Historical electrical code question: 1995

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kgilfilen

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I have a home that was built in 1995, and I noticed that one of the two kitchen receptacle circuits (both 20A) is not protected by GFIs. It is the one furthest away from the sink. It also supplies the hood and refrigerator. Unfortunately, the fridge is at the end of the circuit, so I will have to put GFIs on the three countertop receptacles to bring it into current compliance. Does anyone know if it was a code violation in 1995 to not have GFI protected receptacles on kitchen counters? I am considering claiming that this is grandfathered in; I will still put in the GFIs, but I want credit for them.

Thanks, Kenny
 
david luchini

david luchini

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In the 1993 NEC Section 210-8(5), 125V, 15 and 20A receptacles to serve counter top surfaces, installed within 6' of a kitchen sink, were required to have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

(This changed in 1996 to say all countertop 125V, 15 and 20A receptacles in kitchens require gfci protection for personnel.)
 
Smart $

Smart $

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I don't have a 1993 edition to reference, but I'll go out on a limb and guess that only receptacles within 6' of the nearest sink edge were required to be GFCI-protected.

ETA: Typing while David was posting :)
 
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ggunn

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kgilfilen said:
I have a home that was built in 1995, and I noticed that one of the two kitchen receptacle circuits (both 20A) is not protected by GFIs. It is the one furthest away from the sink. It also supplies the hood and refrigerator. Unfortunately, the fridge is at the end of the circuit, so I will have to put GFIs on the three countertop receptacles to bring it into current compliance. Does anyone know if it was a code violation in 1995 to not have GFI protected receptacles on kitchen counters? I am considering claiming that this is grandfathered in; I will still put in the GFIs, but I want credit for them.

Thanks, Kenny
Click to expand...
Maybe a dumb question but are the two outlets on the same circuit? In my house outlets in both bathrooms as well as outside by the front and back doors are all protected by one GFI in one of the bathroom outlets.
 
mgookin

mgookin

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Built in 1995 does not mean under 1993 code. The date the permit is applied for controls what code applies. And it takes years to adopt a code by a local jurisdiction. I'd step back one more code unless you have the plans, permits, etc. And for sure back then anything >6' from sink did not require GFCI.
But isn't that fridge supposed to be a dedicated circuit?
 
david luchini

david luchini

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mgookin said:
Built in 1995 does not mean under 1993 code. The date the permit is applied for controls what code applies. And it takes years to adopt a code by a local jurisdiction. I'd step back one more code unless you have the plans, permits, etc. And for sure back then anything >6' from sink did not require GFCI.
But isn't that fridge supposed to be a dedicated circuit?
Click to expand...

1987 & 1990 also required GFCI protection for 125V, 15 & 20A receptacles serving countertops WITHIN 6' of a kitchen sink.

There is no requirement for a fridge to be on a dedicated circuit.
 
K

kgilfilen

Member
david luchini said:
In the 1993 NEC Section 210-8(5), 125V, 15 and 20A receptacles to serve counter top surfaces, installed within 6' of a kitchen sink, were required to have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

(This changed in 1996 to say all countertop 125V, 15 and 20A receptacles in kitchens require gfci protection for personnel.)
Click to expand...
Thanks, that explains it perfectly. This second circuit is definitely beyond 6 feet. I did all of my wiring in 2004-2009, so I never wired a kitchen without full GFI protection. And of course, I'd never put the fridge at the end of the circuit, much less on the same circuit with the other three countertop receptacles.
 
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K

kgilfilen

Member
ggunn said:
Maybe a dumb question but are the two outlets on the same circuit? In my house outlets in both bathrooms as well as outside by the front and back doors are all protected by one GFI in one of the bathroom outlets.
Click to expand...
AFAIK, just the hood and fridge are on that circuit with the countertop receptacles.
 
iwire

iwire

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mgookin said:
Built in 1995 does not mean under 1993 code. The date the permit is applied for controls what code applies.
Click to expand...

Good point depending on the area it could be under a older code.


And it takes years to adopt a code by a local jurisdiction.
Click to expand...

That depends on the state, where I am the new code always takes effect 1/1 of the code cycle. So on 1/1/93 we would have been on the 93 code.
 
LEO2854

LEO2854

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Ma
iwire said:
It killed me to take my MA 15 hour continuing education class on the 2011 and not more than a month later I was taking a CT 7 hour class on the 2005. :(
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Thankfully it's only 7 hours,,does that count for the extra 6 hours?
 
kwired

kwired

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Location
NE Nebraska
mgookin said:
Built in 1995 does not mean under 1993 code. The date the permit is applied for controls what code applies. And it takes years to adopt a code by a local jurisdiction. I'd step back one more code unless you have the plans, permits, etc. And for sure back then anything >6' from sink did not require GFCI.
But isn't that fridge supposed to be a dedicated circuit?
Click to expand...

210.52(B)(1):

(B) Small Appliances.
(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
Click to expand...

Dedicated circuit is permitted but not required.

The range hood is not permitted on a SABC though.
 
K

kgilfilen

Member
kwired said:
210.52(B)(1):



Dedicated circuit is permitted but not required.

The range hood is not permitted on a SABC though.
Click to expand...
Is that today's code, or 1995? Now I haven't seen electrical inspectors go through a house and map out circuits, but I would expect a house to be wired to current code for that jurisdiction. Again, I would have put the hood on a separate circuit, because they often get replaced with microwaves, and suddenly the circuit is close to being full. IIRC, I used to provide two kitchen receptacle circuits that were fully GFI protected, and served nothing but what the homeowner plugged into them on the countertop. The fridge and hood would be on one circuit, the dishwasher and disposal would each have their own breaker, but were co-located under the sink, the range would be on its own 220 branch, and then lights could be combined with other lighting.
 
gadfly56

gadfly56

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New Jersey
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Professional Engineer, Fire & Life Safety
Exceptions?

Exceptions?

Even if you pin down the code cycle for the house's construction, your jurisdiction may have had amendments which negated the requirement for GFCI's. You'd need to track down the enabling legislation to find out.
 
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