New Code suggestion on built-in microwaves

[al hildenbrand]

Kwired, you raise a good point, but, in my humble opinion, you buried the lead. I believe you are considering Fluorescent Strip Lighting (or equiv.) wired end to end.

A luminaire with the supply wiring method directly entering the luminaire - that point is within the luminaire, but exactly where within the luminaire may also be a little debatable. Is it the point of entry of supply conductors?

Here you are describing a SINGLE luminaire.

The Lighting Outlet has Branch Circuit conductors ending in it. The wirenut splice between the Branch Circuit conductor and the Luminaire conductor houses the Outlet. It could be up in the box, or down in the canopy or other cavity of the Luminaire body.

Is it at the point where supply conductors connect to conductors that came with the luminaire?

Yes.

If you have a continuous end to end run of linear fixtures don't you have supply conductors and an outlet within in each luminaire?

This is clouded by the "run of linear luminaires" being rated as RACEWAY and therefore housing Branch Circuit conductors. The splice between the Branch Circuit conductors and the Luminaire conductors is the Outlet, so there are multiple outlets.

 

[JFletcher]

Lets say I used one of those four square 4 outlet single yoke devides... the inspector then tells me it is four separate outlets... It is one device that covers the power for four appliances possibly but... it is a single point in the wiring system to supply the utilization equipment and there is nothing in that definition to count the number of equipment that is being suppied or it would state supply one piece of utilization equipment.

look further into the language of the 2017 exception... It goes on to state "from an individual branch circuit", and the article 100 definition of branch circuit, individual is "a branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment".

as I wrote before, this is just the way I see it, and I may very well be wrong. If that is the case, nobody is going to convince me that putting in 15 amp receptacles of any configuration on a kitchen countertop is a good idea. At least with a simplex there is a passing chance the homeowner won't overload it, with a duplex on it, there is no way to visually discern that circuit from the 20 amp small appliance branch circuits, unless the installer happens to use Nema 5-20 receptacles, which are nice but not required for 20 amp circuits. (most homeowners will not know or care the difference between a 515 and a 5:20 anyway)

For these reasons it would not surprise me to see the new allowance in the 2017 exception to be rescinded by 2023.

Also as I wrote before, I hate kitchen remodels, and I really see nothing wrong with the the code the way it was... If I want to add more circuits to a kitchen countertop, I would just add another small appliance branch circuit or two and be done with it. All 20 amp circuits, plenty of power, no having to move a dedicated 15 amp circuit from here to there because the homeowner change their mind on where they want a built-in wine cooler, no nuisance calls on "why is my breaker tripping"... (Because it's a 15 amp, not a 20, and you tried to use a crock pot and a toaster oven same time from the same receptacle...) Does anyone want to explain that to a homeowner?

Tl;Dr... :angel:

 

[JFletcher]

Now to the point about outlets, all receptacles are outlets, not all outlets are receptacles as Larry mentioned.

The box itself is not the outlet, but for lights and hardwired equipment, the point at which the equipment or fixture wire joins the branch wiring is the outlet point. The box is just a byproduct of having to contain splices.

If the Box itself was an considered an outlet, it would be against code to have blanked off splice boxes for the small appliance Branch circuits, 210.52 B 2.

 

[JFletcher]

Can we all agree that this is another poorly worded code section that might allow unintentional loopholes?

If I disagree with everyone else today about everything, at least I can agree on this!

 

[al hildenbrand]

If I disagree with everyone else today about everything, at least I can agree on this!

You know, if I recall correctly, one of the reasons for the original allowance for the dwelling refrigerator 15 A branch circuit came from certain manufacturers who made high-end refrigerators that came with installation instructions that said they were to be protected by a maximum 15 A OCPD.

It wouldn't surprise me that there are other appliance manufacturers that have lobbied for this expanded allowance.

 

[Adamjamma]

Well, for years all I have ever used in Kitchens, Laundry areas, Workshop areas, and outside outlets has been 20 amp on 10 guage wire... costs more but I sleep better... However, code lets me do less...

 

[kwired]

Yes, but only the first one receives power from the building electrical system; each one after that receives its power from the previous one.

Imaging several extension cords plugged in, one to another, to create a longer cord. Only the first one receives its power from the receptacle.

Kwired, you raise a good point, but, in my humble opinion, you buried the lead. I believe you are considering Fluorescent Strip Lighting (or equiv.) wired end to end.


Here you are describing a SINGLE luminaire.

The Lighting Outlet has Branch Circuit conductors ending in it. The wirenut splice between the Branch Circuit conductor and the Luminaire conductor houses the Outlet. It could be up in the box, or down in the canopy or other cavity of the Luminaire body.


Yes.


This is clouded by the "run of linear luminaires" being rated as RACEWAY and therefore housing Branch Circuit conductors. The splice between the Branch Circuit conductors and the Luminaire conductors is the Outlet, so there are multiple outlets.

Sorry guys but I'm not buying that a an end to end run of linear luminaires becomes one luminaire. When you install such a setup you must run the branch circuit conductors all the way to the end luminaire in the run, you can't hit the first then run fixture taps from luminaire to luminaire. You can make a fixture tap within each fixture though. You can also have similar setup but instead of actually being end to end have a length of raceway between each luminaire, it is still multiple luminaires and there is an "outlet" at some point between the branch circuit conductors and supply leads of each and every individual luminaire (utilization equipment).

 

[al hildenbrand]

Sorry guys but I'm not buying that a an end to end run of linear luminaires becomes one luminaire.

kwired, my apologies for not being clearer. I didn't say what you took me to say.

The end to end linear luminaires, that are also Raceways, in fact have the Branch Circuit conductors INSIDE the string of Luminaires. That means the Premises Wiring (System) is inside the Raceway that is also a string of Luminaires. Therefore there is an Outlet at each splice of the linear luminaire conductors to the Branch Circuit conductors in the Raceway of the multiple luminaires.

 

[kwired]

You know, if I recall correctly, one of the reasons for the original allowance for the dwelling refrigerator 15 A branch circuit came from certain manufacturers who made high-end refrigerators that came with installation instructions that said they were to be protected by a maximum 15 A OCPD.

It wouldn't surprise me that there are other appliance manufacturers that have lobbied for this expanded allowance.

Wouldn't surprise me if that wasn't a reason. They know many will end up on a 20 amp circuit regardless. If they catch that fact during a warranty claim they can easily turn down the claim, though it will seldom have mattered to whatever failed.