AFCI in walk-in closet?

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royta

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In the state of California, is it necessary for receptacles in a walk-in closet (fully enclosed with a door) to be protected by an AFCI breaker?

Thanks.

Roy
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

If the closet is off of the bedroom, I think it would make things alot easier, since you can keep it on the bedroom circuit.
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

Originally posted by aelectricalman:
If the closet is off of the bedroom, I think it would make things alot easier, since you can keep it on the bedroom circuit.
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Nothing stops you from putting it on an afci circuit either,for the most part the switch is within the bedroom hense afci protected since point of utilization is wihin the bedroom and afci required ;)
Just like a wall common to a family room the outlets on the family room can be part of the afci circuit.A closet in ;) a bed room does not IMO exempt them from afci protection as long as this is the only means of access.
The hair splitting on this issue is beyond reality.IMO if a closet is part of the bedroom then afci rules
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

A walk in closet is not a bedroom. The fact that the closets only access is from a bedroom is a weak argument. What about a bathroom, or a receptacle on a deck outside the bedroom? Where do you draw the line? The NEC specifies "Branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms" are required to have afci protection. That's where it ends. Also switches that control outlets outside of the bedroom are NOT required to have afci protection. Switches are not outlets.
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

An outlet is a point in a system that derives power.Doesn`t a switch derive power to a light? If it states as in 99 cycle receptacle outlet I would agree.
But when changed to outlet see 100 description and that changed the context of the definition.IMO if there is a switch in the bedroom and not in the closet then it has to be afci or am I missing something ;)
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

Originally posted by electricmanscott:
A walk in closet is not a bedroom. The fact that the closets only access is from a bedroom is a weak argument. What about a bathroom, or a receptacle on a deck outside the bedroom? Where do you draw the line? The NEC specifies "Branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit bedrooms" are required to have afci protection. That's where it ends. Also switches that control outlets outside of the bedroom are NOT required to have afci protection. Switches are not outlets.
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This is not entirely true,
Outlet- A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
Should I feed a switch box and leave the same box to go to another receptacle then this switch box is an outlet or an easier way to think of it is, if the neutral is present it is an outlet.
:)
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

Switches aren't outlets, I agree with Scott.

Edit: Look at the distinction you just made, Mike. "If a neutral is present"? Okay, then, every switch I can ever do again could never be an outlet by that standard.

Name a switch you believe to be an outlet, and I will tell you where the outlet really is. :p

[ June 09, 2005, 07:54 AM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

Neither are receptacles. The box that they go in are. If it has a phase and a neutral so I can leave with a feed to another circuit then it an outlet.
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

If you're asking if the California Electrical Code requires it, the answer is no.
As always, call the AHJ and ask how they see it.
In our city a closet is not a bedroom.
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

If this thread starts to develop into a debate over whether a switch (or, as jwelectric correctly pointed out, the box into which the switch is install) constitutes an ?outlet,? then I will terminate the discussion. That debate has already taken place, at length, and my recollection is that the debate came to no satisfactory conclusion. If anyone wants to take the time to look for the previous debate, you are welcome. I?ll not invest the time.

Please keep to the original topic.
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

If I had a receptacle installed in a bathroom's closet with bind fold doors to encase my washer and dryer, would it need to be GFCI?
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

Originally posted by sandsnow:
If you're asking if the California Electrical Code requires it, the answer is no.
As always, call the AHJ and ask how they see it.
In our city a closet is not a bedroom.
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Being that Larry is an Inspector in Cal, I would say that Roy's question has been answered in Larry's post and Charlie b's request that the thread stays on topic should be adhered too. :cool:

Roger
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

I too think the question has been answered. I also think Charlie is going to put the smack down on this but I'll give it a shot under the guise of trying to educate. If neccesary I can start a new thread.
From the Jan '05 Electrical contractor Magazine:
Does a wall switch in a residential bedroom that controls an outside floodlight require afci protection? The circuit that supplies the wall switch does not control any loads in the bedroom. Do branch circuits that supply junction boxes in bedrooms require afci protection? These branch circuits do not supply any loads in the bedroom.
Answer
According to 210.12(B) afci's are required on all 15 and 20 amp 125v single phase outlets in dwelling unit bedrooms. Notice that the requirement applies to "outlets" which are defined in article 100: "Outlet. A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment". Since junction boxes and switches do not qualify as outlets, they are not required to have afci protection. Junction boxes and switches fit the definition of device, which reads as follows: "Device. A unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry but not utilize electric energy"

[ June 09, 2005, 02:31 PM: Message edited by: electricmanscott ]
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

Originally posted by charlie b:
If this thread starts to develop into a debate over whether a switch (or, as jwelectric correctly pointed out, the box into which the switch is install) constitutes an ?outlet,? then I will terminate the discussion. That debate has already taken place, at length, and my recollection is that the debate came to no satisfactory conclusion. If anyone wants to take the time to look for the previous debate, you are welcome. I?ll not invest the time.

Please keep to the original topic.
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Charlie, please accept my apology for not adhering to your request to not debate the outlet issue. I was too quick to reply to George that I didn?t read your entire post.
Again I apologize.
:eek:
 
Re: AFCI in walk-in closet?

I think the fact that this is even a discussion is stupid. I put my bedroom closets on with my bedroom circuits. Is this really an issue? Just do it. Its not like your gonna run a seperate circuit just for your freakin closets. We can go on all day about "A closet is not a bedroom", and "a closet is an extension of the bedroom", but the fact is, it doesnt matter. Code say's bedrooms only! Code wins. I think this dicussion should be closed. :mad:
 
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