Receptacle wall spacing

[dcspector]

Yup.
After all the furniture is placed, that may be the only one available for vacuuming.

210.52(A)(2)(1) is pretty exacting.

Celtic that is the theory....good answer. I was late.

 

[cowboyjwc]

I would never require that or the one on the book cases either. As someone else said I would treat this the same as a fire place or a fixed in place appliance in the kitchen. Many of the tract homes built out here just have an alcove for the entertainment center so it's not usually a problem.

 

[JohnJ0906]

The inspector seemed to be under the assumption that the doors to the permanently installed entertainment center are considered wall space and therfore required outlets in the floor, within 18", since they obviously could not go in the doors, and behind the doors in the back of the cabinet for electronics did not meet the requirement, nor did the recept I had installed above the countertops of the entertainment center at 44" AFF

What!?! Does she want floor outlets in front of the kitchen cabinets too?

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I would never require that or the one on the book cases either. As someone else said I would treat this the same as a fire place or a fixed in place appliance in the kitchen. Many of the tract homes built out here just have an alcove for the entertainment center so it's not usually a problem.

Rethink not requiring that 24 or 25 inch space behind a door.As an inspector you are required to inforce the code as written.If i bought that house and wanted that outlet as required by code i could go after both you and the EC.After you for not doing your job and the EC to correct it.Could be costly to both.

 

[JohnE]

There was a fairly long thread regarding bookcases about a year ago. I took the position that a bookshelf qualifies as wall space. For example if a room was lined all 4 walls with bookshelves, receptacles would still be required. Built in entertainment center might be very similar. A lot of guys disagreed with my stance.

 

[jshaw]

I think 210.52(2) Wall Space is pretty clear in the definition when it states that Wall space is defined as "any space 2 ft or more in width (including space measured around corners) and unbroken along the floor line by doorways, fireplaces, and similar openings.

As an inspector, I would definitely classify an ent. center, bookshelf, etc. as a "similar opening", and no receptacle would be required in that space.

I take alot of flack about the 24" wall space behind the bedroom door thing, but I enforce it anyway. I don't write the code and I can't allow exceptions that don't exist because the installer thinks it's dumb. By the same note I can't come up with interpretations of my own that force installations that are clearly not required. It's common sense folks. Enforce it the way it's written, not the way you think it means to be written.

 

[cowboyjwc]

Anytime I've ever seen that an entertainment center was going to be installed there is usually at least one quad and sometimes two. If you can count the outlet behind the sofa as meeting the requirements then you should be able to count the one behind the TV the same way.

Now you want to put an outlet in a book case so that they meet the requirements and then let them stack a bunch of combustibles in front of it. Well I guess you could do that. Or you could just make the call and then after you leave they will just build the bookcase over the outlets and you will never be able to find them.

It's no different than in bedrooms where the door opens up against a small wall. That wall meets the 24" requirement, but what do you think they are ever going to do with that outlet.

I just figure we don't require an outlet in the hearth of a fireplace just so you can plug in a vacume (that's usually the reason I hear for needing outlets) so why would you put one in where you'll never be able to get to it without moving a bunch of stuff.

I'm gonna pole the guys in my office and see what they think.

 

[allenwayne]

I would never require that or the one on the book cases either. As someone else said I would treat this the same as a fire place or a fixed in place appliance in the kitchen. Many of the tract homes built out here just have an alcove for the entertainment center so it's not usually a problem.

Now an alcove is a different subject all together.The measurement must be taken along the floor line and with an alcove the measurement goes back and forth along the floor line.I agree when there is a built in be it a book case, fire place, what have you the required measurements go bye bye.

 

[allenwayne]

There was a fairly long thread regarding bookcases about a year ago. I took the position that a bookshelf qualifies as wall space. For example if a room was lined all 4 walls with bookshelves, receptacles would still be required. Built in entertainment center might be very similar. A lot of guys disagreed with my stance.

I was in on that thread, I did a huge custom that had a high line library, All floor to ceiling book cases built in the room.There was one floor receptacle for the desk and that was it.Since no actual wall space existed there were no actual receptacles other than the floor receptacle under the desk in the entire room.The inspector looked at it really funny on final but shrugged and said no usable wall space no receptacle required.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

I was in on that thread, I did a huge custom that had a high line library, All floor to ceiling book cases built in the room.There was one floor receptacle for the desk and that was it.Since no actual wall space existed there were no actual receptacles other than the floor receptacle under the desk in the entire room.The inspector looked at it really funny on final but shrugged and said no usable wall space no receptacle required.

Lets not forget that the words are not (usable wall space).
But my opinion to OP remains the same in that it is a break in the wall space

 

[charlie b]

I just deleted four posts that I considered to be inappropriate, ?off-color,? attempts at humor. Let?s keep suggestive language out of the forum discussions.