ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Demand factors for refrigerators in a laboratory

Can I apply table 220.56 - demand factors for kitchen equip to laboratory refrigerators? The refrigerators are intermittent in use similiar to kitchen ref's.

thanks in advance.

I vote no. Refrigerators are basically motors.
I see this being 220.14(C) referencing 430.24

(125% of the biggest motor plus 100% of the rest).

If you are coming back from a power failure every one of those reefers will be presenting LRA at the same time. Depending on where you are, that can be a fairly frequent thing.

I am open to being wrong tho.

I'm going to agree with Greg on this one for the reason he mentioned plus if we are talking about refrigeration type equipment there is nothing in Article 440 that I am aware of that allows us to apply a demand factor.

Agree with Greg and George!

Greg bring up an excellent point. After a power failure, that refrigerator will be running as a continuous load until it gets its contents cooled down. Some of that laboratory refrigerators that I've done go down to way below -100 degrees.

thanks guys. I will size 125% of the biggest motor plus 100% of the remainders.