Un-useable wall space

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wormy

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Is the wall space in a dwelling behind doors required to have a receptacle? Such as when you enter a bedroom and there is 30 inches of wall space behind the door. I know the code says wallspaces 24 inches and up must have a plug but the space behind a door is pretty much un-useable.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
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Let's put it this way: when starting the 6-12-12-6 receptacle layout pattern, we're supposed to start at the door hinges, not where the door rests when it's open.

The receptacle does not necessarily have to be behind the door itself, but it must be within 6' of the door hinges, measured along the wall-floor meeting line.
 
K8MHZ

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LarryFine said:
Let's put it this way: when starting the 6-12-12-6 receptacle layout pattern, we're supposed to start at the door hinges, not where the door rests when it's open.

The receptacle does not necessarily have to be behind the door itself, but it must be within 6' of the door hinges, measured along the wall-floor meeting line.
Click to expand...

So you are counting the door as wall space? :confused:

Who says we are supposed to start at the hinges???

What if you are doing rough in and have no idea where the hinges will be as the owner hasn't made up their mind yet?

What if you think you know, then do your rough in and the owner changes his mind and flips the door?

What if there is more than one door? Which hinge do you start at?

So long as the NEC requirements are met, it doesn't matter where the hinges are.
 
charlie b

charlie b

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Let's not get too literal, Mark. Larry did not mean the hinge itself. That was a conversational simplification. The door itself is not wall space, but you do start measuring at the door opening. It doesn't matter which side gets the hinges. If there is wall space on both sides, you count each side separately, begining at the edge of the opening on each side, and measuring until you hit another doorway (e.g., closet door opening), or until you get back to the other side of the entry door.
 
K8MHZ

K8MHZ

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charlie b said:
Let's not get too literal, Mark. Larry did not mean the hinge itself. That was a conversational simplification. The door itself is not wall space, but you do start measuring at the door opening. It doesn't matter which side gets the hinges. If there is wall space on both sides, you count each side separately, begining at the edge of the opening on each side, and measuring until you hit another doorway (e.g., closet door opening), or until you get back to the other side of the entry door.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought and that's the way I have been doing it, so why mention the hinges at all? It would have made more sense, at least to me, if they weren't part of the explanation.

This part is what threw me:

Let's put it this way: when starting the 6-12-12-6 receptacle layout pattern, we're supposed to start at the door hinges, not where the door rests when it's open.
Click to expand...

I was looking for some enlightenment as to what difference it made as to which side the door opened. I haven't known Larry to just make things up and really would like him to expound on his statement. Maybe his way (albeit not required) is a better way.

It could happen. :D:D
 
K8MHZ

K8MHZ

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480sparky said:
Technically, you should start measuring from the inner edge of the door stop.
Click to expand...

Huh?

Now I am confused :confused:

What if they don't have a door stop?

Built-in_door_door_stop_in_action.jpg


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doorstop

I don't know if I am doing it correctly or not, but I measure from the innermost edge of the opening and I include the trim as part of the wall space if the adjacent wall space is to be counted.

I think you meant to say 'door jamb' instead of 'door stop'. which would have made more sense.

Now, for those that think I am getting too literal, if someone replies to me with 'technically' in the response, I take the entire response very literally as I believe the responder has meant and indicated that I do just that.
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
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Oh, jeez, you guys! I thought I was a literalist! :roll: :)D)

Like when reading code articles, you gotta read the whole thing:
LarryFine said:
Let's put it this way: when starting the 6-12-12-6 receptacle layout pattern, we're supposed to start at the door hinges, not where the door rests when it's open.
Click to expand...
If you look at my response from the OP's perspective, we were alread on the hinge side of the doorway:
The receptacle does not necessarily have to be behind the door itself, but it must be within 6' of the door hinges, measured along the wall-floor meeting line.
Click to expand...
Bseides, the hinge side really is made irrelevant by the proper answer to the question: that you start at the door opening.
 
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