GFCI receptacle near sink

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Loki

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One of the jobs that we did for a school science lab has a receptacle intended for a sterilizer unit. The electrical inspector made a comment that this receptacle is within 5ft of the sink and has to be a GFCI. I know that receptacles near any type of indoor water source must be GFCI. But is there a minimum distance specified anywhere in the NEC? I have looked and can't seem to find anything about the minimum 5ft distance. The project is for NYC area and I have even looked in the NYC amendment to the the NEC 2005 for this information without any luck?

Any help would be great!

Thank you.
 
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Loki

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rcarroll said:
Under the '05 code, barring any ammendments, I think the inspector is wrong. See 210.8(B)
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Thats great!

NEC 210.8 (B)(2) Commerical and instituational kitchens - for the purposes of this section, a kitchen is an area with a sink and permanent facilities for food preperation and cooking.

Now the above language does not seems to include the a science lab prep area explicitly. But the function of the prep area is to wash glassware and use the sterilizer to sterilize them before the next round of experiments. Can it be extrapolated from the above wording from the code that this becomes some sort of 'permanent facility for food preparation and cooking' (since there is some washing and cleaning that will take place)?

Otherwise, it seems like I can leave the regular receptacle inplace instead of having to replace it with a GFCI.

Thank you for helping out!
 
charlie b

charlie b

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Loki said:
NEC 210.8 (B)(2) Commerical and instituational kitchens - for the purposes of this section, a kitchen is an area with a sink and permanent facilities for food preperation and cooking.
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There is no way a science lab would qualify as a kitchen. It's not about food, and there is no cooking going on.

That said, I think it would be a good idea to have a GFCI in that location. The code does not require it, and you should not have to pay for it. But you might ask the client if they want to spend a little extra to get it.
 
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Loki

Member
charlie b said:

There is no way a science lab would qualify as a kitchen. It's not about food, and there is no cooking going on.

That said, I think it would be a good idea to have a GFCI in that location. The code does not require it, and you should not have to pay for it. But you might ask the client if they want to spend a little extra to get it.
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I completely agree! It would have been good engineering practice but it is not code mandated. Thank for all your help guys!
 
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shepelec

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Palmer, MA
I would look at 210.8(B)5 before I made that argument.

Of course I just saw your under the 05 book and this is a change in the 08
 
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Hameedulla-Ekhlas

Hameedulla-Ekhlas

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Yeah, you are right. If we just consider for safety without pay any attention to code. According to me, it would be better to take GFCI near Sink where ever the place is.:confused:
 
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