why not gfci...

Status
Not open for further replies.

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
no i missed the "installed to serve the counter-tops"it's been dogma around here for ever to have it protected within 6 feet in the kitchen. sink....are they requiring afci on the other receps in the kitchen that dont serve the counter

That has not been the NEC rule since about 1990 or 1993. Whenever the change was it was changed to all receptacles serving countertops. You can have a sink (in a kitchen) and no adjacent counter with a non GFCI protected outlet within inches of the sink if you wish and be NEC compliant. Put same thing in the laundry room and it is not.

Laundry, utility, wet bar sinks - it says 6 feet from outside edge of sink. That means if a receptacle is located within 6 feet it must have GFCI protection - even for a washer or refrigerator.
 

hurk27

Senior Member
Charlie - I wonder if the 6 ft is based on how far you can reach and touch the sink?

That would make no sense as you would have to restrict not only the 5' reach of the human arms but also the reach of the appliance cords that would allow the appliance to be placed closer then the 6' safety distance.

If I remember right is was based as Charlie said, upon the length of common portable appliance cords, so the appliance could not fall into the sink, but in 1987 when kitchens were added it was kept at 6' even though cords on kitchen appliances was shortened back in 1969 to 2' (for another reason) which would have made this requirement unnecessary, it wasn't till 1996 code cycle when it was changed to cover all receptacle serving counter tops, it also was changed to allow receptacles on the sides or front of the counter top that defeated the whole reason for the shorting of the appliances cords back in 1969.

Now bathrooms have never followed this rule and every since they were added to the code back in 1975 all receptacles in a bathroom were to be GFCI protected even though some local requirements didn't enforce this view.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top