(A) Generally. Effective immediately, each dwelling unit, dormitory, apartment house, hotel, lodging house, and motel shall comply with the requirements of this section; provided, however, any of the aforementioned structures existing on the effective date of this chapter shall comply with the requirements of this section not later than January 1, 1991.
(B) Facilities.
(1) Entrances and exits. Entrances and exits shall be illuminated by exterior light fixtures, which shall be controlled by interior wall switches located for convenient and readily accessible use.
(2) Living room.
(a) The living room shall be provided with illumination. The lighting outlet shall be controlled by a wall switch, located for convenient and readily accessible use, nearest to an entrance to the living room. Receptacle outlets controlled by a wall switch in lieu of a lighting outlet shall be permitted.
(b) There shall be at least one duplex electrical outlet on each wall. The outlets shall be conveniently spaced around the room.
(3) Kitchen.
(a) Each kitchen shall be provided with illumination.
(b) Lighting outlets shall be controlled by a wall switch, located for convenient and readily accessible use, nearest to the entrance to the room.
(c) Separate small appliance circuits shall meet or exceed the following minimum requirements.
1. There shall be a minimum of one small appliance circuit. Such circuits shall be grounded and have a grounding type duplex receptacle installed. Such small appliance circuits shall have 12 gauge copper wire and be on a 20 ampere rated circuit breaker or fuse.
2. There shall be at least three duplex receptacle outlets in the kitchen area. All receptacle outlets in the kitchen shall be grounded.
3. At least two of the required receptacle outlets shall serve the countertop area. These outlets shall be located at least 30 inches above the floor and adjacent to the countertop.
4. The small appliance circuits shall not contain any appliances, motors, equipment, lights, or receptacle outlets except those receptacle outlets within the kitchen.
(d) Any kitchen failing to meet these requirements shall meet the requirements of the Electrical Code of the city. All replacement receptacles shall be grounded. Any receptacles located within a kitchen are required to be provided with ground fault circuit interrupter protection in addition to the grounding requirement.
(4) Bathroom. Each bathroom shall be illuminated. Lighting outlets shall be controlled by a wall switch, located for convenient and readily accessible use nearest to the entrance to the room. A grounding type electrical duplex receptacle outlet separate from the lighting outlet shall be provided and shall be located at least 30 inches above the floor and adjacent to the lavatory. Any new electrical duplex receptacle outlets must be provided with ground fault protection.
(5) Other habitable room. Each habitable room shall be illuminated. Lighting outlets shall be controlled by a wall switch, located for convenient and readily accessible use nearest to the entrance to the room. Convenient duplex electrical receptacle outlets shall be provided with a minimum of two outlets on opposite walls. An additional electrical outlet controlled by a wall switch shall be permitted in lieu of a light outlet.
(6) Basements. Basements shall be wired for a minimum of one lighting outlet for each 200 square feet of area or major fraction thereof for use as general illumination. All enclosed areas that can be walked into such as toilet rooms, fruit storage rooms, utility rooms, excavated areas, and the like, shall be provided with at least one lighting outlet (except areas used as coal bins). Stairway and laundry lighting outlets shall not be counted as the required basement light outlets.
(7) Laundry areas. Laundry areas shall be provided with illumination. The laundry appliance circuit shall be an independent circuit with grounding-type duplex receptacle outlets mounted on the wall adjacent to the laundry area, convenient for use of laundry appliances.
(8) Heating equipment. Heating equipment, furnaces, or heating equipment requiring electrical energy for operation or control shall be provided with an individual circuit. A disconnect switch shall be provided on or adjacent to the unit.
(9) Lighting in public halls.
(a) Every public hall and stairway in every multiple-dwelling serving five or more dwelling units and in every rooming house or hotel serving ten or more rooming units shall be adequately lighted at all times.
(b) Every public hall and stairway in structures devoted solely to dwelling occupancy and serving less than the above number of dwelling or rooming units may be supplied with multiple switch control, one at the head and the other at the foot of the stairway controlling an adequate lighting system which may be turned on when needed, instead of full-time lighting.
(10) Service. Services to a dwelling unit either in a single-family structure or in any other dwelling shall conform to the following standards.
(a) All service equipment shall be “dead front”. By this it is meant that the equipment shall be so manufactured as to provide a cover or barrier between those sections to be regularly accessed and those which contain live connections.
(b) Type “S” fusestats fuses and adaptors shall be installed wherever fusible equipment is used. The January 1, 1991 date set forth in division (A) above shall not apply to this requirement for the installation of “S” type fuses. “S” type fusestat fuses and adaptors shall be installed immediately wherever fused overload protection is provided. Such type “S” fuses shall be properly sized in accordance with the allowable ampacity amperage of the conductors and branch circuits as set forth in the Electrical Code as adopted by the city.
(c) All service equipment which controls power to an individual unit shall be readily accessible to all tenants of that unit at all times. This must be provided by direct interior access to such equipment as set forth in the Electrical Code as adopted by the city. At no time can such equipment be locked so as to deny tenant access nor shall it be so located that tenants must first exit then re-enter the structure at another point of entry to access the equipment. An exception to these provisions shall be granted by the Chief Inspector when the owner provides 24-hour on-site management of the facility and such management personnel have direct access to the service equipment. Such 24-hour management shall meet the requirements for such management as set forth in the Electrical Code as adopted by the city.
(d) No service to any dwelling unit or structure shall be less than three wire, 120/240 volt, 60 ampere capacity.
(e) 1. Service capacity may remain at the minimum 60 ampere capacity if any one of the following conditions are met.
a. There are no more than four 120 volt branch circuits rated at 20 amperes or less.
b. The dwelling unit does not exceed 600 square feet and has no more than four 120 volt branch circuits.
c. The dwelling unit has more than 600 square feet but less than 1,200 square feet and has not more than any two of the following circuits: furnace circuit, laundry circuit, one kitchen circuit (this being allowed as a variance under the provisions of the Electrical Code of the city).
2. If the existing service does not comply with the above and it is then necessary to increase the service capacity or change service equipment, the altered or replaced service shall comply with all the provisions of the National Electrical Code as adopted and amended by the city. In no case shall such an altered service have a capacity of less than three wire 120/240 volt 100 ampere capacity.
3. Each dwelling unit in a structure shall require service equipment sized in accordance with the provisions of the National Electrical Code as adopted and amended by the city with an overall service with adequate capacity to handle any combined loads of the structure.
4. Exception to divisions (B)(10)(e)1. or (B)(10)(e)2. above: in pre-existing situations, one additional circuit shall be permitted for a furnace circuit if that circuit was previously installed under a permit from the city and inspected and approved by the city at the time of installation.
(C) Exception. The provisions in division (B) above may be set aside by order of the Chief Inspector or his or her designated representative if the structure has been upgraded under permit from the city, such upgrading has occurred within the last ten years, and the work has been inspected and approved by the city at the time of installation and upgrade. Further, such variance shall be granted only if no hazard is present and if further updating or upgrading is not undertaken. Presence of a hazard or updating or upgrading of the electrical system shall negate any variance granted and shall require full compliance with all applicable provisions.
(Prior Code, § 151.051) (Ord. D-1595, passed 7-31-1989, effective 9-1-1989; Ord. D-1647, passed 11-18-1991, effective 12-9-1991; Ord. D-1911, passed 1-28-2002, effective 2-7-2002)