Bathroom Circuits 210.11 (C) (3)

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VIC1958

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2005 NEC, I understand that at least 1 20 amp circuit is required for the receptacle(s) in a bathroom, and that the circuit may not feed any other outlet unless that outlet is for a receptacle in another bathroom. I am confused on the exception Sec. 210.23 (A)(1) and (A)(2). There is an exception under (A) that states ...and bathroom branch circuits required in dwelling units by sec 210.11 (C)(1), (C)(2) and (C)(3) shall supply only the receptacle outlets specified in that section. So does this basically say that the required 20 amp branch circuit required for the receptacle in a bathroom cannot feed a luminary or exhaust fan in the same bathroom?
 

jumper

Senior Member
If the bathroom circuit only serves 1 bath, other equipment, ie a fan or light, can be on that circuit. The exception in 210.11(C)(3) allows it.

Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single
bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same
bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance
with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).
 

VIC1958

Senior Member
My confusion I guess is the exception to 210.23 (A) Exception: " The small appliance branch circuits, laundry branch circuits and bathroom branch circuits required in dwelling unit(s) by 210.11 (C)(1), C(2) and (C)(3) shall supply only the receptacle outlets specified in that section" Doesn't this tell me that the required 20 amp branch circuit for the bathroom can only feed the receptacle and no other?. What am I missing here?
 

GoldDigger

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You could, with some mental gymnastics, interpret that to mean that they cannot supply other receptacle outlets, but that other non-receptacle outlets as permitted explicitly are OK.
Or you could just chalk this up to incomplete coordination, since use of a single bathroom branch to supply other outlets in the same bathroom is explicitly approved.
 

VIC1958

Senior Member
I sure as heck don't want to do mental gymnastics, my brain is too frail at this point in my life. It appears that there is a conflict in the exceptions between Sec. 210.11(C) (3) and Sec. 210.23(A)
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
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210.22(A) tells us that

A 15- or 20-ampere branch circuit shall be permitted to supply lighting units or other utilization equipment, or a combination of both, and shall comply with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).

But the exception states basically that we cannot supply lighting or other utilization equipment from the required receptacle outlets in the kitchen , laundry and bathrooms. The problem is that 210.11 C3 exception does allow us to put lighting on the bathroom circuit if the circuit does not leave the bathroom. Since 210.23(A)exception tells us we can comply with 210.11 C then it is allowed.

I agree it is odd to say you can't but then tell you to go to another article where it says you can. The exception in 210.11(A) should be worded to some degree in article 210.23 to make things simpler
 

VIC1958

Senior Member
Thanks Dennis, thought I was reading or interpreting it wrong. As a fairly new inspector, can I assume that the required 20 amp branch circuit for the bathroom can also supply other outlets in the same bathroom and chalk it up to that this portion of the code is a little fuzzy and that the intent of the code is being met?
 

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
Thanks Dennis, thought I was reading or interpreting it wrong. As a fairly new inspector, can I assume that the required 20 amp branch circuit for the bathroom can also supply other outlets in the same bathroom and chalk it up to that this portion of the code is a little fuzzy and that the intent of the code is being met?

IMO, yes
 
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