Some one asked me a question about when you install a roof top HVAC system and there are weatherproof receptacles installed within 25' of the unit. Say this install is on a large commercial building. The first unit from tenant A is next to tenant B's unit. Tenant A has a WP recpt. within 25'all is OK. Does tenant B need a receptacle within 25'? Will tenant A's fullfill the requirement?
Harold: Yes, 'B' will need one. IF tenent 'A' becomes vacant, with power terminated, then there is no receptacle available. Also, 'A' may not appreciate 'Bs' use of their power, although it is minimal at best guess.
Basically, the roof has to be treated as 'tenent' space, unless all the rooftop equip is fed from a 'house' panel (landlord)
I don't have any code references that say that a receptacle for the roof top HVAC has to be fed from any particular source. This to me is a landlord/tenant issue. Greg's house panel might be the best answer. I just went through this with the sign circuits for a strip mall, where the sign circuits came out of the house panel which was in a locked room. Nothing in the code says that is illegal either.
Had one job where one tenant was plugging in his Xmas lights into a service receptacle for his next door tenants HVAC unit.
All these things are not electrical violations. IMHO
Code only says there be power for the convenience of the serviceman. Code is silent as to where that power comes from - or whether it is there under every tenancy circumstance.As the code is wriiten, you could meet the requirement if your neighbors' house had a receptcle nearby. 25 ft. is 25 ft!
A major part of my work has been in remodelling these types of commercial spaces. Joining units, dividing units, moving walls about. It's pretty hard to tell what the future will bring.
A similar situation arises with the ICC requirement for 'lighting the path of egress.' With every remodel, the new tenant gets to 'improve' the landlords' building.
I call it a design matter, and not a compliance issue. Code is supposed to be 'minimal' and 'practical.' That there might be a more elegant solution is not the question.
Reno: I understand where you are coming from with reference to the 'neighbors' receptacle, and the verbage as written within the NEC. That is the reason I did not reference a code article.
As to using the neighbors electricity, that may be stretched out to a 'theft of services' type issue, and again NOT an NEC issue. Imagine that scenario with two neighbors that are not friends!
Yse, it is a design issue, no I cannot put a 'code' article on it for a violation, and I must add...I have never come accross this issue as an inspector. Both in new construction, tenant fit-ups, or replacement RTUs.
I'm not saying there are no 'juice thieves' here on the east coast, and yes I know a few.
My point, I have not had anyone argue/dispute the RT receptacle within 25'. A lot of the new RTUs have the GFI within the RTU, fed by a 120 volt circuit.
Or you could suggest that they bite the bullet and install a combination swtich/receptacle where the receptacle is tapped off the line side. It saves the cost of running a separate 120V circuit so it might work out to the same installed costs when all is said and done.
