I have a commercial building, open to the public. It has no over hang for signs but the customer wants to put two large signs on the side of the building and feed these signs from a wall pack circuit. Their electrical engineer tells me 600.5a only applies to outlets at entrances to a commercial space. My interpretation of the code and experience tells me a dedicated circuit is required. Is there another section of the NEC which permits these signs from sharing a wall pack circuit?

Good question. NEC Sect. 90.3 Code Arrangement says that Chapter 6 supplements or modifies Chapters 1 thru 4. Section 600.5 requires sign branch circuits that supply no other load; only sign outlets...I don't think that you need any additional code...

Or we could look at this differently - if the requirements are met for 600.5 and additional signs to be added, who cares which circuit they are fed from, as long as that circuit is sized to handle load on it. 600.5 says the one required sign circuit may feed no additional loads, it does not specify if other circuits may include signage. IMHO of course!

Joe, can you define what you are calling a "wall pack" ?

I imagine Joe is refering to one of these:




I really don't see a code violation having a sign or signs supplied from a circuit serving other loads as long as the REQUIRED sign circuit and outlet is provided elsewhere.

I don't know, sometimes people refer to interior lighting as a "wall pack" even emergency lighting.

Outlet. A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
600.5 Branch Circuits.
(A) Required Branch Circuit. Each commercial building and each commercial occupancy accessible to pedestrians shall be provided with at least one outlet in an accessible location at each entrance to each tenant space for sign or outline lighting system use. The outlet(s) shall be supplied by a branch circuit rated at least 20 amperes that supplies no other load. Service hallways or corridors shall not be considered accessible to pedestrians.

Refering to the definition of outlet and 600.5(A), I would not allow the connection of the signs to the circuit feeding lighting. 600.5(A) talks about "at least one outlet" and "The outlet(s)...that supply no other load", that to me means if additional signs are installed then they are to be connected to the existing sign circuit or additional sign circuits are to be installed. General lighting circuits would be an "other load".

What I see here is an additional signs being installed on the side of the building, 600.5 requires an outlet at each entrance to the building or tennent space, if that outlet is there, then the one on the side doesn't fall under 600.5 and is supplemental and can be fed from elsewhere as long as the total load does not exceed the limits of the overcurrent device

The outlets are required to be there even if the sign is not. Branch circuit for sign, no other load. 600.5 Handbook has some good reading. IEAI weekley update. http://www.iaei.org/magazine/?p=4827

I agree. All sign outlets to be supplied by sign br. ckts. We all know that sign types and loads vary dependent on type and size and changing out of old signs or teneants...

Issue to be considered:

A few years ago we had an unfortunate electrocution of a qualified sign man. the sign on the side of a fast food place had been added later. it was on the side and someone just found a lighting circuit inside the dining room and ran to the sign.

The old sign was removed. NO PROBLEM

The new sign was installed, mounted to the side of the building. The circuit breakers identified as "SIGN CIRCUIT" were off. a man on the roof leaned over the metal coping on the parapet wall, down to the feed in individual conductors waiting for the new sign, stripped one, then the other, then put strippers on the #12 hot. Current from the live dining room circuit through chest to the metal coping (grounded) on the top of the wall.

If the sign had been on a properly identified sign circuit, it may have been switched off.

I am not looking for a code reference-- a man who did not go home to his family is powerful proof that sign circuits should be sign circuits. One or More.

Security lighting (wall-pack) circuits should be for the intended purpose.

Breaker= $10
Home-run circuit in existing or new cable/conduit = $50
Sign man dead on roof. Priceless.

Lynn Adams
Inspector Escambia County

There was a fatality some years back in our town. The identifed sign circuits were turned off. An additional sign had been added to the side of the fast food establishment. It was connected tot he interior diding room lighting circuit that was 'handy'.
When the new signs were to be installed, the installer checked the sign circuit; still off. No one noted that the store was open at this time of day, and the dining room lights had been turned on. The man on the roof was sweating, and grounded to the metal coping as he reached over and down to strip the wires and connect to the new sign.
Code only says you must provide at least one sign circuit. Be careful out there

I have served as an expert witness for a case that was a sign - electrocution death. Same thing - circuit was not properly identified, and was on when they thought it was off.

I follow your post except for the last sentence -
"Code only says you must provide at least one sign circuit."

600.5(B) indicates the minimum ratings for the required sign circuit. It also makes clear that the branch circuit may supply one or more outlets for the purpose of signage, but no other loads. The intent has always been that the circuit be a dedicated circuit. So in the unfortunate incident you describe above, there is a violation that the sign was not on a dedicated circuit, as well as a violation for failure to properly identify (so as to indicate the purpose).