Tamperproof Receptacles

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Scott Novotny

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Do you need tamperproof receptacles in a college dorm room if it is being built on the 2008 NEC. Some of the larger units have provisions for cooking in the units so would you consider them like a dwelling unit and have tamperproof receptacles. A engineer says the age of the occupants who are living in the units ( college age students) exempts the need for the tamperproof receptacles. What is the right answer?
 
Welcome to the Forum...
The answer is no/yes :)
Tamper proof outlets are required in dwelling units. Units that have provisons for living, sleeping, sanitation and COOKING are dwelling units.
 
Scott Novotny said:
A engineer says the age of the occupants who are living in the units ( college age students) exempts the need for the tamperproof receptacles. What is the right answer?
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I need the engineer to try and explain that to the inspector when retired people complain about the TR's.
 
Dorm rooms would require independent sanitation and cooking facilities to be dwelling units. There would have to be a bathroom as well as cooking facilities located in the room.

Most dorm rooms at the very least rely on communal sanitation facilities even if they provide for cooking in the room.

There is no age exclusion for young or old. Explain to Granny why her visiting grandchild is a toaster pastry.
 
pfalcon said:
Dorm rooms would require independent sanitation and cooking facilities to be dwelling units. There would have to be a bathroom as well as cooking facilities located in the room.

Most dorm rooms at the very least rely on communal sanitation facilities even if they provide for cooking in the room.

There is no age exclusion for young or old. Explain to Granny why her visiting grandchild is a toaster pastry.
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A lot of dorms have a bathroom shared between two units. I'm not sure if that would qualify as independent or not.

If you are doing an entire dorm, I would ask the inspector (if there is one.) You don't want to have to replace that many outlets if the inspector sees it differently than your engineer.

Steve
 
steve66 said:
A lot of dorms have a bathroom shared between two units. I'm not sure if that would qualify as independent or not.

If you are doing an entire dorm, I would ask the inspector (if there is one.) You don't want to have to replace that many outlets if the inspector sees it differently than your engineer.

Steve
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Sounds like a neat excuse to disqualify as a dwelling unit. Make'em share a stool - you save on a bathroom and don't need TR. Think that's the plan?
 
pfalcon said:
Sounds like a neat excuse to disqualify as a dwelling unit. Make'em share a stool - you save on a bathroom and don't need TR. Think that's the plan?
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You'd be surprised how the language can sometimes work in your favor.

I recall wiring a 178-room hotel, and the only bathrooms in the place were the public ones out by the pool. There were no bathrooms in the rooms, according to the NEC, therefor no 20 bath circuits in them.
 
480sparky said:
You'd be surprised how the language can sometimes work in your favor.

I recall wiring a 178-room hotel, and the only bathrooms in the place were the public ones out by the pool. There were no bathrooms in the rooms, according to the NEC, therefor no 20 bath circuits in them.
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I thinks I is not so surprized. I thinks maybe:

Owner: Why do I need $2000 for TRs?
EL: Cause they're dwelling units.
Owner: What's a dwelling unit.
EL: Well, they have eating, sleeping, sanitation ...
Owner: And if I pulll the bathrooms and stick them in the hall?
EL: Well, okay, then they wouldn't be dwelling units any...
Owner: And I don't pay the extra $2000?
EL: No, but...
Owner: HEY ARCHITECT! If we pull all the baths and only install two in the hall I get to save $20,000 on the baths and $2000 on the TRs. Make it so!
 
pfalcon said:
I thinks I is not so surprized. I thinks maybe:

Owner: Why do I need $2000 for TRs?
EL: Cause they're dwelling units.
Owner: What's a dwelling unit.
EL: Well, they have eating, sleeping, sanitation ...
Owner: And if I pulll the bathrooms and stick them in the hall?
EL: Well, okay, then they wouldn't be dwelling units any...
Owner: And I don't pay the extra $2000?
EL: No, but...
Owner: HEY ARCHITECT! If we pull all the baths and only install two in the hall I get to save $20,000 on the baths and $2000 on the TRs. Make it so!
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Bathrooms were not in the hall. There was just no bathroom by NEC definition in the rooms. The toilet and tub/shower were in a seperate room, and the sink was outside that room. By definition, no bathroom. But this was years ago, long before TR requirements.
 
pfalcon said:
Dorm rooms would require independent sanitation and cooking facilities to be dwelling units. There would have to be a bathroom as well as cooking facilities located in the room.

Most dorm rooms at the very least rely on communal sanitation facilities even if they provide for cooking in the room.

There is no age exclusion for young or old. Explain to Granny why her visiting grandchild is a toaster pastry.
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A lot of newer dorms are "suites". They will have 2 to 4 bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen area and 1 or 2 bathrooms.
 
LarryFine said:
1) The inspector wouldn't care, and 2) why would the retirees complain?
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ceb58 said:
I have had them complain about the force needed to insert the plug.
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I saw this happen. Poor old guy had Parkinson's disease. Being able to hit the shutters at the same time when he can't hold his hand steady is difficult. Made me sad.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
A lot of newer dorms are "suites". They will have 2 to 4 bedrooms, a living area, a kitchen area and 1 or 2 bathrooms.
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I have seen those. They would be considered a single unit since the rooms are not truly independent. So that would make that instance a dwelling unit. With all that requires.
 
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