Spare circuit cable and conduit for future radon fan

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hhsting

Senior Member
Location
Glen bunie, md, us
Occupation
Junior plan reviewer
I have new construction where they are providing spare 15A breaker in panelboard with #14 awg in 1/2 inch conduit all the way up to attic in townhome. The circuit is for future radon fan. So right now the radon fan itself is not provided only the breaker, cable and conduit is provided now.


Would NEC 2017 allow such spare cable and conduit size not connected on load side to anything but fed from 15A spare breaker for future use?
 
You can run any spare power cable that you want and connect it to nothing or to an OCPD.
 
Based partly on 312.5, if we install a "spare" conduit from the panel it is required to be "plugged" or terminate in a j box and not just open ended.
 
It’s fine under NEC 2017 to run a spare 15A breaker with #14 wire in conduit for a future radon fan, as long as the wiring is safely capped and labeled.
 
louisvilleKYradon said:
It’s fine under NEC 2017 to run a spare 15A breaker with #14 wire in conduit for a future radon fan, as long as the wiring is safely capped and labeled.
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Where in the NEC is a spare circuit required to be labeled?

Also when you have a minute please update your profile to include a less generic location. Thanks.
 
As others have noted, capped and safed is fine. If for some reason your inspector is having a particularly bad day, since it's in the attic just connect a light with a pull chain so there's "load."
 
Yes, NEC 2017 allows a spare circuit for future use. A 15 A breaker with #14 AWG in 1/2" conduit is fine even if nothing is connected yet, as long as the cable is properly supported and protected. When the radon fan is added later, make sure conduit fill and ampacity rules are followed.
 
Melvin, please update your profile information to include an accurate location and occupation.
 
This requirement to provide a circuit for a future radon fan comes from IRC AF103.12. Nothing says it has to be a dedicated circuit. Tap off a handy circuit, install a receptacle outlet near the radon pipe, and call it good.
infinity said:
Where in the NEC is a spare circuit required to be labeled?
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408.4(A)(3) if it's a breaker in a panelboard as mentioned.
 
hhsting said:
I have new construction where they are providing spare 15A breaker in panelboard with #14 awg in 1/2 inch conduit all the way up to attic in townhome. The circuit is for future radon fan. So right now the radon fan itself is not provided only the breaker, cable and conduit is provided now.


Would NEC 2017 allow such spare cable and conduit size not connected on load side to anything but fed from 15A spare breaker for future use?
Click to expand...
I would make them safe off the wires so they can't short to each other with wire nuts or similar on the hot, otherwise I think that idea is completely legitimate from a code/plan review standpoint. I don't have a code section for capping the wires, but I could find something if pressed - no one has ever fought me on that one, code section or not.
 
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