Why we need to multiply 125% for General Lighting Branch Circuits for Banks, store, office building?

[solar man]

Hi All,
I can't find the code reference of multiplying the Load VA with 125% for certain occupancies such as bank, restaurant, office building, etc. Is it for all commercial locations that we multiply with 125%? If so, where in the code is this specified? Also, which occupancies other than bank, restaurant, office buildings requires this 125% multiplier. what is the meaning of "etc" as shown in the attached file. I am using 2017 NEC, and am located in AZ. ty

 

[roger]

I don't think it's directly stated but in those type of buildings it's assumed they are continuous loads.

 

[suemarkp]

Most business that operate for over 3 hours a day would have their lighting as a continuous load. Perhaps not if there are occupancy sensors, but the requirements for those are still rolling in. And some areas it won't matter if there is constant customer or employee movement, lighting will be on all the time.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The rule that requires the 125% for branch circuits that supply continuous loads is in 210.19. The same thing is required by feeders in 215.2.

 

[jaggedben]

Fwiw in the 2020 NEC a note was added to the table that the 125% factor is *included* in the table values. Also the numbers for restaurants and offices were lowered. So this same calculation under 2020 or 2023 would be significantly lower. But to be sure of compliance under 2017 the 125% must be included.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Fwiw in the 2020 NEC a note was added to the table that the 125% factor is *included* in the table values. Also the numbers for restaurants and offices were lowered. So this same calculation under 2020 or 2023 would be significantly lower. But to be sure of compliance under 2017 the 125% must be included.

What section in Article 220 in the 2017 code requires the use of a 125% factor for the load calculations?
No matter what code cycle you are on, the rules for branch circuit and feeder conductor and OCPD sizing will require the use of the 125% factor for continuous loads, but not finding anything that requires it for the general load calculations.

 

[jaggedben]

What section in Article 220 in the 2017 code requires the use of a 125% factor for the load calculations?

None explicitly but the OP's screenshot is referencing specifically the lighting load for a restaurant as an example that might also be applied to oan office or bank. And I think it's reasonable to argue those are continuous, as roger mentioned. So then you are referencing a section in 215.

No matter what code cycle you are on, the rules for branch circuit and feeder conductor and OCPD sizing will require the use of the 125% factor for continuous loads, but not finding anything that requires it for the general load calculations.

The difference between the 2017 and 2020 cycles, as I alluded to, is that in the latter Table 220.12 has a note that explicitly clarifies that the 125% continuous load factor is already included in the table figures. In 2017 this is ambiguous so to be conservative towards compliance you would add the 125% to those figures.

 

[solar man]

Hi,
I am supposed to use 2017. I understand that it would be assumed, but then what other type of occupancy should we include in this assumption?
I read somewhere it would be banks, office buildings, restaurants, and stores... but would it also apply to hospitals, etc? I would be good to know for which ones we apply the 125% specifically... ty!

 

[Strathead]

Hi,
I am supposed to use 2017. I understand that it would be assumed, but then what other type of occupancy should we include in this assumption?
I read somewhere it would be banks, office buildings, restaurants, and stores... but would it also apply to hospitals, etc? I would be good to know for which ones we apply the 125% specifically... ty!

All you can do is use common sense. My experience with test situations is that they won't ask questions that aren't clarified somewhere, but a hospital certainly would have lights on for more than 3 hours. A warehouse that is occupied, a factory floor, a library, a school all would have significant portions of their lighting on for 3 hours continuously.