2 bathrooms on same circuit question

sw_ross

Senior Member
Location
NoDak
I’m trying to find the specific code reference that allows more than one bathroom to be on the same circuit if the circuit only supplies the receptacle in each bathroom.

210.11(C)(3) talks about a circuit for the bathroom(s). Is it just inferred that it can hit multiple bathrooms if it’s only for the receptacle and it can serve other outlets in that bathroom if it doesn’t leave that bathroom?

Thanks
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
I’m trying to find the specific code reference that allows more than one bathroom to be on the same circuit if the circuit only supplies the receptacle in each bathroom.

210.11(C)(3) talks about a circuit for the bathroom(s). Is it just inferred that it can hit multiple bathrooms if it’s only for the receptacle(s) and it can serve other outlets in that bathroom if it doesn’t leave that bathroom?

Thanks
I've always taken it that one circuit can serve all the receptacle outlets in those bathrooms as long no other outlets are fed.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
It's code compliant if only the receptacles are supplied by the same 20 amp circuit in the multiple bathrooms. Athough permissible IMO it's a poor design and should be removed from the NEC.
 

retirede

Senior Member
Location
Illinois
It's code compliant if only the receptacles are supplied by the same 20 amp circuit in the multiple bathrooms. Athough permissible IMO it's a poor design and should be removed from the NEC.

I think it’s fine for one full bath along with a “powder room” (toilet and lav only). The receptacle is required in the powder room (I think) but will likely never get used.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I think it’s fine for one full bath along with a “powder room” (toilet and lav only). The receptacle is required in the powder room (I think) but will likely never get used.
Yes it's less likely that someone will be blow drying their hair in a powder room. When you have 4 bathrooms on a single circuit and a few women getting ready at the same time you might as well sit next to the panel to keep resetting the circuit breaker. :rolleyes:
 

hillbilly1

Senior Member
Location
North Georgia mountains
Occupation
Owner/electrical contractor
Thanks. We don’t do that. We run a circuit to each bathroom but I’ve seen it done in older houses when doing service calls.
I don’t either, but seen it a whole lot in tract houses, even the high end ones. One of my boss’s dad’s house master bath outlet was dead. He replaced the outlet, and it still didn’t work. Funny thing was his dad, his brother, and him were all engineers. First thing I did, was walk to the guest bath on the far side of the house, and push the reset button on the gfi. LOL!
 

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
It makes sense if you consider how far the codes gone to dedicate that circuit. In the 80s it was just off the 15a lighting circuit.
In the 80's it was common to feed a GFCI receptacle in the garage and all other garage, bathroom and exterior receptacles from it.
 
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