Do installed receptacles need to always be hot ?

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ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
For receptacle requirements in habitable rooms. Does it say anywhere that they have to be live.
A women wanted a switch to control all the duplex receptacles in a room. This has me thinking. I've seen duplex receptacles where the entire duplex is switched not half. Would that violate code? If not can the whole room be switched. ???
There's specs for receptacle requirements. But is there any article stateing they have to be live, or is it assumed, or they don't have to be constantly hot ????

Thank you
 

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
I don't see in 210.52(2) where it says the recept needs to be live. It mentions placement ????

1/2 switched yes I agree. But would the entire duplex switched violate code ?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I don't see in 210.52(2) where it says the recept needs to be live. It mentions placement ????

1/2 switched yes I agree. But would the entire duplex switched violate code ?

Yes, it's a violation if that receptacle needs to be counted for the 6'/12' rule.
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets. This section provides requirements for 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle
outlets. The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:

(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with 210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1,
or
 

Coppersmith

Senior Member
Location
Tampa, FL, USA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
i think 210.52(2) might be interpreted to say that.

210.52(2) says you can have an outlet controlled by a wall switch per 210.70(A)(1) which is for lighting in addition to the required outlets. My interpretation is you could also have outlets controlled by a wall switch that is not related to 210.70(A)(1) i.e. not for lighting. In other words, all outlets can be controlled by a wall switch and do not have to be live at all times. The purpose of the 6/12' rule is to eliminate the need for extension cords. Switching off the power when a room is not in use does not cause extension cords to be needed. You could also flip the breaker off and I see no prohibition for that.


2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with

210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1

210.70(A)(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one wall switch–controlled
lighting outlet shall be installed in every habitable room
and bathroom.
Exception No. 1: In other than kitchens and bathrooms,
one or more receptacles controlled by a wall switch shall
be permitted in lieu of lighting outlets.
 
Last edited:

ritelec

Senior Member
Location
Jersey
Yes, it's a violation if that receptacle needs to be counted for the 6'/12' rule.

I agree it's a violation and I understand it would need to be hot. But I don't thnk it says that receptacle needs to be energized. I think it's assumed.






Not a bigger. Just wondering Thank you.
 

Adamjamma

Senior Member
Hmm... After living in Europe and living in areas elsewhere that had everything able to be switched off like a wall switch... I kinda like the idea of having certain places where yes, you have the outlets spaced properly, but... they run through a switch that you can then turn the room off as you leave... and everything plugged in is now turned off.
Think of all the standby current you now have stopped from being used.
Also, is it not safer for there is now no current that could arc fault except at the switch?

But, at least with most of the UK outlets, I have a switch at the top of the outlet that I can turn on and off, without unplugging the plug. Makes restarting the internet or Kodi a lot faster sometimes.LOL
 

sameguy

Senior Member
Location
New York
Occupation
Master Elec./JW retired
210.52(2) says you can have an outlet controlled by a wall switch per 210.70(A)(1) which is for lighting in addition to the required outlets. My interpretation is you could also have outlets controlled by a wall switch that is not related to 210.70(A)(1) i.e. not for lighting. In other words, all outlets can be controlled by a wall switch and do not have to be live at all times. The purpose of the 6/12' rule is to eliminate the need for extension cords. Switching off the power when a room is not in use does not cause extension cords to be needed. You could also flip the breaker off and I see no prohibition for that.


2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with

210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1

210.70(A)(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one wall switch–controlled
lighting outlet shall be installed in every habitable room
and bathroom.
Exception No. 1: In other than kitchens and bathrooms,
one or more receptacles controlled by a wall switch shall
be permitted in lieu of lighting outlets.

Lighting outlet = an opening for a light fixture only.
Receptacles in place of said opening may be switched, so yes you can switch all of them it isn't a violation.
 

MAC702

Senior Member
Location
Clark County, NV
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets. This section provides requirements for 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle
outlets. The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:

(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with 210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1,
or

I was with you on this one at first. But now I'm thinking that as long as the OTHER receptacles aren't switched on the same switch as the lighting, they are not prohibited from being switched separately.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I agree it's a violation and I understand it would need to be hot. But I don't thnk it says that receptacle needs to be energized. I think it's assumed.

Yes you're correct that with the requirements for receptacle placement in 210.52 it is assumed that they will be energized.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
IMO, switching all the receptacles off meets the intent of the nec but perhaps not the wording. Obviously I can wire the house so the receptacles can be switched off at the breaker so how is this any different. I think the purpose is that there is a live outlet in the space occupied by a switched outlet.
 

sameguy

Senior Member
Location
New York
Occupation
Master Elec./JW retired
Yes you're correct that with the requirements for receptacle placement in 210.52 it is assumed that they will be energized.

Where do you see any assumption? We don't assume in the code it is or is not covered. I see nothing saying power must be on at all times.
Do you?
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
Where do you see any assumption? We don't assume in the code it is or is not covered. I see nothing saying power must be on at all times.
Do you?

210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets. This section provides requirements for 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle outlets. The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:
(1) Part of a luminaire or appliance, or
(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with
210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1, or

250.70(A)(1) Habitable Rooms. At least one wall switch–controlled
lighting outlet shall be installed in every habitable room
and bathroom.
Exception No. 1: In other than kitchens and bathrooms,
one or more receptacles controlled by a wall switch shall
be permitted in lieu of lighting outlets.

In your example you would need more than one switch, one to cover the lighting outlet requirements and the other to cover the required receptacles. If there is only one switch for all of the receptacles then you have not met the receptacle requirements in 250.52
 

growler

Senior Member
Location
Atlanta,GA
Think of all the standby current you now have stopped from being used.
Also, is it not safer for there is now no current that could arc fault except at the switch?

No matter what you do it won't satisfy everyone.

Friday I went on a service call out in the country. About five years ago I ran a dedicated 20 amp circuit to a guys home office for his computer equipment. Everything is fine until he re-arranges his office and now that dedicated receptacle is not accessible.

His office used to be a bedroom and about half the receptacles are switched and they still want to keep it that way. If he plugs his UPS into a switched receptacle it will give a fault and run the battery down.

I ran another dedicated circuit to a receptacle that he can access with ease. This will look dumb to a future owner of the house but it was the quickest and easiest fix at the time.
 
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