The most common electrical devices in a home are receptacles and switches.
This article is about house receptacles.
Herein after
You’ll come across home electrical design guidance which
Exceeds codified prescripts or
Addresses aspects of house receptacle design and installation about which
Common codes are moot or
Common practice can be wanting.
An abundance of safety and convenience and durability – that’s the storyline.
HOUSE RECEPTACLES ELECTRICAL DEVICE DESIGN
In a given bathroom
On a per-bathroom and a per-lavatory basis
Without regard to the size of the bathroom (i.e., ½-bath, 3/4 –bath, etc.)
Without regard to how close one lavatory is to another
Without regard to whether the mount requires piercing a mirror, moving a rack, etc.
At least 1 dedicated, ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI, or GFI) shall be installed
Which circuit shall be rated 120V/20A and
Which receptacle shall be rated 120V/20A
Which installation shall be proximate to and within 3 linear feet of each bathroom lavatory and
This circuit shall be dedicated to that receptacle only and to no other application whatsoever
There shall be no branches in these dedicated circuits for fans, lights, heaters, or anything else, i.e., wire the rest separately
Comment: Let no doubt dissemble. Each bathroom lavatory gets its own dedicated circuit. ½-bath lavatory gets a circuit all its own. 2 lavs in the master each get its own dedicated circuit.
Receptacle outlets for general utility applications
Shall not exceed 8 duplex outlets per 20A circuit and
Shall not exceed 6 duplex outlets per 15A circuit
Receptacles shall be connected to the line, not through it, unless the circuit is dedicated
A receptacle shall not be split-wired
Utility receptacle outlets in a kitchen or bar area
Shall be connected alternately to not less than 2 circuits dedicated solely to that space application and
Shall contain in number not greater than 8 receptacles (i.e., 4 duplex receptacles) per circuit
Shall not be sited behind a stovetop or other cooking appliance
Shall be spaced not less than code, including depth of sidewall and not just the backwall
Each of the following appliances shall be connected to a dedicated circuit at 120 volts, 20 amps (or manufacturer’s specification) with a 20 amp (or manufacturer’s specification) singleplex receptacle or appropriately hard-wired to a junction box
Microwave
Dishwasher
Clothes washer
Refrigerator/freezer, or, if not a combined unit, then separately to a refrigerator and a freezer
Chill drawer
Wine cooler
Under-counter or auxiliary water heater
A switched receptacle
Shall not be greater than a single receptacle outlet, i.e., no split receptacles, or
Shall be both sides of a duplex receptacle or
Shall be all 3 sides of a triplex receptacle set up or
Shall be all 4 sides of a quadraplex receptacle set up and
That is, shall be connected in its entirety
A Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter receptacle exterior to a door
Shall be weatherproof
Shall be sited on each side of the door wherever possible
Shall apply to any exterior door
In a stairwell
To covered or open patio or porch without regard to level
Comment: The National Electric Code slices and dices this circuit vs. receptacle match-up sure enough to bunch the shorts of the most serious student. The AG’s in no mood to quibble.
GFCI protection shall be applied to
A receptacle
Within 6 linear feet of
A water source or container or
Other object at all possibly to become energized, including but not limited to bare metal pipe or similar
A clothes washer
Within 6 linear feet of
A water source or container or
Any other potentially energized conductor without regard to the supply receptacle’s site or surrounding state of finish
A utility electric receptacle
Shall not be placed flat to a counter in a kitchen counter area, peninsula, or island
Shall not be placed below countertop level, as on the side of a counter, peninsula, or island
Except a utility receptacle
May be placed in the parting wall of a two-tier counter, peninsula, or island
If set flush to that wall and
If protected by a ground fault circuit interrupter
Comment: This home designer knows that this receptacle limitation is off the National Electric Code 2005 reservation, wherein below-counter receptacle placement may be made more permissively than the old boy’ll let happen on his watch. Too bad for the folks who follow the code. This is about deadly serious safety concerns.
Hallway receptacles shall be wired only on their own circuit(s) and none shall be connected to any other circuit
A closet, cabinet, or any other space below a staircase shall not contain a high-voltage outlet
Exterior receptacles by passage door
Shall be set to both left and right of door
Shall be each on a dedicated circuit
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