Question:
The electrician installed an electrical receptacle outlet in the bathroom on the center wall between two basins where the mirror goes.
The mirror was already installed, and an opening was cut for the outlet.
The building contractor says that since I have two basins, that the code requires two receptacles, one near each basin in order to pass electrical inspection.
The home was built in the summer of 2000.
Any comments?
Taken from the 2002 NEC Handbook.
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets.
This section provides requirements for 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle outlets. Receptacle outlets required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is part of a luminaire (lighting fixture) or appliance, located within cabinets or cupboards, or located more than 1.7 m (51/2 ft) above the floor.
Permanently installed electric baseboard heaters equipped with factory-installed receptacle outlets or outlets provided as a separate assembly by the manufacturer shall be permitted as the required outlet or outlets for the wall space utilized by such permanently installed heaters. Such receptacle outlets shall not be connected to the heater circuits.
(D) Bathrooms. In dwelling units, at least one wall receptacle outlet shall be installed in bathrooms within 900 mm (3 ft) of the outside edge of each basin. The receptacle outlet shall be located on a wall or partition that is adjacent to the basin or basin countertop.
Handbook Commentary
"Section 210.52(D) requires one wall receptacle in each bathroom of a dwelling unit to be installed adjacent (within 36 in.) to the washbasin. This receptacle is required in addition to any receptacle that may be part of any luminaire or medicine cabinet. If there is more than one washbasin, a receptacle outlet is required adjacent to each basin location. If the basins are in close proximity, one receptacle outlet installed between the two basins might satisfy this requirement."
That may be what your GC would prefer but the NEC does not require it and if he didn't spec two one is all he gets.
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Tom
Sounds ok to me. If these sinks oops, basins are not more than 3 feet away from the receptacle. Gota love the buliding contractors dishing out the code requirements.
"If the basins are in close proximity, one receptacle outlet installed between the two basins might satisfy this requirement."
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The word "might" in this sentence makes the rest of the paragraph useless doesn't it? The commentary becomes just an opinion and not a clarification of the code.
The commentary is only that,commentary. The code rule is quite clear however. Receptacle required within three feet of the outside edge of the basin. Example: one vanity counter + two sinks = one receptacle, provided that the receptacle is not over three feet from either sink. I would install two myself but this may not have been possible here or the homeowner did not want another receptacle in the mirror. That commentary from the handbook should be changed or removed as it seems to cause more confusion rather than being helpful.
But it isn't clear...
Would that be 3' horizontally, or in a straight line?
In other words, would a receptacle mounted in the baseboard within 3' horizontally to the basin comply even though it is 50" away from the edge of the basin in a straight line?
66 I think it is clear that one recept is sufficient for two sinks. You are correct on your point though. This is not explained clearly even for one sink. I take it to mean three feet from the edge of the basin period. Not on any give plane or height.