Is there a rule of thumb for the amount of circuits to be ran in an office setting with approx. 10 cubicles. Each would have a computer, monitor, and printer. I'm going to figure 1 amp for a single computer, and 1 amp for a single monitor. Are the desktop printers in the range of 2 amps? The computers, I would think should be figured with continuous duty, 125% added in. Thanks

CRT or LCD monitor? Inkjet or laser printer? Computers can vary a lot, depending on how much kludge is in the box... A standard computer is probably around 100W or less, but professional workstations with multiple processors and hard drives can be more.

One thing I'd ask is if the people will be allowed to have portable heaters. Some people can't live without them. There might be a copy machine that will need its own circuit too.

Bill

First & foremost IMHO, the following info should be available to the EC. Are cubicles 'new' or 'pre-owned'; equipped with factory' wiring harnesses? Or is the EC doing it from scratch?

Factory units must be wired to mfg instructions.

Otherwise, if it's a 'scratch' job, & the budget range of the job, 5 amps per ststion, 3 stations per 20 amp (derated); 4x20amp circuits would be my minimum.
Now...electric heat? 1 circuit each station! Toaster ovens? Don't laugh, I've been there!

I think you better bump that 100w up a bit. The PC that I am typing on now is pulling a tad over 180w just sitting here and when the CPU really cranks up (IE editing a video file) it goes over 200. That is a 2.8gz single core computer, 15" LCD monitor, a switch and a router. Ink Jet printer idle.
Just for Gee whiz info the Kilawatt device says I used 459 KWH in 2516 hours.

That translates to at least 2 amps

If they are going to have a laser printer, add 10 amps.

What is the wiring method? If they have an under the floor raceway/duct system you have a chance to upgrade. Nobody ever got in long term trouble putting too much power into an office but sometimes it takes a few years to prove them right. Going for the minimum usually bites you in the butt fairly soon.

Don't forget Coffee maker(s)


Bill

The last pre-fab cubicles were arranged with three 20-amp circuits shared over five cubicles, if that's any help.

The cubicles were pre-wired with factory assemblies. They may be the 8 pin type. It was set up with 2 circuits, and they want a third circuit. Looks like the in house Electricians will have to open the existing outlets to find where the circuits originate from.
Good Weekend

Rule of thumb for general open office is 4 cubicals. If you suspect extra electrical loads like coffee makers, boot dryers and such, 3 per circuit.

Ok, let's say 200W... My two computers (one Mac Mini and one AthlonX2) and CRT draw 320W. Figure 60W on the CRT, 40-60W for the Mini and 200-220W on the Athlon. Could do more comprehensive tests, but that would require a shutdown.

IIRC, the 8 pin type cubicle wiring harness is setup for a 20a 3p4w+g group, and separate 20a 1p2w+g isolated ground circuit. The outlets are stamped with a circuit number from 1-4, with 4 being the iso circuit with orange outlets. The neutral in the wiring harness may be slightly oversized, but double check..

Just watch out for demands of vibrating chairs, Toasted sandwich makers and spa pools.

When I worked strictly service work, the receptionist used to get literally 8-10 calls a day starting about October with circuits tripping in office cubicles.
I could walk in and immediately point out the source of the tripping ..... the only secretary in the office not wearing a sweater.

I think Bill was on the right track; good design always requires a realistic assessment of just how a space will REALLY be used.

Space heaters are so common in offices that Steelcase makes one specifically to be mounted on the 'modesty panel' of its' desks.

Laugh if you want ... but I recall the time the creator of "Dilbert" was asked to design a cubicle. Heater, fridge, microwave, coffeepot ... even a built-in sound system and aquarium.

We've come a long way since les Nessman marked his space with duct tape on the floor.

That one thing I did noticed that some office complexs are start to crack down office cubeies using portale heaters some don't like it due safety reason especally if the system is not sized up to handle more than a dozen heaters going at the same time.

Most cubies I deal with it they useally have oversized netural conductor in there unless specifed by customer for specal useage then it will be diffrent set up.

Merci,Marc

I've found that most bosses could care less about overloading the electrical system or having maintenance constantly resetting breakers. They're more worried that the space heaters will set fire to some of the junk that always accumulates under the desks.
I agree...if it's too cold, look at the heating systems that's not working as originally desiged...or dress in accordance with the cooler office space.

I have never been a fan of cubicles. A worse system of dividing up office space has yet to be devised IMHO, for it immediately ruins any HVAC installation design and encourages staff to play solitaire all day on the PC [or come on here!] . While they drown in the racket of hundreds of phone calls drifing in over the walls.
The worst locations are near the "managers" vast and luxurious office - you get all the crummy tasks & projects - or next the main doors where herds of 'wildebeast' sweep majestically to the water cooler while you bask in the howling drafts. The 'pecking order' is most important - any cubicle at a window is premium - although some VPs have been known to board over the glass if the occupant is too low status! All this leads to the inmates wanting electric heat. Then, the coffee machine and all the other 'comforts of home' which drive up the amperage and lower the productivity.
When I worked in a large open plan design office it was always freezing in winter, [designed with massive north window lights], made worse by the "manager" who justified his grotesque salary by keeping the steam off wherever possible for us oiks. He would turn up Monday mornings, whirl a 'football rattle', [with a wet and dry thermometer in it], round his head, check the stat setting was still locked at 58F and then go hibernate for the rest of the week with 6kw of electric heaters melting his suit. What he never saw were the electric heaters which appeared from nowhere when he'd gone, or the fact that we'd had the stat housing apart, filed a new flat on the dial stem and turned the steam off Monday am at the main valve just for him.
Now the trend is 'hotelling'. You have no 'owned' cubicle, you get assigned one at random when you arrive. Probably. At a Gummint establishment where I once turned up to waste half my life, there are now only enough desks for 60% of the workforce. If you are unlucky [lucky?] you spend the day in the canteen eating donuts, getting a caffiene overdose and using your mobile to try & stay in contact. This reduces the electric bill marvellously, since you'd need a couple of shopping trolleys to cart about all that electrical junk that uses up the juice.

