Change Summary

• New provisions added requiring AFCI protection for guest rooms/guest suites of hotels/motels
• Branch circuit extensions or modifications in dormitories must have AFCI Protection

Expert Analysis

AFCI technology that can help save lives and avoid property damage from fire-related events has been expanded to include guest rooms and guest suites of hotels and motels. Previous editions of the Code would extend AFCI protection to these guest quarters with a qualifying condition that “permanent provisions for cooking” must be a part of these accommodations (see 210.17, was 210.18). This new AFCI requirement does not depend on cooking provisions in order to be enforceable. The same or similar threats imposed by arcing events exist in hotel or motel guest occupancies as exist in dwelling units. In numerous cases, guest rooms and guest suites are used in the same basic fashion as school dormitories, and dormitories are already afforded the safety measures of AFCI protection.

The 2014 NEC detailed AFCI requirements for branch circuit extensions, modifications and replacements in dwelling units. These same requirements are now passed along to dormitories. The previous requirements of 210.12 were rearranged to accomodate this  new requirement for guest rooms and guest suites. Requirements at 210.12(C) for AFCI protection for dormitory units were moved to 210.12(B), and the requirements at 210.12(B) for branch circuit extensions and modifications were moved to new 210.12(D).

Leviton Comment

Dormitories, Guest Rooms and Guest Suites can present unique challenges for AFCI protection. Quite often people staying in these rooms don’t have access to breaker panels to reset the circuit should the AFCI breaker trip. Since receptacles can be reset at point of use, they are a convenient and preferred method of AFCI protection among students, guests and facility personnel.

The NEC specifically calls out AFCI Receptacles as an allowable solution for 210.12(D) above. The NEC allows AFCI Receptacles for 210.12(C) as long as RMC, IMC, EMT, Type MC or steel-armored type AC cables are used on the installation. This is often the case for commercial installations like dormitories and guest rooms and suites. Please reference 210.12 for complete details.

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