afci/gfci in residential

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bark

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I'm wiring my son's house. I understand that afci is required everywhere but the bathrooms and the Garage. What about the dishwasher and refrigerator? Are both required to have afci/gfci protection? I would hate to have the refer trip the gfi and lose a bunch of food in it. If it's a single receptacle for the refer would the afci/gfci be required? And the dishwasher, will it require a gfci/afci breaker? No one wants to take the floor panel off to reset the gfi. Things have sure changed over the years. Thanks in advance.
 
bark said:
I'm wiring my son's house. I understand that afci is required everywhere but the bathrooms and the Garage. What about the dishwasher and refrigerator? Are both required to have afci/gfci protection? I would hate to have the refer trip the gfi and lose a bunch of food in it. If it's a single receptacle for the refer would the afci/gfci be required? And the dishwasher, will it require a gfci/afci breaker? No one wants to take the floor panel off to reset the gfi. Things have sure changed over the years. Thanks in advance.
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Refrigerator - yes per 210.8(6) and 210.52(B)(1)
Dishwasher - GFCI is required per 210.8(D). However, if cord and plug connected you would mount the recep inside the adjacent cabinet to make it readily accessible.

The single recep rule is no longer acceptable in WA except for snow melting/de-icing unfortunately
 
MattS87 said:
Refrigerator - yes per 210.8(6) and 210.52(B)(1)
Dishwasher - GFCI is required per 210.8(D). However, if cord and plug connected you would mount the recep inside the adjacent cabinet to make it readily accessible.

The single recep rule is no longer acceptable in WA except for snow melting/de-icing unfortunately
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I disagree with gfci required for fridge. For dish, either hardwired with A dual function breaker, or like Matt said cord and plug with jiffy under the sink and afci breaker in panel.
 
Refrigerator does not require GFCI or AFCI for that matter. Location of the receptacle may kick in requirement for either though. In the kitchen - definitely will need AFCI, GFCI would only be required if receptacle were also serving a counter top or is within six feet of the sink.

Dishwasher must have GFCI now (for the wrong reasons maybe, but that is the rule). In the kitchen also would require AFCI hard wiring doesn't change either requirement on the dishwasher. Many people prefer to just use a dual function GFCI/AFCI breaker for dishwashers anymore, it usually cost less then a AFCI breaker plus GFCI receptacle. If you have an obsolete panel like a Pushmatic - then you need to figure out other ways of doing this.
 
kwired said:
Refrigerator does not require GFCI or AFCI for that matter. Location of the receptacle may kick in requirement for either though. In the kitchen - definitely will need AFCI, GFCI would only be required if receptacle were also serving a counter top or is within six feet of the sink.

Dishwasher must have GFCI now (for the wrong reasons maybe, but that is the rule). In the kitchen also would require AFCI hard wiring doesn't change either requirement on the dishwasher. Many people prefer to just use a dual function GFCI/AFCI breaker for dishwashers anymore, it usually cost less then a AFCI breaker plus GFCI receptacle. If you have an obsolete panel like a Pushmatic - then you need to figure out other ways of doing this.
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No afci for fridge?
 
I think based on 210.12(A) the refrigerator WOULD need AFCI, but I agree no GFCI unless it's within 6 feet of a sink.
 
You better get the amendments for Washington as they have a few weird ones. I believe it used to be that the bathroom switches had to be outside the bathroom.
 
Here is what I found- amendments for Washington---99 pages. I didn't see anything about a switch outside the bathroom in art. 410 but I did see this which was the topic of discussion in another thread

https://www.mybuildingpermit.com/sites/default/files/inline-files/2017 WCEC.pdf


410.10 Bathtub and Shower Areas
Article 410.10(D) of the National Electrical Code is amended to read as follows:
(E) Bathtub and Shower Areas. All luminaires within an enclosed shower area or directly over a bathtub to a height of 8 feet above the water line, or within 5 feet of the water line in any direction must be enclosed, unless specifically listed for such use. These luminaires must be ground-fault circuit interrupter protected.
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MattS87 said:
210.52(B)(1) says the 20A SABC shall serve refrigeration equipment. So if you used a GFCI breaker inherently the fridge would be GFCI protected. Exception would be to use GFCI outlet to eliminate this correct?
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I usually try to avoid putting the fridge on a jiffy, so often I'll run the sabc to the fridge first and then hit the first countertop outlet with a jiffy recep. Lately though I have said the hell with it and used dual function breakers.
 
electrofelon said:
No afci for fridge?
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Correct nowhere does NEC say AFCI (or GFCI) is required for a refrigerator.

