ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Additional bathroom receptacles.

Is an additional receptacle in a bathroom, for a towel bar/heater, permitted to be fed from the general lighting circuit that supplies the bathroom, or would it have to be fed from the 20-amp bathroom circuit?

Redsy
This is an interesting question, here is how I see it.
If the bathroom has a dedicated 20 amp circuit, it can be taken from the 20 amp circuit. IF the lighting is not from that circuit, no it cannot be taken from the lighting circuit.
Provided the towel bar is not hardwired, and is cord and plug connected, the receptacle will also be required to be GFCI protected.

Pierre

Thanks for the input, Pierre.
They also now want a receptacle for TV.
Same questions arise, and I'm inclined to agree with you.

PC,

Why would the additional receptacle need to be on the receptacle circuit instead of the lighting if the lighting circuit were separate? I would agree on the need for GFI protection but can't see adding additional loads when blow dryers are now up to 1875 watts.

your thoughts?

I agree with what was said, Pierre and Redsy. I read 210.11(C)(3) to require all bathroom receptacle outlets on the 20A bathroom circuit unless you use the exception to put all loads of one bathroom on that one circuit.
And 210.8(A)(1) just says bathrooms, so all recepts in the bathroom must be GFCI.

You could always add another 20A recept circuit to the bathrooms (permitted by 210.11(C)(3)) for the TV and towel bar warming unit, but it sounds like you want to tap close by.

[This message has been edited by Ron (edited 08-31-2003).]