(Question removed)

Tee is is not not the best interest of this forum to hijack threads

For what it's worth, most electrical failures I've seen as an engineer(!) are in cubicle farms. Those plug in interconnections between partitions each contain at least 3 contacts (designed such that any exposed metal contacts are not live). These are little better than the "push and pray" el cheapo outlets. And a load outlet could be connected to the power source via up to about ten such interconnections, to make that 30 contacts (on the hot wire and then another 30 for the current return). One cubicle farm I was in, the installers forgot to, on the little outlet modules, change the phase selection from phase A to B or C on 2/3 of them, and it turned out phase A had all the load.

One company I worked for about ten years ago had so many failures they brought in an EC to run conduit and install 4 inch square boxes for outlets thru out the cubicle farm. We had some smokey interconnections...

Almost all approved movable office cubicles these days come with some variation of an 8 wire connection. 1 dedicated circuit with neutral, 3 circuits with a shared super neutral, a dedicated ground and a mechanical ground. The receptacles plug on to a buss and they're numbered as to which connection they make.
I have always supplied 1 dedicated and 1 common circuit for each 3 cubicles and never had a problem. You can't possibly guess at all the unauthorized uses people will make of these circuits and you shouldn't have to.

We put no more than 4 cubes on a 20A circuit, and with dedicated outlets for all printers, shredders and kitchenettes. Portable heaters are banned and the ban must be enforced; nothing trips circuits faster. Fans are OK as the load is negligible.

You could *probably* put more cubes on if you strictly enforce policy regarding extraneous loads, but limiting 4 cubes to a string strikes a good balance between economics and tolerance of plugging in unapproved coffee pots, microwaves, mini fridges, or whatnot. If you put more than 4 on a circuit or don't strictly ban space heaters, prepare for nuissance trips.

The only way you could really enforce that is to put twist lock receptacles in and use office equipment with twist lock plugs.
Then it might take a few weeks before an enterprising guy brought in a plug strip with a TL plug on it.

Greg, it'd be Tuesday.

It's been many years since dealing with Modular Furniture - must be going on 6 years now! In those days, circuit calculations, installations & connections regarding Modular Furniture was a common thing.

Per the "8-Wire Systems"; the most common concept used "universally" by the typical manufacturers (i.e. Steelcase, Herman Miller, Westinghouse) for 8-wire options were:

* (1) 3 Phase 4 Wire Multiwire Circuit - with oversized Grounded Conductor (1 #10 common grounded conductor; 3 #12 ungrounded conductors).
Color Code was Black, Red, Blue, White.

* (1) 1 Phase 2 Wire Circuit - with Isolated Grounding Conductor (all 3 conductors are #12).
Color Code was Pink, Gray, Green w/ Yellow tracers.

* (1) #12 Equipment Grounding Conductor (bonded to all metallic sections of raceways, and to the ground pin of the "Non-IG" Receptacles).

Receptacles connected to the convenience circuits (3 Phase 4 Wire Multiwire Circuit) were identified as "Circuit A", "Circuit B", and "Circuit C". Color of devices were anything except Orange (normally light Brown or Gray).

Receptacles connected to the "Designated Circuit" (1 Phase 2 Wire w/ IG) were identified as "Circuit D", and colored Orange.

Electric Portable Heaters were not an uncommon issue at any location, and we had our fair share of Service Calls regarding tripped breakers from 2 or more 1500 Watt Heaters loading up a single 20 Amp Circuit.

Along with Heaters and Toasters tucked away at someone's Cubicle, have seen Coffee Makers, Microwave Ovens, Blow Dryers (1800 Watt Hair Dryers), Hot Plates (Electric Ceramic Element stove top type cook tops), and even some weird stuff!!!

Most of the time, a Plug Strip (Temp. Outlet Strip) was used, but there were several occasions where the loads would be plugged into those thin Table Lamp extension cords!
These setups _ALWAYS_ had extensive damage to the cord, due to the Office Chair constantly running over the cord.

Other troubleshoot calls were to rectify the jumper segments between adjoining Modular Sections (also mentioned by others), or when a Receptacle lost connection.

To the OP: The suggestions for designated & dedicated circuits for heavy load Office equipment is of high importance.
Loads such as Laser Printers for LAN Printers, Copiers, shredders, and other frequently used 8+ Amp Loads should be placed on dedicated designated circuits.

For the Modular Furniture's Circuitry, figure the Staff is going to plug anything in to any outlet they can reach.
We all expect to use the "Designated Circuit D" and corresponding Receptacles, for Workstation Equipment (CPU, Monitor and possibly an LPT), but when the crew installs the Mod. Furniture, they may not place the "Circuit D" Receptacles anywhere close enough to plug in the Workstation Equipment, so the W/S gets connected to the Convenience Circuit Receptacles (A, B or C).

Then an additional issue occurs quite frequently; since there is a really easily accessible plug strip with at least one unused space (plug strip used to connect all the Work Station equipment), the infamous Portable Heater gets plugged in to that plug strip too.

Good luck with this endeavor!!!

Scott