GFCI in side enclosed watercooler

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j rae

Senior Member
Water cooler is being feed fron a GFCI in the wall that the cooler is mounted. You must remove two screwa to gain access. What code number ??
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I think I know what answer they are looking for, but I also don't think this particular GFCI is one that is required to be readily accessible.

Not going to give code section just yet because this may be homework question, but will suggest to OP to look into GFCI requirements in general for a start, as well as the mentioned 422 and how this particular appliance may be effected. I will talk about this further after some more time has passed or after someone does mention the article, quoting what it says will give too much away at this point, OP needs to learn to find this information if it is homework assignment.
 

Little Bill

Moderator
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Location
Tennessee NEC:2017
Occupation
Semi-Retired Electrician
I can't answer for the OP but I don't think it is a homework question.

First, he joined in 2007
Second, he lists his occupation as electrician.

So given that, I will say to the OP that a GFCI has to be readily accessible under current code. It depends on what code cycle you are on and when the water cooler/GFCI was installed because that requirement was not always there.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
I can't answer for the OP but I don't think it is a homework question.

First, he joined in 2007
Second, he lists his occupation as electrician.

So given that, I will say to the OP that a GFCI has to be readily accessible under current code. It depends on what code cycle you are on and when the water cooler/GFCI was installed because that requirement was not always there.

Fair enough that this likely is not homework question - perhaps study guide for licensing exam, just the way OP was worded seemed to be quoting some kind of already written material.


Since the 2011 NEC the readily accessible requirement was added to 210.8, but the way it is worded IMO only applies to GFCI's required by 210.8. The water cooler GFCI requirement does not come from 210.8. If it were the CMP intention to require all GFCI's be readily accessible then I think they need to make some changes.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
...
Since the 2011 NEC the readily accessible requirement was added to 210.8, but the way it is worded IMO only applies to GFCI's required by 210.8. The water cooler GFCI requirement does not come from 210.8. If it were the CMP intention to require all GFCI's be readily accessible then I think they need to make some changes.
422.5 was added in the 2014 code to cover this issue for all GFCIs that are required by Article 422.
422.5 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (GFCI) Protection. The device providing GFCI protection required in this article shall be readily accessible.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
422.5 was added in the 2014 code to cover this issue for all GFCIs that are required by Article 422.
There we go, I was not aware of that change. Apparently there was a hole in the requirements in 2011 and they decided to make a change in 422 to fill that hole.

How about GFCI's required by other then 210.8 or 422? GFCI's in art 680 come to mind - I will maybe look a little there to see what I find.
 
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