GFCIs under kitchen sinks

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mwm1752

Senior Member
Location
Aspen, Colo
The commentary about GFCI for dishwasher & disposal not being required is in reference to the countertop regulation only not a typo -- It is true they are not required to be GFCI protected per 210.8(A)(6).
However disposal receptacles within 6' of a sink as per 210.8 (A)(7) shall be required to be GFCI protected & if a dishwasher is plugged into a receptacle within 6' of a sink as per 210.8 (A)(7) shall be required to be GFCI protected.
210,8(D) covers an outlet that feeds a dishwasher for GFCI protection.

Clear as mud
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Actually the disposal is not required to be GFCI protected - if it is cord and plug connected and is 15 or 20 amp 120 volts however the distance from the sink to the receptacle may require GFCI protection for the receptacle outlet - also pending AHJ interpretation of the rule in question here.

NEC handbook is not an official NFPA interpretation of the NEC - it is just a publication that so happens to be published by NFPA and commentary within is nothing more then the opinion of the author(s) that wrote it, just like advice on this site is just the opinion of the person who posted it, or even Mike Holt's published materials are nothing more then his opinions.

The more facts those opinions are backed up with the more valid they may become, but they are still not official NFPA authorized interpretations of any NEC content.
 

mbrooke

Batteries Included
Location
United States
Occupation
Technician
Actually the disposal is not required to be GFCI protected - if it is cord and plug connected and is 15 or 20 amp 120 volts however the distance from the sink to the receptacle may require GFCI protection for the receptacle outlet - also pending AHJ interpretation of the rule in question here.

NEC handbook is not an official NFPA interpretation of the NEC - it is just a publication that so happens to be published by NFPA and commentary within is nothing more then the opinion of the author(s) that wrote it, just like advice on this site is just the opinion of the person who posted it, or even Mike Holt's published materials are nothing more then his opinions.

The more facts those opinions are backed up with the more valid they may become, but they are still not official NFPA authorized interpretations of any NEC content.


HOW DARE YOU!!! That is some conceited audacity that likes of which I hope to never...:rant::rant:











KIDDING! :p We are chill :hug::)


While you are correct Mike Holt is nothing more than an interpretation of the code, I still believe he does the best job. He has discovered numerous contradictions and made code proposals that have gone through. When it comes to code I Mike Holt is bar none.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
HOW DARE YOU!!! That is some conceited audacity that likes of which I hope to never...:rant::rant:











KIDDING! :p We are chill :hug::)


While you are correct Mike Holt is nothing more than an interpretation of the code, I still believe he does the best job. He has discovered numerous contradictions and made code proposals that have gone through. When it comes to code I Mike Holt is bar none.
He is very good at what he does, and has marketed himself well which is why he is one of the best known people out there that does what he does. I have run into other "educators" so to speak that could do similar things he has done if they were to go to some of the same extent to get information they have published, or at least on a bigger scale then they do, even a few members of this forum have done some good work when it comes to educating others be it just their participation here or things they were paid to do. Some of those people have also contributed to the code making process in the past.
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
So the gfci protection is in case the equipment falls in the sink . that equipment being the disposal,,it could happen but it's doubtful the cord is long enough. The fact that water runs through it makes it a good candidate for protection just like a sub pump.
If it was hard wired with a switch would it still need gfci protection?
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
So the gfci protection is in case the equipment falls in the sink . that equipment being the disposal,,it could happen but it's doubtful the cord is long enough. The fact that water runs through it makes it a good candidate for protection just like a sub pump.
If it was hard wired with a switch would it still need gfci protection?

Not the equipment per say but whatever could be plugged into the receptacle.
I wish what you were saying above was still allowed, then we could install a single non-gfi protected receptacle for a refrigerator in the garage like we used to be able to do, but not no more.
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
I have seen many dishwashers on a switch and hard wired, now that there are appliance companies hooking up, we just install a completely not readily accessible outlet behind the dishwasher that makes no sense as a means of disconnect. You might as well turn the breaker off which is less effective than a switch.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I have seen many dishwashers on a switch and hard wired, now that there are appliance companies hooking up, we just install a completely not readily accessible outlet behind the dishwasher that makes no sense as a means of disconnect. You might as well turn the breaker off which is less effective than a switch.

Until recently every dishwasher we did was direct wired. Certain dishwasher brands come with cord and plug. We install a jb under the sink and run a tail to the dishwasher space. If the unit is hard wired then the disconnect is under the sink. If it is cord and plug then we install a recep. under the sink and disconnect the tail and leave it under the dishwasher in case the unit ever gets changed back to direct wire.
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Until recently every dishwasher we did was direct wired. Certain dishwasher brands come with cord and plug. We install a jb under the sink and run a tail to the dishwasher space. If the unit is hard wired then the disconnect is under the sink. If it is cord and plug then we install a recep. under the sink and disconnect the tail and leave it under the dishwasher in case the unit ever gets changed back to direct wire.

What do you use as a disconnect under the sink if you hard wire it to the J-box?
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
The dishwasher is usually located to one side or the other of the sink. If your cord runs through the cabinets to get to the receptacle under the sink, how do you protect it from physical damage that may occur from pots and pans being stacked in the cabinet?:)
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Better put that GFI in if you cord and plug it. If momma gets shocked reaching for the frying pan, no soup for you.
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
The dishwasher is usually located to one side or the other of the sink. If your cord runs through the cabinets to get to the receptacle under the sink, how do you protect it from physical damage that may occur from pots and pans being stacked in the cabinet?:)
Build a mini chase?
If the dishwasher is right next to the sink the problem is moot. If not, then you can use permanent wiring that goes behind the cabinet (at the kick space level) or else make holes that are large enough pass the plug as well as the cord inside the working area of the cabinet, preferably above the bottom shelf, and cover it with some kind of protection.
 

electricalist

Senior Member
Location
dallas tx
That's why we didn't do it that way. It seems like ahj wouldn't allow it here. We ran a hr straight out the wall where the dishwasher was going. Then we started putting plugs behind it
 

GoldDigger

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Placerville, CA, USA
Occupation
Retired PV System Designer
That's why we didn't do it that way. It seems like ahj wouldn't allow it here. We ran a hr straight out the wall where the dishwasher was going. Then we started putting plugs behind it
'But that forces you to use a GFCI breaker rather than a GFCI receptacle (unless the GFCI receptacle is upstream in a readily accessible location.)
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
'But that forces you to use a GFCI breaker rather than a GFCI receptacle (unless the GFCI receptacle is upstream in a readily accessible location.)

It does but then we don't have to drill holes through cabinets and waste time building mini chases to protect the cords. 6 on way or half dozen of the other.
 
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