Romex used in commercial building

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mf

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A vacant K Mart store in our community has been sold and is to be remodeled to become a home center.Offices are being constructed in the form of wood studs. Does the NEC allow the use of Romex ,NMC to serve these offices.Receptacles,lights,switches etc?
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

I'm not sure what a home center is but if each office is not design for over 100 persons then it would not be a place of Assembly.

ARTICLE 518 Places of Assembly
518.1 Scope.
This article covers all buildings or portions of buildings or structures designed or intended for the assembly of 100 or more persons.
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518.2 General Classifications.
(A) Examples. Places of assembly shall include but not be limited to the following:

Armories Courtrooms
Assembly halls Dance halls
Auditoriums Dining facilities
Auditoriums within Exhibition halls
Business establishments Gymnasiums
Mercantile establishments Mortuary chapels
Other occupancies Multipurpose rooms
Schools Museums Bowling lanes
Places of awaiting transportation
Church chapels Pool rooms
Club rooms Restaurants
Conference rooms Skating rinks
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This exemp's Office and apartment building's where each office or apartment will hold less than 100 person's. and that they can not be added together as a whole to require conduit.

(B) Multiple Occupancies. Occupancy of any room or space for assembly purposes by less than 100 persons in a building of other occupancy, and incidental to such other occupancy, shall be classified as part of the other occupancy and subject to the provisions applicable thereto.
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Unless there is a local code it look's like NM could be used :D ?

[ February 05, 2005, 12:56 AM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

I think that's local or other non NEC regulations.
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

the 2002 code is more stringent on rx cable in a commercial building. if it is a type I or II location you can't use it at all. if it is a type III, IV, or V, rx must be installed behind a thermal barrier that has a 15- minute finish rating. and rx can't be installed in a dropped ceiling at all in a commercial building.
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

Im not understanding what you mean by homecenter. However, if the building is commercial use, then NO, Romex is not allowed.

[ February 05, 2005, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: aelectricalman ]
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

Originally posted by aelectricalman:
Im not understanding what you mean by homecenter. However, if the building is commercial use, then NO, Romex is not allowed.
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Why do you say that?

Please cite a code article.

You should read 334.10

Roger
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

For the applications desribed by others about I guess your right. What is a home center? Home depot is a homecenter, right. Can you use Romex at Home Depot?

I was not thinking of small office space as commercial; overlooked. Sorry, thanks for correcting me.

[ February 05, 2005, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: aelectricalman ]
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

Let me straighten out what I said for the record because I'm not even sure what I meant from reading it.

A lot of times there are restrictions outside of the NEC that prohibit NM in commercial buildings.
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

Originally posted by aelectricalman:
What is a home center? Home depot is a homecenter, right. Can you use Romex at Home Depot?
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Maybe, a Home Depot is not a place of assembly, even though it can hold over 100 persons.

518.1 Scope.
This article covers all buildings or portions of buildings or structures designed or intended for the assembly of 100 or more persons.
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The key word is assembly, many apartment buildings hold more than 100 people and they are not places of assembly.

Carefully read the list below and you can get the idea.

Wayne left out the words "Auditoriums within" in the list he posted, those words are important as without those words it looks like Business establishments, Mercantile establishments, Other occupancies and Schools are places of assembly, they are not.

Article 518 applies to places of assembly designed or intended for 100 or more persons. Article 518 would apply, for example, to a church chapel or auditorium for occupancy of 100 or more persons, its capacity determined by the methods for occupancy population capacity in accordance with NFPA 101, Life Safety Code. Article 518 does not apply to a supermarket, even though a supermarket may contain 100 or more persons, because a supermarket is not specifically designed or intended for the assembly of persons, nor is it considered to be an auditorium. Article 518 does not apply to an office building or a school building, even though such buildings, as a rule, are designed for occupancy by 100 or more persons. Article 518 does, however, apply to assembly halls, restaurants, and so on, within office or school buildings if these parts of the building are designed or intended for the assembly of 100 or more persons.
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Edit; Actually Wayne's list does contain the words "Auditoriums within" it is just that the list did not transfer well from the NEC CD-ROM to this forum.

My apologies Wayne.

[ February 06, 2005, 08:51 AM: Message edited by: iwire ]
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

From NFPA- Life Safety 101

6.1.10.1 Definition-Mercantile Occupancy.
Any occupancy used for the dsiplay and sale of merchandise.

Explanation in the NFPA 101 Handbook:
Bulk merchandising retail buildings, which characteristically consist of a warehouse-type building occupied for sales purposes, are a subclass of mercantile occupancy with a greater potential for hazards than more traditional mercantile operations.
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

MF is looking for some more input on this thread, anyone have some more insight?

I would say the answer to your question can be found in 334.10 and 334.12
 
Re: Romex used in commercial building

I am closing this thread. The original poster has opened a new thread, so please continue the discussion here.
 
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