Nehmo Sergheyev wrote:
- Nehmo -
Assuming your talking about NEC 2002, where in it does _it_ say a
washer
or dryer requires an individual branch circuit?
- HaHaHa -
Right here, in the 1999 code, article 210-52 (f).
- Nehmo -
You might as well use the more recent issue. It's available:
ed2k://|file|National%20Electrical%20Code%20Handbook%2020 02%20Edition.zi
p|63039174|50FAB8DF7DA7A5112CF74961BB1F2848|h=LQ6A GFGEROOTVHJRIOUIQQAOHQ
BEKIHC|/
I need 2005.
- HaHaHa -
"(f) Laundry Areas. In dwelling units, at least one receptacle outlet
shall be
installed for the laundry.
Exception No. 1: In a dwelling unit that is an apartment or living
area in a
multifamily building where laundry facilities are provided on the
premises that
are available to all building occupants, a laundry receptacle shall
not be
required.
Exception No. 2: In other than one-family dwellings where laundry
facilities
are not to be installed or permitted, a laundry receptacle shall not
be
required."
And in article 210-11 (c) (2)
"210-11. Branch Circuits Required
Branch circuits for lighting and for appliances, including
motor-operated
appliances, shall be provided to supply the loads computed in
accordance with
Section 220-3. ***In addition, branch circuits shall be provided for
specific
loads not covered by Section 220-3 where required elsewhere in this
Code and
for dwelling unit loads as specified in (c).***
(c) Dwelling Units.
(2) Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch
circuits
required by other parts of this section, at least one additional
20-ampere
branch circuit shall be provided to supply the laundry receptacle
outlet(s)
required by Section 210-52(f). *** This circuit shall have no other
outlets.
***
- Nehmo -
That's for the receptacle outlet in the laundry room, for an iron,
press, or other piece of equipment perhaps; it's not the dedicated
outlet(s) for the washer & dryer (and an electric dryer outlet is
usually 240V anyway, not covered by this section). You will notice it's
not required in multifamily dwellings where there _are_ laundry
faculties provided. If this _sole_ outlet supplies the washer or dryer,
how can it be absent there?
- Nehmo -
Anyway, sure, it is ideally preferable to have an individual branch
circuit for every major appliance. But OP cited "$$$", so economy
takes
priority.
- HaHaHa -
Does it? Does economy take priority over the National Electrical code?
Do the
rules go out the window if someome simply claims they cannot afford
it?
- Nehmo -
You and your accomplices are just following the common
news:alt.home.repair practice of trying to make problems for people
rather than trying to help them -advocating the most burdensome route.
It goes along with crabbing at people.
- Nehmo -
There's a big difference in cost here.
- HaHaHa -
"those who consider price alone..."
- Nehmo -
I don't know how that quote ends, and I considered more than price.
I don't recommend tapping the existing circuit to get the 120V for the
washer, but I *might* do it myself if there was no more room in the
breaker box for another circuit, or if it was ususually impossible to
run the wires for a new laundry circuit. Adding a new circuit is
usually not all that hard or expensive to do.
If I was going to tap the dryer circuit to supply the washer, I would
figure out which leg of the 240V circuit supplied the dryer's motor and
timer, then I would take the hot wire from the other leg so it will be
balanced better and less likely to trip the breaker. Then the washer
needs a 15A or 20A fuse between the tap and the recepticle. It would
look kind of goofy, and by the time you find and buy all the junction
boxes and plug fuse holders (etc.) it will cost more than doing the job
right in most cases. If you gerry-rig it like this and it works, it
might not work if you replace the dryer someday and the dryer has the
120V stuff on its other circuit leg -- so you would have to remember
that and reverse the black and red wires in the dryer outlet.
It's not a good idea, but it could be done safely; but you won't find an
electrician willing to do it because it's not very workmanlike and it
would not meet the current electric code.
Best regards,
Bob
|