NEC 210.62

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SOwings

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Here is my question, all comments are welcome.

NEC 210.62 requires a receptacle for ever 12 foot of show window.
We have a strip center being built where the building is set up with 9 meter banks (8 spaces and a house panel), A daycare is moving in and has used 4 of the meters and panel feeds (so if the daycare fails they can have some infrastructure in to convert to retail). 8 separate A/C's.


The builder and his architect are arguing that they do not need to install show window receptacles because the use is daycare, not retail.Nothing I have read in the NEC makes any reference to the use of the building.

Do they need to install these receptacles and brance circuits per 220.43?
 
You are correct, a Show Window is a Show Window regardless of what the space is currently used for or planned to be used for.

Roger
 
The bigger question is when is it a show window?? An octagon shaped window projecting outward in front of a store is a show window. Is the flat panel glass in front of the rental space with the front door in the middle a show window??
 
From Article 100:
Show Window. Any window used or designed to be used for the display of goods or advertising material, whether it is fully or partly enclosed or entirely open at the rear and whether or not it has a platform raised higher than the street floor level.
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Whether the space is being used as a daycare or as a retail store is irrelevant. What matters, based on the NEC definition of Show Window, is whether or not the window is "used or designed to be used for the display of goods or advertising material."

If the Architect says, "It's not designed to be used for displaying goods or advertising," and the tenant says, "It won't be used for displaying goods or advertising," then it's not a show window and no receptacle is required. If, on the other hand, the Architect says, "It was originally designed to be used for displaying goods or advertising, but that's not how it's going to be used," it IS a show window and the receptacle IS required.

Of course, none of this matters if the Inspector takes a look at the window and says, "I don't care what any of you say, I say that's a show window." Then you pretty much have no choice but to put in the receptacle.
 
This is a building designed as a strip mall, set up to accomodate 8 (max) tennants. The windows are continuous (except for doors) the lengthe of the building in the front These windows are as least 6 ft. in height, starting from 3 ft. off the ground. The entire building is being rented by a tenant for a daycare facility. Hope this clarifies the question some.
 
SOwings said:
This is a building designed as a strip mall, set up to accomodate 8 (max) tennants. The windows are continuous (except for doors) the lengthe of the building in the front These windows are as least 6 ft. in height, starting from 3 ft. off the ground. The entire building is being rented by a tenant for a daycare facility. Hope this clarifies the question some.
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Not really.

How does one determine that windows will not contain advertising for the daycare facility later?

IMHO, I would wire it as a show window.
 
SOwings said:
This is a building designed as a strip mall ...
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Based on that right there, I'd say it's a show window. I've never seen a strip mall that didn't have some sort of advertising in the front window. The fact that the building was "designed as a strip mall" tells me the front window was "designed to be used for the display of goods or advertising material". IMO this is a show window, and needs to be wired as one.

As always, though, it will end up being the Inspector's call. You have to decide if you want to go along with the Architect and see if the Inspector writes you up (then you can submit a Change Order for adding the show window circuits that weren't on the construction drawings) or if you want to argue the point ("look, if I just add the circuits now it will cost an additional $1500, but if I don't do it now and the Inspector makes us put it in later we'll have to mess with finished walls and ceilings, and it will end up costing an additional $10,000 plus a delay of 4 working days.").

If you decide to go along with the Architect, make sure your objection is documented in writing, and that you have a written copy of the Architect's response stating that it's not a show window. Just in case everyone suddenly develops amnesia when the correction notice comes in. ;)
 
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