Office cubicle fire

[fbhwt]

I did a search but didn't find anything that related to this: single office cubicle connected to 120v 20 amp circuit, 15 amp power strip plugged into cubicle 15 amp receptacle, 1500w portable space heater plugged into power strip along with computer and monitor. Cubicle receptacle wiring at receptacle got hot and caught fire. Code violation 210.21(B)(2) Would 210.21(B)(1) also apply?

 

[iwire]

Office cubicles are more of a listed assembly then a wiring method.

I am not sure if 210 applies.

 

[charlie b]

I will take Bob's comment one step further. I submit that the "thing" that the heater and computer was plugged into is not a "receptacle outlet," and so therefore article 210.21 does not apply. I say that because, despite all appearances, it is not an outlet because it is not a "point on the premises wiring system" (from the definition of "outlet").

 

[kwired]

1500 watt heater plugged into a loose fitting receptacle contact is inviting this kind of thing to happen no matter where it is at.

That is one of my biggest issues with those claims by the makers of certain electric heaters and their claim their product can't start a fire. The product itself may be well designed and have cool enough surfaces but 1500 watts through a weak link at the receptacle is the same regardless, and I have seen many melted down cord ends and receptacles associated with those things.

 

[fbhwt]

Office cubicles are more of a listed assembly then a wiring method.

I am not sure if 210 applies.

The cubicle is connected to a "Branch Circuit".

 

[iwire]

The cubicle is connected to a "Branch Circuit".

Yes it is, but in this case the branch circuit ends at the outlet supplying this special equipment.

Chapter 6 Special Equipment

ARTICLE 605
Office Furnishings (Consisting of
Lighting Accessories and Wired
Partitions)

605.1 Scope. This article covers electrical equipment, lighting
accessories, and wiring systems used to connect, or contained
within, or installed on relocatable wired partitions.

 

[fbhwt]

I will take Bob's comment one step further. I submit that the "thing" that the heater and computer was plugged into is not a "receptacle outlet," and so therefore article 210.21 does not apply. I say that because, despite all appearances, it is not an outlet because it is not a "point on the premises wiring system" (from the definition of "outlet").

Ok, so let's take the power strip/surge protector out of the equation and all equipment/appliances are plugged into the cubicle receptacles.

 

[iwire]

Ok, so let's take the power strip/surge protector out of the equation and all equipment/appliances are plugged into the cubicle receptacles.

If I have say a home stereo receiver that has some outlets on the back of it to supply other parts of the system are those outlets part of the branch circuit?

If I hardwire a dishwasher are the conductors inside the dishwasher part of the branch circuit?

The branch circuit supplying office furniture stops where the field wiring connects to the cubical wiring.

 

[mgookin]

delete (addressed)

 

[fbhwt]

If I have say a home stereo receiver that has some outlets on the back of it to supply other parts of the system are those outlets part of the branch circuit?

If I hardwire a dishwasher are the conductors inside the dishwasher part of the branch circuit?

The branch circuit supplying office furniture stops where the field wiring connects to the cubical wiring.

And the field wiring is connected to a receptacle, so how does 210.21(B)(2) not apply?

 

[fbhwt]

Yes it is, but in this case the branch circuit ends at the outlet supplying this special equipment.

605.9(C) Receptacle Outlets, Maximum. shall not contain more than 13 15-ampere 125-volt receptacle outlets. A branch circuit is feeding this cubicle receptacle, I am using cord and plug to power my equipment, where do I go to find out what the maximum cord and plug connected load to this receptacle is?

 

[mgookin]

And the field wiring is connected to a receptacle, so how does 210.21(B)(2) not apply?

210.21 is for a single receptacle. Don't you have a duplex receptacle?

 

[iwire]

605.9(C) Receptacle Outlets, Maximum. shall not contain more than 13 15-ampere 125-volt receptacle outlets. A branch circuit is feeding this cubicle receptacle, I am using cord and plug to power my equipment, where do I go to find out what the maximum cord and plug connected load to this receptacle is?

Keep in mind the section you quoted specificlly applies to cord and plug connected cubicles.

If your cubicles are supplied by a receptacle that section applies and it says what it says. No maximum connected load, just a max number of outlets.

If the cubicles are hard wired there are no limits IMO.

 

[charlie b]

And the field wiring is connected to a receptacle, so how does 210.21(B)(2) not apply?

The field wiring is connected to a receptacle, but it is not connected to a receptacle outlet. See my earlier post for the relationship of the definition of the term "outlet" to this discussion. That is, in my opinion, why 210.21 does not apply.

 

[fbhwt]

Keep in mind the section you quoted specificlly applies to cord and plug connected cubicles.

If your cubicles are supplied by a receptacle that section applies and it says what it says. No maximum connected load, just a max number of outlets.

If the cubicles are hard wired there are no limits IMO.

Ok, so 605 has nothing to do with this other than the receptacles have to be 15 amp rated.

I'm lost, the cubicle in question is not connected via cord and plug but is hard wired to a branch circuit. Now, I have a receptacle that is part of cubicle, rated 15 amps by the manufacture. Are you telling me that I can plug what ever I want into this receptacle without concern as to what the rating is?

 

[charlie b]

Are you telling me that I can plug what ever I want into this receptacle without concern as to what the rating is?

My answer would be that the code cannot take responsibility for the stupidity of homeowners and tenants. There is, for example, nothing in the code that forbids an office tenant from sticking both prongs of a pair of needle nose pliers into an outlet as the means of turning the circuit off for maintenance. It's a really bad idea. But the code is all about the electrical installation. Once you made the hard-wired connections from the furniture wiring into the outlet, and start wondering what happens downstream of that point, the code becomes silent.

 

[fbhwt]

My answer would be that the code cannot take responsibility for the stupidity of homeowners and tenants. There is, for example, nothing in the code that forbids an office tenant from sticking both prongs of a pair of needle nose pliers into an outlet as the means of turning the circuit off for maintenance. It's a really bad idea. But the code is all about the electrical installation. Once you made the hard-wired connections from the furniture wiring into the outlet, and start wondering what happens downstream of that point, the code becomes silent.

So why does 210.21(b)(2) Maximum Cord and Plug Connected Load to Receptacle not apply. 210.21 Outlet Devices. Does not specify where the receptacle is, but 210.21(B)(2) tells me that "a receptacle shall not supply a total cord and plug connected load in excess of the maximum specified in table 210.21(B)(2)

 

[ggunn]

So why does 210.21(b)(2) Maximum Cord and Plug Connected Load to Receptacle not apply. 210.21 Outlet Devices. Does not specify where the receptacle is, but 210.21(B)(2) tells me that "a receptacle shall not supply a total cord and plug connected load in excess of the maximum specified in table 210.21(B)(2)

But the fire had nothing to do with the size of the load other than affecting the amount of current through the bad connection.

 

[fbhwt]

But the fire had nothing to do with the size of the load other than affecting the amount of current through the bad connection.

How do you know that it was a bad connection?

 

[fbhwt]

210.21 is for a single receptacle. Don't you have a duplex receptacle?

210.21(B)(1) is for a single receptacle

There is a duplex receptacle the surge/power strip is plugged into