawing would help. Me, at least...
 
JNshorty said:
I have a client that wants to reduce cost to a multi-dwelling unit by putting shared unit panels (more than one unit on each panel) in the hallway. As far as I can tell it meets code, provided none of the "house" loads come from the panel, and each branch circuit only feeds one unit. Again, I am strongly reccomending against this, but they wanted a code reference to indicate why they couldn't construct it this way.
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Kind of an old school design. Like other have said, while probably not against the code, it's not a very good design. You would have to have very good descriptions on the panel schedules.
 
By multiple dwelling units being feed from 1 panel, I would suppose that the rent includes utilities (as I do not see any way to have individual meters).

If utilities are included in the rent, then why could you not have house loads coming from the dwelling unit panel?
 
Yes for the purpose of this discussion the tenant rent is handled by the property owner. Its similiar to a hotel room except that each unit meets the provisions for a "dwelling" (i.e. permanant cooking, waste disposal, eating, ect) and I dont think you could consider this particular dwelling area of "transient" occupancy.
As far as I know, the code requires a "house" panel for shared loads, regaurdless of billing ability. NEC 210.25 (B)
 
JNshorty said:
I am still in the planning stages of this particular design, but please see attached....
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I see six apartments with power only going to four.

Assuming all six apartments will be powered from the panel on the drawing, along with the 'house' circuits, I don't see a way to shut the entire service down with six or less throws of a switch, unless I am missing something.
 
The panel shown on plan will have a main breaker, so you can shut off service to the four units shown simultaneously by toggleing the main breaker. No house loads will be fed from the panel. There are 100's of units proposed for this plan, I was only intending to show a small portion of the area to provide context. Each branch circuit line represents (5) circuits for that dwelling unit. The shared panel in the hallway is not the service panel the service to the building comes into a seperate panel which feeds the panel in the hallway. The service panel will have a single disconnecting means, so as far as I know it qualifies for the grouping of disconnect requirements.
 
JNshorty said:
That is my interpretation of NEC 210.25 (B)
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210.25(b) prohibits house loads from being supplied from an individual dwelling or tenant panel. If these panels each serve several dwellings or tenants, I would say it is allowed.
I believe the intent is that my individual panel in my dwelling or tenant space not have common area circuits under my control.
 
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