Other conditions of the installation is what triggers the requirements. Refrigerator in dwelling kitchen - will require AFCI, not for the sake of the refrigerator but because all 15/20 amp 120 volt circuits serving said kitchen require it. Put same fridge in the garage, AFCI not required but now the fact the receptacle is in the garage triggers a requirement for GFCI - because of the receptacle location not what it is supplying.

Dishwasher is one of few items that specifically is mentioned in the GFCI protection requirements in 210.8. Most of 210.8 is just requiring protection for the receptacles in the locations mentioned.
 
electrofelon said:
Well yeah, title of thread has residential in it.
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Asking if fridge needs AFCI or GFCI protection is too generic of a question. There is no rule that says refrigerators must be on AFCI or GFCI. The factors that determine if either protection is necessary don't really care what the connected load is.

The dishwasher just so happens to be one exception of where the connected load happens to trigger the GFCI requirement, otherwise most of the time it is based on location of the receptacle and not the load being supplied when it comes to general GFCI requirements in 210.8.
 
210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Arc-fault
circuit-interrupter protection shall be provided as required in
210.12(A), (B), and (C). The arc-fault circuit interrupter shall
be installed in a readily accessible location.
(A) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-
ampere branch circuits supplying outlets or devices installed in
dwelling unit KITCHENS...
 
yes, installed i kitchen, but what if you move the refrigerator to the pantry or dining room? In an open plan home, where is the dining room compared to the kitchen. What if it is on the porch? or in your bar area and your bar area contains no sink?

In all of these, I think the code allows you to not use gfci....
 
Adamjamma said:
yes, installed i kitchen, but what if you move the refrigerator to the pantry or dining room? In an open plan home, where is the dining room compared to the kitchen. What if it is on the porch? or in your bar area and your bar area contains no sink?

In all of these, I think the code allows you to not use gfci....
Click to expand...

To determine if the refrigerator needs afci or gfci, as other stated, you determine if the room that it is in needs afci or gfci. For instance, a porch would need gfci because any receptacle out there would req. gfci but not afci.
 
Adamjamma said:
yes, installed i kitchen, but what if you move the refrigerator to the pantry or dining room? In an open plan home, where is the dining room compared to the kitchen. What if it is on the porch? or in your bar area and your bar area contains no sink?

In all of these, I think the code allows you to not use gfci....
Click to expand...
Last two editions of NEC AFCI is needed pretty much everywhere in a dwelling. For these last couple editions it is easier to make a list of places that don't require AFCI then it is to make a list of where it is required. Not required in garages, outdoors, unfinished basements, bathrooms.
 
kwired said:
Last two editions of NEC AFCI is needed pretty much everywhere in a dwelling. For these last couple editions it is easier to make a list of places that don't require AFCI then it is to make a list of where it is required. Not required in garages, outdoors, unfinished basements, bathrooms.
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So, basically, quit splitting neutrals and switch from 12/3 to 12/2/2 type cables to keep neutrals for both sides and try to keep phases correct in kitchen that way? Or is there a need for keeping phases correct? Other than trying to balance load?
 
Adamjamma said:
So, basically, quit splitting neutrals and switch from 12/3 to 12/2/2 type cables to keep neutrals for both sides and try to keep phases correct in kitchen that way? Or is there a need for keeping phases correct? Other than trying to balance load?
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no longer using MWBC's is a popular option for simplifying things and because 2 pole AFCI's (which would work) are either more expensive or a little harder to acquire.

Load balancing is about impossible in a dwelling. The major loads you would want to make sure to balance usually are 240 volt and already balanced anyway.
 
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