I am requiring a load calculation for a residential house.Due to the following.The square footage , a steam generator 38a , an insta hot water tank 100a , plus ac etc. . The service is only 200 amp. I am being told i cannot ask for this because its up to the architect who designed the plans.What do you guys think. thanks

My first inclination about this would be to contact the utility engineer first and emphasize that there may be excessive demand for this installation.

I would also do a load calculation and present it to the architect and the home owner. Let them make the decision. If they still decide to go with the 200 amp service, get their approval in writing. That way when they call at midnight and say that the 200 amp main breaker has tripped, you can tell them to take an aspirin and call the architect in the morning.

Dick Widera

As Bldg. Official if the connected load might exceed the service rating I would demand NEC load calculations to verify the safety of the installation. The service would not be connected otherwise...I am sure the Fire Marshall would agree...I might agree to certain demand factors and diversity factors dependent upon the application of appliances...Like what is the steam for??

If this is also electric heat, you certainly have a case, simply based on the fixed in place equipment that could be used concurrently. I agree with the idea of doing the load calc and presenting it to the homeowner, along with the architect and I might even leak it to the building department via an "innocent question".
Did it get through plan review? I was doing a little 300 sq/ft addition in Lee County with a 200a service on a 1600 sq/ft house and they wanted to see a load calc.

If the plans were sealed by an ARCHITECT they have not been sealed by an electrical engineer. If an engineer puts his name on it I would accept. But the architect is not an expert in the field of electrical. Though he does have the ability to sing the residential plans.
We require load calculations on "whole house" generator installations with automatic transfer switch; as required by the NEC. I have noticed that a lot of calculations using published forms and programs use the 'optional' calculation. But they take the value of a range from the table for the standard calculations as 8 KW. The optional calculation requires nameplate data- often a full 12KW.

We have had this discussion here a few times before. To start with, I find it "funny" that a permit applicant would be telling the building department what they are or are not required for their submittal documents. That's a bad start...

I find the matter to be cut-and-dry. The building department may not require a load calculation for a particular project. However, if a load calculation IS requested, two licensed professionals are identified by the FBC and F.S. as being qualified to provide those calculations.

Section 105.3.1.2(4)&(5) of the FBC states that only electrical engieers (FS471 Licensed) may prepare electrical documents unless the work is exempt under F.S. 471.003(2)(h). In that section of the F.S., certain work (cost and amperage thresholds) is permitted to be prepared by a FS489 licensed contractor. In most cases, residential work meets the limitations of that statute.

So, if the applicant does not want to employ a PE to perform the requested load calcs, a licensed electrical contractor would be permitted to prepare that calc for submittal.

As Dick noted in his post, I too have performed the calculations myself on submitted permit applications to show reason for rejection the design.,,

HotSparks,

If anyone tells you that you cannot require a load calculation, tell them to study the NEC.

IT IS THE NEC AND IT IS THE JURISDICTIONS RIGHT TO REQUIRE, YES REQUIRE, A LOAD CALCULATION FOR ANY PROJECT:

215.5 Diagrams of Feeders.
If required by the authority having jurisdiction, a diagram showing feeder details shall be provided prior to the installation of the feeders. Such a diagram shall show the area in square feet of the building or other structure supplied by each feeder, the total calculated load before applying demand factors, the demand factors used, the calculated load after applying demand factors, and the size and type of conductors to be used.

Sorry - I had to cut and paste from the 2005 but it is the same Article in the 2008 and I believe the wording is the same.

It may not be in 220 like everybody thinks it is, but it is for sure in the NEC. "Now get out there and get 'em boys!"

This sounds all to familiar to my BO telling me I can't require plans for any residential jobs, ex: generators, solar systems, houses etc.per FS. Any one know the statute??

Yes, I know of that Statute. It is 553.73 -- Florida Building Code.

The 2008 NEC is adopted by the Florida Building Code, hence Article 215.5 applies. You can enforce it. Request the feeder diagram and everything else that goes with it.

We dont't do residential plan review so we can't at that time, but if in the field we feel there is a problem such as Hotsparks mentioned we would ask for a load calc, I agree as to the NEC verbiage.

A service is also required to comply with a calculated load from article 220.

Why don't you do plan review on residential?
They do plan review on a shed around here and you need engineering.
It took 7 trips down town and 3 trips to the engineer to get my little 300 sq/ft addition through plan review. The only thing they didn't argue with was the electrical plan but it was a masterpiece if I do say so myself.
Did I misunderstand you.

They do do (not the real do do) resi structural review. Maybe not sheds, I can't remember. I usually get to look at houses, for electric, especially new homes. Honestly I do not require a load calc for a run of the mill house, but if something catches my eye I will ask - tankless electric heater etc...

My neighbor had to tear down a very substantial shed because he didn't have engineering. He was willing to pay the fine and do anything necessary to meet code. They needed stamped plans.

They wanted a load calc when I added one 20a circuit in my 300 sq/ft addition. In real life I was not even increasing the footprint of the house since I was replacing an existing Florida room with block and shingles.
It was just on the check list and the ladies in the front office won't even accept the application if it is missing a check mark.

Our county has never done residential electrical plan review.

When I was there, I was informed that it was done by others, who checked for smoke detectors (bare minimum per FBC).

FBC 106.3.5 Minimum plan review criteria for buildings does not require it.

We do residential plan review in Plant City, and we do require load Calculations on new homes and additions if the addition or renovation is substantial enough question whether the existing service will handle the additional load

Seems like us little guys do more work than the big boys!? Huh Paul(Northrup!)

When I was with North Myrtle Beach, we didn't do any residential plan review, but since I have been in Plant City, we review everything that comes in for permitting,

I went on the web site to see what Lee County says about permit requirements and the requirement just says "electrical amps" but that seems to get distilled down to "sufficient" electrical amps.
The only way to prove that is with a load calc, or so it seemed when I did it.
It may have been because I was owner builder.
I got slapped around about FEMA (<50%), engineering and septic too.
The seventh trip to the permit desk was the charm