need advice on code question

Merry Christmas
Status
Not open for further replies.
T

Ty Rutan

New member
Location
Columbus, Ga.
Hello all,
I'm new at this computer stuff so please bear with me.
I'm currently wiring a new home and the customer has combined a bathroom and laundry room together. It will have a toilet and sink on one end with a dryer, washer and tankless water heater on the other end. The room is approx 8x12 or so. My problem lies in the fact that I will need disconnecting means for the Tankless water heater and it will require 3-40amp 240v feeds.I would like to set a sub panel to feed this unit but also understand it's a bathroom. The customer doesn't want to look at 3- disconnects mounted to the wall and I'v inquired with the inspector and they are currently mulling it over. What say you guys?
 
I haven't looked up instant hot water heaters specifically, but often the "disconnect" can often be a padlock attachment back at the main breaker panel (out of sight from the water heater).
 
Flush mount a breaker panel in the middle of the wall.
after inspection have the homeowner hang a picture of me over it, or a mirror. Or behind a towel rack that will always have a towel hanging.
Get it?
you can hide the panel with a wall covering thats removabale.
 
240.24(E) Not located in Bathrooms.
In dwelling units and guest rooms or guest suites of hotels and motels, overcurrent devices, other than supplementary overcurrent protection, shall not be located in bathrooms.

Art 100
Bathroom
An AREA including a basin with one or more of the following: a toilet, a tub, or a shower.

Hiding the panel or flush mounting it in a bathroom is not permissible in dwellings
 
I think the authority having jurisdiction will have to make the call here. It will likely boil down to whether the portion of the room where the panel is located is actually considered to be a bathroom. I would think if the panel is located next to the water heater unit, it would be considered to be in the laundry/utility room and not the bathroom even though they are all in one room. Good luck!
 
What may help you here is that a bathroom is considered an "area" with a tub, basin, and toilet, not a room. The AHJ may designate the area where the water heater is installed a laundry room and the area where the toilet, etc. is the bathroom. This would allow you to install the overcurrent devices near the water heater. By the way, would thes be considered supplemetal overcurrent protection since the circuit is already protected in the main panel? If so, then the question about whether or not this is a bathroom s a non-issue.
 
If the sub panel is a must Pierre is dead on if the area is in fact defined as a bath room. If not , moulded case switches would be allowed with the ocpds in the main panel, or if the units have switches on them(422.34 2005) may be applied or steve66 is correct as well .The disconnect can be out of sight but it needs to be capable of being locked in the off posistion and the little set screw handel locks are not going to cut it.(422.31(b) )
Perhaps the best case is to say that it is a seperate space as Ramdiesel & Haskindm have suggested. Good luck.
 
Last edited:
If you have a 40A feed and used say a 60A breaker as a disconnect in a sub in the bathroom (along with another 40A breaker in the main panel somewhere), is that 60A breaker actually an "OCPD" now or has it degenerated into a "switch" since it would never trip?
 
You can get Manual Controllers in 2 and 3 Pole configurations, up to 40 amps (maybe higher, but I do know they are made with 40 Amp ratings, as I have installed a few of them).

These Manual Controllers are Toggle switches with Motor Running Protection - which will fit into a Single Gang Deep Outlet Box, and may be covered with a typical 1 Gang Switch Cover Plate.

The Overcurrent Protection is likely not needed (only a means to disconnect the Circuitry within site of the Water Heater(s) for Servicing Purposes), so in this case, your Client gets "Double Overcurrent Protection" ;)

These will look a lot better than a bulky surface mounted typical EXO Disconnect.
If you are unable to locate anything in the "Snap Switch" flavors, there are some smaller General Purpose NEMA type 1, 2 Pole 60 amp non-fusible Disconnects available.
They are about the same physical size as an 8 KW Instahot's tank, which makes things "looks-wise" not too bad.

BTW, the Manual Controllers I am referring to are made by Pass & Seymore, and were Model Number 7462 (I think???).

Good Luck!

Scott
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top