Commercial Recepts

JamesNLA

With the leniency given to the amount of recepts in commercial applications, how many utility/unknown load recepts do you do per breaker. As a rule of thumb, I'm privy to 4 per 20A. U?.

mdshunk

Depends on the type of occupancy. For commercial type work, you're limited to calcs at 180va per yoke. You're proposing less receptacles total than that calc allows, and that's totally fine. It might blow your bid out of the water if you're competing for the job. If it's T&M work, or "design-build" as they seem to want to call it in the commerical world, I just take into account the occupancy type and the use that these receptacle circuits might be put to in the future. More of a visceral feeling than any rule of thumb.

JamesNLA

On this one large job I have going the owners were veeeery particular on exactly where they wanted everything AND how it was wired, they did the ....design thing. It's funny because I showed them my load calks and they cut it in half. They wanted each computer to get a home run, and there are some 20 or so comps. I did talk them into letting me branch a recpt for the pencil shaprener!!!


Which reminds me, I need a little assistance on a few items:

to start, I need (1) 150W and (3) 75W dimmable transformers. Going in a dirty/dusty area. Any brands you reccommend?

The under cab lighting @ 12v. needs to be bright but not hot so no halogens, looking for discrete Xenon(sp?) strips about 3-4 ft.

And while I'm on a wild tangent, when cutting FMC do you use the greenlee cutters (with the little saw blade) or do you just snap em and tin snip it? I was working with a guy last week who was razzing me for using the greenlee cutters while he just snaps it over. His method was a little faster, but mine looked cleaner, not that it matters, it's all buried in the walls anyhow

mdshunk

Progress on the transformers and the xenons. I can get you catalog numbers later, if you like. The xfmrs are 3R or at least dust tight.

Both ways on FMC. Just depends on how much I have to do. One or two, I might snap it and nip it. More than that, I generally go for the RotoSplit.

Magnettica

I try to always use my Roto-splits. The Greenlee named brand are my favorite. Problem is, I don't always carry them around with me in the bucket so I don't always have them nearby. When this happens I use the diagnol cutters (dykes) to split the cable. The problem with doing it that way is the really sharp edges it leaves. Couple that with the non-requirement for using anti-shorts with MC cable and you're looking at a real lousy installation that could very well short circuit within the connector. The good news is that I rarely use MC cable and I WOULD always go and get the splitters. no:


As far as commercial branch circuits go, I do whatever the plan calls for. I wired an animal hospital about a year ago and the most receptacles on any given circuit was two. It made for alot of homeruns.

JamesNLA

That would be much appreciated!

mdshunk

For the undercabinet Xenon's, I use Progress's 'Hide-a-Light' Xenon strips. They have a lamp about every 2", so it's very even light. They come in many lengths, and you can butt them end to end to make up something special. You can mount them under most cabinet lips without a light valance, and the fixture will not show.

http://www.progresslighting.com/pdfs/P7505.pdf

And here's the transformers I normally use:

http://www.progresslighting.com/pdfs/P8653.pdf

Sparky Joe

So the FMC you mention are you talking half inch and larger flex or MC cable?
I don't consider a cable assembly to be conduit, but I haven't seen a greenlee splitter for anything larger than MC.

That being said, I always use my MC splitter. For flex I first make a little 'nip' with my dykes on the rib where I want my cut, then snap it and twist it back and forth till it breaks on my cut, then clean it up with my dykes.
Doing it that way doesn't seem to 'kink' the flex where you snap it.

Speedy Petey

Seatek makes(made) a Rotosplit for 1/2 and I believe 3/4" flex (greenfield).

__________________