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8.3 Article 220 Part II: General Lighting, Receptacles and Demand Factors

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Alaska Journeyman Electrician Study Guide Exam

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1 Chapter 1: Alaska Certificates of Fitness, Law & Exam Logistics

1.1 The Alaska Certificate of Fitness System 1.2 Journeyman Eligibility: 8,000 Hours and How Alaska Counts Them 1.3 Trainee, Residential Wireman, Lineman, Provisional & Reciprocal Certificates 1.4 The Journeyman Examination: Format, Scheduling, Open-Book Rules & Retakes 1.5 Adopted Codes, Fees, Renewal, Inspection & Enforcement

2 Chapter 2: Using the 2020 NEC

2.1 Article 90: Purpose, Scope, Arrangement & Enforcement 2.2 Navigating the Code Book: Structure, Index & Tabbing Strategy 2.3 Article 100 Definitions You Must Know Cold 2.4 Electrical Theory for the Exam: Ohm's Law, Power & Three-Phase

3 Chapter 3: General Requirements — Article 110

3.1 Approval, Listing, Interrupting Rating & Terminations 3.2 Temperature Limitations of Terminations — 110.14(C) 3.3 Working Space, Access, Egress & Illumination — 110.26(A) through (D) 3.4 Dedicated Equipment Space, Guarding & Over-1000-Volt Installations

4 Chapter 4: Conductors and Ampacity — Article 310

4.1 Conductor Types, Insulation Markings & Table 310.16 4.2 Ambient Temperature Correction and Alaska's Cold 4.3 Adjustment for More Than Three Current-Carrying Conductors 4.4 Putting It Together: Full Conductor-Sizing Problems 4.5 Parallel Conductors, Dwelling Service Sizing & Conditions of Use

5 Chapter 5: Wiring Methods and Materials — NEC Chapter 3

5.1 Article 300 General Requirements and Underground Cover 5.2 Thermal Movement: Expansion Fittings and Table 352.44 5.3 Boxes and Enclosures: Box Fill and Pull Box Sizing 5.4 Cable Assemblies: NM, MC, AC, SE, UF and TC 5.5 Raceways: RMC, IMC, EMT, FMC, LFMC, PVC and ENT 5.6 Conduit Fill: Chapter 9 Tables and Annex C 5.7 Cable Trays, Wireways, Busways, Gutters and Surface Raceways

6 Chapter 6: Branch Circuits and Feeders

6.1 Branch-Circuit Ratings, Conductor Sizing & Multiwire Circuits 6.2 Required Outlets and Receptacle Spacing in Dwellings 6.3 GFCI Protection — Article 210.8 6.4 AFCI Protection and Receptacle Requirements 6.5 Feeders and Outside Branch Circuits — Articles 215 and 225 6.6 Grounded Conductor Identification, Switches & Panelboards

7 Chapter 7: Overcurrent Protection — Articles 240 and 242

7.1 Article 240 Fundamentals: Ratings, Locations & Conductor Protection 7.2 Feeder Tap Rules — 240.21(B) 7.3 Transformer Secondary Conductors — 240.21(C) 7.4 Fuses, Circuit Breakers, Series Ratings & Article 242 Surge Protection

8 Chapter 8: Services and Load Calculations

8.1 Service Conductors, Clearances and Service Equipment 8.2 Service Disconnects, the 2020 Rule Change, SPDs and Service GFPE 8.3 Article 220 Part II: General Lighting, Receptacles and Demand Factors 8.4 The Standard Dwelling Calculation — Article 220 Part III 8.5 Optional Dwelling and Multifamily Calculations 8.6 Commercial and Industrial Load Calculations 8.7 Neutral Load Calculations and Harmonics — 220.61

9 Chapter 9: Grounding and Bonding — Article 250

9.1 System Grounding, 250.24 and the Main Bonding Jumper 9.2 The Grounding Electrode System — 250.50 through 250.53 9.3 Grounding Electrode Conductor Sizing and Installation 9.4 Bonding: Services, Metal Piping, Structural Metal and Other Systems 9.5 Equipment Grounding Conductors: Types, Sizing and Continuity 9.6 Separately Derived Systems and Separate Buildings 9.7 Ground-Fault Protection of Equipment and Grounding of Specific Equipment

10 Chapter 10: Equipment for General Use — NEC Chapter 4

10.1 Flexible Cords, Cables and Fixture Wires 10.2 Switches, Receptacles and Industrial Control Panels 10.3 Luminaires, Lampholders and Recessed Installations 10.4 Appliances and Fixed Electric Space Heating 10.5 Deicing, Snow Melting, Pipeline and Vessel Heating 10.6 Motors Part I: Full-Load Current, Conductors and Overload Protection 10.7 Motors Part II: Short-Circuit Protection, Controllers, Disconnects and HVAC

11 Chapter 11: Transformers, Generators and Special Occupancies

11.1 Transformers — Article 450 11.2 Generators, Storage Batteries and Energy Storage Systems 11.3 Hazardous (Classified) Locations — Articles 500 through 506 11.4 Garages, Hangars, Fuel Dispensing, Bulk Storage and Spray Application 11.5 Health Care Facilities — Article 517 11.6 Agricultural Buildings, Manufactured Homes, RV Parks and Marinas 11.7 Assembly, Theaters, Carnivals, Temporary Installations and Pools

