You have 3 bathrooms in a house. No other equipment will come off of the 20 dedicated circuit. How many circuits for the bathrooms?

One if you want.

Now how many of us would only install 1?

For me it would depend on what the prints called for.

I was always taught that each bathroom was to have it's own circuit for the GFCI.

I may have misled you.

You can either power everything in one bathroom from one 20 amp circuit or you can power just the receptacles in as many bathrooms as you want with one 20 amp circuit.

Check out 210.11(C)(2)

I understand, i was just taught that each bathroom GFCI outlet has it's own circuit. This did not have anything else on it. So I would need 3 HR's for the bathrooms. Not including lights. Just outlet.

One dedicated 20 amp branch circuit to each bathroom is the better install, in my opinion. But it's only an opinion and a design issue. The Code allows for the (1) 20 amp circuit to be "jumped-out" to all the other bathroom as long as nothing else is on the circuit besides bathroom recpeptacles. The Code also allows for lighting to be included on this 20 amp circuit as long this circuit doesn't feed other bathrooms.

simple, truthful answer - as many as the customer is willing to pay for.

I would say one circuit for all 3 baths.

If you want to be nice, 2 circuits. 1 in the master and the other feeding the other 2. one of those other 2 is most likely gonna be a 1/2 bath where the plug ussually is not used much.

The townhouse I live in has three bathrooms. One has the GFI and the other bathroom receptacles are protected by it. One circuit for all receptacles - lights and fans on another circuit.

and Eddy, that is perfectly acceptable here in the states too.

The point is, there is code minimum (which we have to do) then there is better than code, which the customer has to pay for.

I never took a hypocratic oath to go above and beyond the call of duty (the code) unless someone wants to pay me more money for it.

Sorry for the reality of the situation. Being nice is great, but it doesn't pay the bills.

I always bid 3 different circuits.And they pay.

Thats great, better for you and them.

that is the best way. so long as they are paying for the extra. just don't charge them for one circuit and give them 3 to be nice.

Words to live by in any situation.

I agree with iwire. 3 circuts 1 for each or 1 plug circuit for all and at least 1 or more lighting cicuits for the rest.

You've gotta install <b>three</b> dedicated circuits, strictly from the standpoint of the way these outlets are used today:

Most hair dryers today are roughly 1850W or so. So if three people are drying their hair, that's 46.24A which mean trip. If two people are drying their hair, that's 30.83A which also means trip. With three seperate 20A runs, everyone can dry their hair in harmony.

I say to heck with the plans, you're the electrician and the one they'll blame when the circuits don't work as expected. So tell them it will be necessary for you to deviate from plans, and additional charges will result. Any HO or GC will understand, and probably appreciate you're "correcting" the architects "error" so to speak. A good architect (without an easily bruised ego) will even appreciate this.

I say better to address the likely problem now, than having to fish later on. Changes often have to be made from plans. Besides, how would it look if you just kept your mouth shut, and then the HO or GC blasts you for not being "competent" for just following plans blidnly.

Joe

I'm going to go against the flow here and say code minimum is 2- one GFCI shared by all 3 bathrooms, and another for the lights.

My preference would be 3 circuits, though, 1 20A GFCI-protect for each bathroom, feeding lights and recepts: 15A for the hairdryer, 5A for the lights and fan.

I might bring it up, but if they don't want to pay for it to be done 'right' it will be done to code or print and no more.

Dedicated 20a in the powder room? Sounds like a waste to me. I mean sure if they are paying for it. If its 'wired to code' like most houses, unless specified, then 2 circuits is considered good workmanship in my book.

And we are talking about the plugs not the lighting circuits. I don't think lighting circuits is what Sparks30 is concerned about.

I see one circuit to power up 4-5 bathrooms all of the time.