Code Outlet Spacing Question

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dan-0

Member
Location
ny
According to 210.52

... oReceptacles shall be installed so that no point measured horizontally along the floor line
in any wall space is more than 6 feet from a receptacle outlet


  • Wall space is defined as:
Any space 2 feet or more in width ...​


I see it said all over (the 'net) that a plug must be placed in any wall 2' or more in length. In my reading of the code, that is somewhat of a misnomer. I read it to mean that any wall 2' or more in length, is considered wall space.

So, if one had an alcove consisting of three 24" walls (something like |_|), only one outlet would be required within that spacing as long as there was a outlet within 12' of that location. Otherwise it would be quite odd (in my estimation) to have three outlets crammed in this small space.

Am I correct in my understanding?

Hopefully this is clearer than mud.

TYIA
:)
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
You get to count around corners. In your situation, you essentially have a single "wall space" that is 6 feet long. Since it is at least 2 feet long, it needs at least one receptacle. Once you select a place for that one, anywhere else along the same wall space cannot be more than 6 feet from a receptacle. In your example, one receptacle anywhere in the alcove would suffice. If the alcove had three 5 foot walls in the same U shape you depicted, a single outlet in the center of the center wall would be 7.5 feet from each of the two edges of the other two walls. That would exceed the 6 foot limit. You could put one outlet in the center of each of the two side walls, and the farthest any point along the wall space would be from a receptacle would be the point in the center of the center wall. It would be 5 feet along the floor line from each of the two receptacles. That is acceptable.
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
You are correct that you would only need one receptacle in that U shaped wall space. Also, columns are not walls, so say you have a drywalled column 8" on each side, 32" perimeter. You do not have to stick a receptacle in there. It's done often in commercial as a matter of convenience, or drawings, but it's not required.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
... If the alcove had three 5 foot walls in the same U shape you depicted, a single outlet in the center of the center wall would be 7.5 feet from each of the two edges of the other two walls. That would exceed the 6 foot limit. ...
This assumes the wall breaks on both sides of the U shape. If the wall space continues (something like this __|̅ ̅ ̅ ̅|__) you could place receptacles on the front walls up to 4.5 feet from the outside corners if there is a receptacle in the center of the alcove's back wall.
 
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