12 Chapter 12: Special Equipment, Special Conditions and Exam Strategy

12.1 Signs, Cranes, Elevators, Electric Vehicle Charging and Welders 12.2 Solar Photovoltaic, Interconnection and Stand-Alone Systems 12.3 Wind Electric Systems and Fire Pumps 12.4 Emergency, Legally Required Standby, Optional Standby and COPS 12.5 Class 1, 2 and 3 Circuits, Fire Alarm, Optical Fiber and Communications 12.6 Cold-Climate Practice in Alaska: Code Basis and Engineering Judgment 12.7 Exam-Day Strategy: Navigation, Calculation Workflow and Time Management

8.3 Article 220 Part II: General Lighting, Receptacles and Demand Factors

Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI

Table 220.12 assigns a general lighting load of 3 volt-amperes per square foot for dwelling units, computed from the outside dimensions and excluding open porches, garages, and unused spaces not adaptable for future use.

NEC 220.14(I) assigns 180 volt-amperes to each single or multiple receptacle on one yoke, and 90 volt-amperes per receptacle for an assembly of four or more receptacles.

Table 220.42 applies dwelling lighting demand factors of 100 percent to the first 3000 volt-amperes, 35 percent from 3001 to 120,000 volt-amperes, and 25 percent above that.

Table 220.44 applies non-dwelling receptacle demand factors of 100 percent to the first 10 kVA and 50 percent to the remainder.

NEC 220.14(J) states that in dwelling occupancies no additional load calculation is required for general-use receptacle outlets and lighting outlets, because they are included in the 3 volt-amperes per square foot general lighting load.

Last updated: August 2026

The Structure of Article 220

  • Part Covers
  • I General — scope, calculations, and rounding
  • II Branch-Circuit Load Calculations — the building blocks
  • III Feeder and Service Load Calculations — the standard method
  • IV Optional Feeder and Service Load Calculations — 220.82 through 220.88
  • V Farm Load Calculations

220.5(A) Voltages. Unless other voltages are specified, for purposes of calculating branch-circuit and feeder loads, nominal system voltages of 120, 120/240, 208Y/120, 240, 347, 480Y/277, 480, 600Y/347, and 600 volts shall be used.

220.5(B) Fractions of an Ampere. Where calculations result in a fraction of an ampere that is less than 0.5 , such fractions shall be permitted to be dropped . So 47.4 A may be treated as 47 A, but 47.6 A rounds up to 48 A.

General Lighting Load — 220.12 and Table 220.12

220.12 General Lighting. A unit load of not less than that specified in Table 220.12 for occupancies specified shall constitute the minimum lighting load . The floor area shall be computed from the outside dimensions of the building, dwelling unit, or other area involved. For dwelling units, the computed floor area shall not include open porches, garages, or unused or unfinished spaces not adaptable for future use.

Selected values from Table 220.12:

  • Occupancy VA per square foot
  • Dwelling units 3
  • Hotels and motels, including apartment houses without provision for cooking by tenants 2
  • Hospitals 2
  • Schools 3
  • Stores 3
  • Office buildings 3.5
  • Banks 3.5
  • Restaurants 2
  • Industrial commercial (loft) buildings 2
  • Warehouses (storage) 0.25
  • Garages — commercial (storage) 0.5
  • Armories and auditoriums 1
  • Churches 1
  • Lodge rooms 1.5
  • Clubs 2
  • Court rooms 2

For banks and office buildings , an additional receptacle load is added where the number of general-purpose receptacle outlets is unknown: 1 volt-ampere per square foot under 220.14(K).

Other Loads — 220.14

220.14(A) Specific Appliances or Loads. An outlet for a specific appliance or other load not covered in 220.14(B) through (L) shall be calculated based on the ampere rating of the appliance or load served .

220.14(C) Motor Loads. Outlets for motor loads shall be calculated in accordance with the requirements in 430.22, 430.24, and 440.6.

220.14(D) Luminaires. An outlet supplying luminaires shall be calculated based on the maximum volt-ampere rating of the equipment and lamps for which the luminaire is rated.

220.14(E) Heavy-Duty Lampholders. Outlets for heavy-duty lampholders shall be calculated at a minimum of 600 volt-amperes .

220.14(F) Sign and Outline Lighting. Sign and outline lighting outlets required by 600.5(A) shall be calculated at a minimum of 1200 volt-amperes for each required branch circuit.

220.14(G) Show Windows. Show windows shall be calculated in accordance with either of the following: (1) the unit load per outlet as required in other provisions of this section; or (2) at 200 volt-amperes per 300 mm (linear foot) of show window.

220.14(H) Fixed Multioutlet Assemblies. In other than dwelling units or the guest rooms or guest suites of hotels or motels, fixed multioutlet assemblies shall be calculated as follows: (1) where appliances are unlikely to be used simultaneously, each 5 feet or fraction thereof of each separate and continuous length shall be considered as one outlet of not less than 180 volt-amperes ; (2) where appliances are likely to be used simultaneously, each 300 mm (1 ft) or fraction thereof shall be considered as an outlet of not less than 180 volt-amperes.

