Small Kitchen Appliance Loads - NEC 220.14(A)

EBSoares

Member
Location
McKinney, TX
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Hi, all.

Certain receptacles on non-dwelling kitchen (say, a fire department, for example) are clearly dedicated, such as refrigerators, garbage disposals, certain microwaves (if the receptacle is behind its embedded cabinet location), and so far we understand the panel load calculations have to abide by NEC 220.14(A).

However, for the general receptacles above the kitchen counters (say, there are (5) such receptacles throughout the kitchen), the architect is saying that (2) receptacles should be dedicated for their (2) coffee pots.

Question: Regarding panel schedule load calculation, for those two receptacles, do we calculate them as their full appliance load at around 1000VA each (as detailed by the NEC article in question), or do we treat each of those two like the others "unassigned" receptacles with loads of only 180VA?

I've come across two answers to this:
  1. Abide by NEC 220.14(A). Since we know those two appliances that will be placed on the counter, we have to assign their full, 1000VA load to those (2) receptacles on the panel schedule.
  2. Disregard NEC 220.14(A). Since their locations and usage are not hard-set (the tenants can later move the coffee pots to other, generic receptacles on that counter, or end up buying just one coffee pot, or many other scenarios that don't match the design), all those (5) above-counter receptacles should simply be assigned 180VA each.
Please, let me know your thoughts and experiences 👍
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
One 20a circuit can handle two 1Kva loads.

I would tend to go with #1. You know the intention.

What if it was a 15a, 120v receptacle placed for a window A/C?
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
I agree with Larry. What the present or future tenants choose to do is well beyond our ability or responsibility to design or install.
 

EBSoares

Member
Location
McKinney, TX
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Thanks for the input, @LarryFine and @charlie b.

One more, related question: Let's say you are working on a project where the year-long power peak report gave you a value that is, say, 60% of your calculated demand load on a remodeling project, and you have to add a full-house generator. Would you consider option #2 in order to lower the demand calc to what has been more realistic to this facility, therefore allowing you to select a smaller generator?
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
I don't understand your description, as it appears to me to combine two separate calculation methods.

If you add load to an existing building, you can take the max power (in KW) over a year, add 20% of that value, add the new load, and compare the result to the service capacity. You seem to be doing something similar. But then you mention, "calculated demand load on a remodel project." That sounds like you are calculating the total load of the building (i.e., after the remodel is done), rather than the load being added during the remodel.

Can you clarify your intent?
 

EBSoares

Member
Location
McKinney, TX
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Sure thing - you actually clarified it well for me: take the max power (in KW) over a year, add 20% of that value, add the new load, and compare the result to the service capacity.

However, now that I think more about it, you and @LarryFine answered my OP question and it's all I needed. My additional question doesn't matter...

Thank you so much! 🙂
 
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