2029 Future PI: 210.52(C)

[wwhitney]

Currently NEC language requires both countertop receptacles and wall space receptacles along kitchen walls with base cabinets and countertops, yet surely this is not the intent, nor is anyone doing this, to my knowledge. This PI fixes this.

Cheers, Wayne

210.52(C) Countertops and Work Surfaces.
In kitchens, pantries, breakfast rooms, dining rooms, and similar areas of dwelling units, receptacle outlets for countertop and work surfaces that are 300 mm (12 in.) or wider shall be installed in accordance with 210.52(C)(1) through (C)(3) and shall not be considered as the receptacle outlets required by 210.52(A) for wall spaces without countertops or work surfaces.
For the purposes of this section, where using multioutlet assemblies, each 300 mm (12 in.) of multioutlet assembly containing two or more receptacles installed in individual or continuous lengths shall be considered to be one receptacle outlet.

Statement

In the 2014 NEC, 210.52(A)(2)(1) defined the wall spaces that require 210.52(A) receptacles as "Any space 600 mm (2 ft) or more in width (including space measured around corners) and unbroken along the floor line by doorways and similar openings, fireplaces, and fixed cabinets." In kitchens, this had the effect of excluding any portion of a wall with base cabinets, so no wall space receptacles were required there. We can say that the 210.52(A) wall zone and the 210.52(C) wall zone did not overlap.

In the 2017 NEC, 210.52(A)(2)(1) was amended so that it now ends ". . . and fixed cabinets that do not have countertops or similar work surfaces." This change means that for a kitchen wall space with fixed cabinets with a countertop, that wall space now does requires 210.52(A) receptacles. The 210.52(A) wall zone and the 210.52(C) wall zone now do overlap.

Moreover, the language in 210.52(C) requires that a receptacle installed to satisfy 210.52(C) may not be used to satisfy 210.52(A). The result is that a 6' length of wall countertop in a kitchen, located between fixed cabinets that extend to the ceiling without countertops, actually requires at least three receptacles to satisfy 210.52--two receptacles at appropriate locations to satisfy 210.52(C), and one additional receptacle to satisfy 210.52(A).

I doubt that this is in the intention. Therefore the proposed language change to 210.52(C) clarifies that the 210.52(C) receptacles may count as the 210.52(A) receptacles within the 210.52(C) wall zone.

 

[wwhitney]

OK, scratch the above, as it doesn't address 210.52(A)(4), and fixing them both would be more trouble than just fixing the 210.52(A) and 210.52(C) overlap in the first place. So here's a new version.

Cheers, Wayne


210.52(A)(2)(1) Any space 600 mm (2 ft) or more in width (including space measured around corners) and unbroken along the floor line by doorways and similar openings, fireplaces, stationary appliances, and fixed cabinets that do not have countertops or similar work surfaces other than those that have countertops or similar work surfaces that are not covered by 210.52(C).

Statement

In the 2014 NEC, this section read "Any space 600 mm (2 ft) or more in width (including space measured around corners) and unbroken along the floor line by doorways and similar openings, fireplaces, and fixed cabinets." In kitchens, this had the effect of excluding any portion of a wall with base cabinets, so no wall space receptacles were required there. We can say that the 210.52(A) wall zone and the 210.52(C) wall zone did not overlap.

In the 2017 NEC, this section was amended so that it now ends ". . . and fixed cabinets that do not have countertops or similar work surfaces." This change means that for a kitchen wall space with fixed cabinets with a countertop, that wall space now does requires 210.52(A) receptacles. The 210.52(A) wall zone and the 210.52(C) wall zone now do overlap.

Moreover, the language in 210.52(C) and in 210.52(A)(4) requires that a receptacle installed to satisfy 210.52(C) may not be used to satisfy 210.52(A). The result is that a 6' length of wall countertop in a kitchen, located between fixed cabinets that extend to the ceiling without countertops, actually requires at least three receptacles to satisfy 210.52--two receptacles at appropriate locations to satisfy 210.52(C), and one additional receptacle to satisfy 210.52(A).

I doubt that this is in the intention. Therefore the proposed language again keeps the 210.52(A) wall zone and 210.52(C) wall zone separate and without overlap. Walls with cabinets with countertops will only require 210.52(A) receptacles when 210.52(C) does not apply to those countertops.

 

[Elect117]

I think this section might have bigger issues. The language in 210.52 is ROUGH.

I am cross eyed just trying to wrap my head around it. 210.52(A) is receptacles where countertops do not exist and 210.52(C) is for where they do, in kitchens?

Wouldn't that mean that the receptacle for 210.52(A) is not meant for countertop appliances. So you would need a counter top appliance at 24" from the counter top for your coffee maker?

I don't see where a receptacle is required based on 210.52(A) if there is a 6' long countertop between cabinets.

I also do not see where a receptable is required where no countertop exists based on 210.52(C).

 

[wwhitney]

I am cross eyed just trying to wrap my head around it. 210.52(A) is receptacles where countertops do not exist and 210.52(C) is for where they do, in kitchens?

For the 2017-2023 NEC? No. 210.52(A) does cover walls with cabinets along them with countertops on the cabinets. That was the change from the 2014 NEC.

I think the idea was that if you had say a den with a long run of cabinets with a countertop on it, then 2014 NEC 210.52 would not require any receptacles along that wall. 210.52(A) wouldn't apply as it exempts walls with cabinets along the floor, and 210.52(C) wouldn't apply as it only covers the food related rooms (kitchens, breakfast rooms, etc). I guess this was seen as undesirable, so 210.52(A) was changed to apply to walls with cabinets along them if those cabinets have countertops on them.

But in modifying 210.52(A), they did not exclude the places where 210.52(C) already applies to those countertops. So for the 2017-2023 NEC, kitchen countertops require both 210.52(A) receptacles and 210.52(C) receptacles (even though in practice, nobody provides the required 210.52(A) receptacles). My PI fixes 210.52(A) so it never overlaps with 210.52(C).

Cheers, Wayne