220.14(I) Receptacle Outlets. Except as covered in 220.14(J) and (K), receptacle outlets shall be calculated at not less than 180 volt-amperes for each single or for each multiple receptacle on one yoke . A single piece of equipment consisting of a multiple receptacle comprised of four or more receptacles shall be calculated at not less than 90 volt-amperes per receptacle .

So a duplex receptacle is 180 VA , not 360. A quad receptacle on two yokes is 360 VA; a listed four-receptacle assembly on one yoke is 4 x 90 = 360 VA.

220.14(J) Dwelling Occupancies. In one-family, two-family, and multifamily dwellings and in guest rooms or guest suites of hotels and motels, the outlets specified in (1), (2), and (3) are included in the general lighting load calculations of 220.12. No additional load calculations shall be required for such outlets:

All general-use receptacle outlets of 20-ampere rating or less, including receptacles connected to the circuits in 210.11(C)(3);

The receptacle outlets specified in 210.52(E) and (G);

The lighting outlets specified in 210.70(A) and (B).

This is a critical simplification: in a dwelling you do not count receptacles individually. The 3 VA per square foot covers them all.

220.14(K) Banks and Office Buildings. In banks or office buildings, the receptacle loads shall be calculated to be the larger of: (1) the calculated load from 220.14(I) after applying the demand factors in Table 220.44; or (2) 1 volt-ampere per square foot .

220.14(L) Other Outlets. Other outlets not covered in (A) through (K) shall be calculated based on 180 volt-amperes per outlet .

Track Lighting — 220.43(B)

For track lighting in other than dwelling units or the guest rooms or guest suites of hotels or motels, an additional load of 150 volt-amperes shall be included for every 2 feet of lighting track or fraction thereof . Where multicircuit track is installed, the load shall be considered to be divided equally between the track circuits.

A 17-foot run of track: 17 divided by 2 = 8.5, rounded up to 9 two-foot increments, times 150 VA = 1350 VA .

Show Windows — 220.43(A)

For show-window lighting , a load of not less than 200 volt-amperes shall be included for each linear foot of show window, measured horizontally along its base.

210.62 separately requires at least one receptacle outlet for each 12 linear feet or major fraction thereof of show window area.

Demand Factors — Table 220.42

220.42 General Lighting. The demand factors specified in Table 220.42 shall apply to that portion of the total branch-circuit load calculated for general illumination:

  • Type of occupancy Portion of lighting load (VA) Demand factor
  • Dwelling units First 3000 100 percent
  • 3001 to 120,000 35 percent
  • Remainder over 120,000 25 percent
  • Hospitals First 50,000 40 percent
  • Remainder 20 percent

Hotels and motels , including apartment houses without provision for cooking by tenants First 20,000 50 percent

  • 20,001 to 100,000 40 percent
  • Remainder 30 percent
  • Warehouses (storage) First 12,500 100 percent
  • Remainder 50 percent
  • All others Total volt-amperes 100 percent

Note the footnote to the hospital and hotel rows: the demand factors shall not apply to the calculated load for feeders or services supplying areas in hospitals, hotels, and motels where the entire lighting is likely to be used at one time , such as in operating rooms, ballrooms, or dining rooms.

Receptacle Demand Factors — Table 220.44

220.44 Receptacle Loads — Other Than Dwelling Units. Receptacle loads calculated at not more than 180 volt-amperes per outlet in accordance with 220.14(I) and (L) shall be permitted to be made subject to the demand factors in Table 220.42 or Table 220.44 :

  • Portion of receptacle load Demand factor
  • First 10 kVA or less 100 percent
  • Remainder over 10 kVA 50 percent
  • Worked Example — Office Receptacles

An office has 70 duplex general-use receptacles on single yokes. What is the calculated demand load? Connected load = 70 x 180 VA = 12,600 VA

  • First 10,000 VA at 100% = 10,000 VA
  • Remaining 2,600 VA at 50% = 1,300 VA
  • ---------
  • Calculated demand = 11,300 VA

In an office building , 220.14(K) then requires comparing this against 1 VA per square foot and taking the larger of the two.

Non-Coincident Loads — 220.60

Where it is unlikely that two or more noncoincident loads will be in use simultaneously, it shall be permissible to use only the largest load that will be used at one time for calculating the total load of a feeder or service.

The standard application is heating versus air conditioning . A dwelling with 8.0 kW of electric heat and 5.0 kW of air conditioning includes only the 8.0 kW , because they never run at the same time. In Alaska this reduction rarely helps, since a dwelling with electric heat and no cooling has nothing to omit — the heating load stands alone at 100 percent under 220.51.

Continuous Loads — 220.10 and 215.2

The 125 percent continuous-load multiplier is applied in the feeder and service calculation, not inside Article 220 Part II. Keep the two steps distinct: Part II establishes the connected load , and 210.19/210.20/215.2/215.3/230.42 apply the continuous-load multiplier when sizing conductors and overcurrent devices.