separate sub panels

[desertsandcastles]

Im new be gentle with me. My question is
We have a 40,000 sf building that had a single tenant type B occupancy with a single house panel.
There is a new tenant moving in and they want to lease out each individual space (and there are 26 of them) some as small as 91 sf. The new tenant doesnt want sub panels for each. There are alot of obvious problems associated with this, but I cant locate it in the codes anywhere that they have to have separate panels. Or if they even have too?
thank you for your help

 

[charlie b]

Take a look at 240.24(B). How does the owner plan to make the branch circuit breakers serving each tenant accessible to that tenant? By having the main paen in the building's main office, and giving each tenant a copy of the key? Does the owner want all tenants to have access to all other tenant's branch circuit breakers? If not, then each tenant will have to have their own panel, even if each panel is a small 12-circuit (or smaller) model.

Welcome to the forum.

 

[augie47]

I think the 1st place I would look is 240.24(B). This could be accomplished by panel locations or by occupant access to a common area
Also check 225.35
Incidently, welcome to the Forum

 

[dcspector]

Im new be gentle with me.

Others answered the section. But scary isnt it? Use load side equipment not sub panel just a tweek of mine.

 

[wireguru]

I dont see a problem with this. I have seen dozens and dozens of offices where for example and entire floor of a building is rented out to individual tenants in each office. If someone trips a breaker they need to get ahold of building engineering or manager to have it reset.

 

[desertsandcastles]

response

response

The way the owner is dividing the spaces up allows each tenant to have access to the breaker box. My concern is there are 3 possibly 4 tenants on one circuit...one breaker. Lableing the panel to disconnect all shared circuits would be a mess. Locking out breakers in an office use is almost unheard of. Can I require (at a minimum) for them to provide one circuit breaker for each tenant space?

 

[augie47]

I wish I could cite a Code section that prevents "sharing" a circuit, but I'm unable to (in a commercial setting). Perhaps someone else knows of one.
The key may in what you mention as far as 408.4. It might be easier for the E/C to properly separate the circuits than to try and identify "shared" circuits in detail.

 

[Sierrasparky]

generally if there is one meter for the entire place and the landlord pays the power then you can have 2,3,5 any number of units on the same panel/breaker. That panel should be in a common place.

 

[desertsandcastles]

clarification

clarification

Augie47 explained it better than I did. I don't mind one panel, its tenants sharing one breaker. Not only once but serveral times. Example:
Breaker 1 : supplies 2 receptacles from tenant A and 2 receptacles for tenant B as well as one light for tenant C.
Breaker 2: Tenant B shared another circuit breaker with tenant D for their lighting.
Breaker 3: Tenant A shares breaker with tenant C each having two receptacles
...this goes on and on with close to 30 tenant spaces sharing circuit breakers.

 

[Sierrasparky]

Augie47 explained it better than I did. I don't mind one panel, its tenants sharing one breaker. Not only once but several times. Example:
Breaker 1 : supplies 2 receptacles from tenant A and 2 receptacles for tenant B as well as one light for tenant C.
Breaker 2: Tenant B shared another circuit breaker with tenant D for their lighting.
Breaker 3: Tenant A shares breaker with tenant C each having two receptacles
...this goes on and on with close to 30 tenant spaces sharing circuit breakers.

There is nothing wrong with that type of install.
Is it the best way well maybe yes maybe no!
Is it the cheapest probably.
If you have the option, Separate breakers by unit. If there is no onsite manager then I would place the panels in a common area accessible to all Tennant's.
If you have more money to dispose of I suppose you could place a small load center in each unit. ( definately not a requirement)