Don, Not sure what your position is after reading your post. Can feeders go to the 'shop' or not? Seems like you say yes and no all at the same time.
SteveFehr, a 'shop', 'detached garage', 'shed' etc. is definitely not a dwelling in any actual or intended code I have ever read. Also, I felt there was a balance in the eng. forum on using the code. I do agree that some engineers on that thread are presumptuous and arrogant.
There is no architect or engineer of any field who can submit something less than the intent of the code and pass (if the AHJ catches it) based on the way the laws are written and interpreted where I come from.
Any town can adopt any code they want and if it way above or below engineering standards (whatever those may be) the AHJ can do whatever they wish. But that's where I come from. Laws could be different in different places and both opinions could be right.
Tom, see what you started!! My opinion is no as well. But, I also think a dwelling unit panel that subsequently feeds a 'shop' should not be allowed to follow the section either as the feeders are not feeding just a dwelling (which I believe is the intent of the section.) I may be wrong, but the substantiation for this section came from data supplied from utility billing showing that dwelling loads rarely ever reach the ampacity level of the wiring, therefore the allowance for the reduction in the size of the wire. I highly doubt, the data included buildings with down-stream 'shops'.
Can we define 'shop' please?
