A Few Code Questions

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JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
I will be installing the following:

~ One gfci receptacle in a half bath, one in the full bath
~ 4 keyless lights on 3-way switches in the attic, one receptacle
~ 6 keyless lights in the crawlspace, one receptacle for a pipe heat trace, one for general use

I plan to pull a 12/3 (20A mwb circuit) to the half bathroom gfci then a 12/2 from that to the full bath gfci, and run a 14/3 (15a mwbc) for the attic receptacle/lights, then a 14/2 from the attic to the crawlspace.

I know the crawlspace receptacle needs to be GFCI protected; do any of the lights or attic receptacle need it as well? The receptacles are general use and not for any equipment. Is a zip-tie an acceptable way of grouping the conductors of the MWBCs in the panel? Would a 2p breaker be better/worse than two 1p breakers with handle ties? Also, can I use 15A duplex GFCI receptacles in the bathrooms or do they have to be 20A? Lastly, do the crawlspace receptacles need to be WR?

VA residential is under the 2012 IRC
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
I know the crawlspace receptacle needs to be GFCI protected; do any of the lights or attic receptacle need it as well? The receptacles are general use and not for any equipment. Is a zip-tie an acceptable way of grouping the conductors of the MWBCs in the panel? Would a 2p breaker be better/worse than two 1p breakers with handle ties? Also, can I use 15A duplex GFCI receptacles in the bathrooms or do they have to be 20A? Lastly, do the crawlspace receptacles need to be WR?

No, yes, not necessarily, yes, no.
 

user 100

Senior Member
Location
texas
I will be installing the following:

~ One gfci receptacle in a half bath, one in the full bath
~ 4 keyless lights on 3-way switches in the attic, one receptacle
~ 6 keyless lights in the crawlspace, one receptacle for a pipe heat trace, one for general use

I plan to pull a 12/3 (20A mwb circuit) to the half bathroom gfci then a 12/2 from that to the full bath gfci, and run a 14/3 (15a mwbc) for the attic receptacle/lights, then a 14/2 from the attic to the crawlspace.

I know the crawlspace receptacle needs to be GFCI protected; do any of the lights or attic receptacle need it as well? The receptacles are general use and not for any equipment. Is a zip-tie an acceptable way of grouping the conductors of the MWBCs in the panel? Would a 2p breaker be better/worse than two 1p breakers with handle ties? Also, can I use 15A duplex GFCI receptacles in the bathrooms or do they have to be 20A? Lastly, do the crawlspace receptacles need to be WR?

VA residential is under the 2012 IRC

Peter d pretty well covered it above.

Remember this about the need for 20 amp receptacles: You can use 15's on a 20 amp circuit as long as there will more than one receptacle on that circuit- a duplex counts as two receptacles.:)
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Grouping the conductors of a MWBC is already accomplished if you are running cable wiring methods, no additional grouping methods are necessary.
 

user 100

Senior Member
Location
texas
I always love it when someone answers an either-or question with yes or no. :happyno:

Looked at another way-JFletcher knew he could use 20's but didn't know if he could legally use 15's, but thanks to Peter d's abbreviated, rapid fire, and correct response, he knows that, yes, yes he can.:p
 
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Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
Looked at another way-JFletcher knew he could use 20's but didn't know if he could legally use 15's, but thanks to Peter d's abbreviated, rapid fire, and correct response, he knows that, yes, yes he can.:p
Most people assume that a yes or no response is in reference to the first part of the either-or question. :thumbsdown:
 

user 100

Senior Member
Location
texas
Most people assume that a yes or no response is in reference to the first part of the either-or question. :thumbsdown:

And my response in post#3 (which wasn't intended to be a clarification of Peter's answer- just a general tip) about 20 amp ckts/recs beneath his effectively ended the doubt op/others may have about that particular situation.

Come to think of it, I think I've seen a only a few 20 a gfcis ever installed on a 20 a bath ckt- most all of them seem to be 5-15.:)
 

JFletcher

Senior Member
Location
Williamsburg, VA
thanks again guys. i knew what Peter meant, even with the 'not necessarily' answer; either method of 2p or handle ties on 1p breakers is acceptable/compliant. and thx for clarifying the grouping and receptacle requirements.
 

jumper

Senior Member
Come to think of it, I think I've seen a only a few 20 a gfcis ever installed on a 20 a bath ckt- most all of them seem to be 5-15.:)

Never seen a 20A GFCI in resi myself, IMO only a goofball would do as such. Short of a Wolf sub zero freezer, a hyped up micro, an unusual shop machine, or some HVAC app I have not seen any general resi equipment that needs a 20A receptacle.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Never seen a 20A GFCI in resi myself, IMO only a goofball would do as such. Short of a Wolf sub zero freezer, a hyped up micro, an unusual shop machine, or some HVAC app I have not seen any general resi equipment that needs a 20A receptacle.
I see 20 amp receptacles in residential but it is usually because some HO thought 20 amp would be better. The only thing it is better than is the cheap grade receptacles. I am not aware of those being available in 20 amp.
 
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