Can a 120V receptacle be installed in a laundry room as a general purpose receptacle if it is not part of the required 20A branch circuit? In addition to the required branch circuit, I installed a general purpose receptacle on the opposite wall of the washer and dryer near a built in table for an electric iron. I pulled off the garage circuit which was 6' away as opposed to running 75' back to the panel. The AHJ failed the final because of this and said that it needs to be part of the required circuit if it's located in that room.So according to him, you would in all actuality need (2) circuits since the washer and dryer alone are utilizing the full 20A capacity. First time in over 15 years I have ever been called on this.
Laundry receptacles?
- Thread starter nizak
- Start date
- Status
masterinbama
Senior Member
- Location
- Huntsville Alabama
The NEC requires a 20amp 'laundry room' circuit but does not specify much else.
Once you have the single laundry room circuit requirement met you are free to add other circuits.
Once you have the single laundry room circuit requirement met you are free to add other circuits.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Well IMO, the inspector is correct 210.11(C)(2). I believe other have argued this one before.
210.11(C)(2) Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least one additional 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by 210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.
The OP did not install other outlets on that laundry circuit. He has installed another convenience receptacle from the Garage circuit on the opposite side of the laundry.
IMO he is compliant with 210.11(C)(2) & with 210.52(F)
The OP did not install other outlets on that laundry circuit. He has installed another convenience receptacle from the Garage circuit on the opposite side of the laundry.
IMO he is compliant with 210.11(C)(2) & with 210.52(F)
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
They pluralized receptacle outlets so take it for what you want. I think it can be argued either way.
Yes I agree they have pluralized the outlets, however, it just says laundry outlets not laundry area or laundry room outlets.
(2) Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number
of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at
least one additional 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided
to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by
210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.
210.52(F) Laundry Areas. In dwelling units, at least one receptacle
outlet shall be installed for the laundry.
Well, there you go it does say Laundry area.
edited to add >>> but isn't 210.52 for receptacles requirement instead of circuit requirement. The OP did satisfy 210.52 anyway by installing an receptacle outlet for the laundry
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Well, there you go it does say Laundry area.
edited to add >>> but isn't 210.52 for receptacles requirement instead of circuit requirement. The OP did satisfy 210.52 anyway by installing an receptacle outlet for the laundry
I actually like the OP's install, and can see it argued both ways...
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
One 20A circuit per laundry room doesn't make sense. I've seen laundry rooms with two washing machines and two dryers. Some washing machines heat water and need a dedicated circuit. You can't put both sets on one circuit and run GP outlets/ironing outlets off of those circuits... I understand that there has to be one circuit minimum, and that one circuit can't be used for both laundry machines and GP, but additional circuits could be installed without that limitation as long as they're not used for laundering purposes.
There is no restriction on how many receptacles you can have on that laundry circuit as long as it is in the laundry area or laundry room.
Laundry area/room is subjet to AHJ interpretation.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
You are talking about helping the homeowner by providing more than the code requires. That is a design consideration, and the NEC does not (and should not) drive us toward "better designs."
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
I think the inspector is wrong, and that nothing in the code language supports his position.
Consider this: What if the table were not built in? What if you just put a receptacle on the opposite wall? Any of the things I listed above could be plugged into that receptacle. You could even set up a portable ironing board near that receptacle, iron your shirts, then use the same receptacle for the vacuum cleaner. This is what ?general purpose? is all about. There is no basis in the wording of the NEC to declare that any and all receptacles located in the same room as the washing machine are to be treated as laundry receptacles, and provided with 20 amp circuits that have no other outlets.
What is near that receptacle is not relevant. You met the requirement by putting one receptacle outlet in the building somewhere (it matters not where) to serve as the required laundry outlet. Then you installed another receptacle outlet to serve things other than the laundry. Use of an ironing board may be considered among the tasks associated with ?doing the laundry,? but that does not cause the nearest receptacle to a built-in ironing board to become a ?receptacle outlet . . . for the laundry.? That receptacle could be used for a floor lamp, or for a radio that would be set upon the ?built-in table,? or for a cell phone charger, or for a computer, or anything else. It is a ?general purpose? receptacle, by virtue of its being located on a convenient wall, and not a ?laundry receptacle,? by virtue of its being in the same room as the washing machine.
Consider this: What if the table were not built in? What if you just put a receptacle on the opposite wall? Any of the things I listed above could be plugged into that receptacle. You could even set up a portable ironing board near that receptacle, iron your shirts, then use the same receptacle for the vacuum cleaner. This is what ?general purpose? is all about. There is no basis in the wording of the NEC to declare that any and all receptacles located in the same room as the washing machine are to be treated as laundry receptacles, and provided with 20 amp circuits that have no other outlets.
PetrosA
Senior Member
- Location
- Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Right, so I think we're on the same page. My point was that it doesn't make sense that any additional receptacles in the laundry room not for laundering equipment also be dedicated to only the laundry room. I often see laundry rooms that are in the rear entrance to the house and the owners want an outlet for phone chargers or a cordless vac charger. It would be foolish to run a dedicated line for that...
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I have always kept the laundry room separate and often have 2 circuits but what the heck. My laundry room is in the bathroom-- that's another can of worms. No I did not install the washer on a gfci when I built the house 27+ years ago. Back then they allowed us this privilege.
I totally see where Charlie and Pete are coming from and that may be the intent to just supply the washer & possible dyer if it is gas- hence plural for receptacles.
I totally see where Charlie and Pete are coming from and that may be the intent to just supply the washer & possible dyer if it is gas- hence plural for receptacles.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
What say we complicate the situation one level deeper? Let's take the built-in table (or built-in ironing board) out of the picture. Consider a small room on the main floor. It has the hot and cold water hookups, and the water drain, that are typical for washing machines. It has a gas supply connection and an air exhaust connection typical for dryers. You put a duplex receptacle near the hookups, and power it from a 20 amp circuit that does not (yet) have any other outlets. There are no other circuits in the room, other than a 15 amp circuit powering the overhead light, and you won't be bringing in any other 20 amp circuits into that room. Then you install a duplex receptacle outlet on the wall opposite the laundry hookups. Outside the room, on the same wall as that new receptacle and very close to it, there is an existing receptacle powered by a completely different circuit. Question: Which of the following is true?
- The second receptacle is forbidden to be powered from the same circuit as the one near the laundry hookups (i.e., tie it to the receptacle just outside the room).
- The second receptacle is allowed to be powered from the same circuit as the one near the laundry hookups, but that is not a requirement.
- The second receptacle is required to be powered from the same circuit as the one near the laundry hookups (i.e., by virtue of it being in that room, it is a laundry receptacle, so it has to be powered by a laundry circuit, and there is only that one available).
John120/240
Senior Member
- Location
- Olathe, Kansas
Ditto
cadpoint
Senior Member
- Location
- Durham, NC
I think the inspector failed it because the circuit is shared with the garage. If you had to calculate
with the optional method, one has to account for the laundry thing's as equipment and size it all accordly.
Then apply the article.
with the optional method, one has to account for the laundry thing's as equipment and size it all accordly.
Then apply the article.
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Rick Christopherson
Senior Member
Because the first sentence is potentially plural while the last sentence is clearly only singular, the last sentence does not apply to the plurality of the previous. Only the minimum required circuit is required to have no other outlets.
Note how 210.52(B)(2) is worded for its similar requirement. This wording sets a precedent for how the wording is applied when ALL "optional" circuits are involved.
Therefore, given the wording of 210.11(C)(2) and the precedent set by the wording of 210.52(B)(2), this additional receptacle/circuit is exempt from the last sentence in 210.11(C)(2).
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