So I am wondering about article 210.8. If I put a receptacle in a garage behind a refrigerator does it have to be gfci protected due to the fact it is not readily accessible? The code does say IT SHALL be installed in a readily accessible location. I think I am having an interpretation knot in my head.
Article 210.8
- Thread starter badashuka
- Start date
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- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
Yes. All recpts in garages have to be GFI'd since '08. Under '11 the GFI has to be readily accessible.
No question about the GFI requirement for the receptacle in the garage. As for the "readily accesible", I suggest you read the definition of this in article 100 and draw your own conclusion as to whether or not behind a garage freezer meets the definition of readily accesible. My opinion, if it is on wheels and roll out of the way quickly and easily, no problem with being behind the appliance. If it is my grandfathers freezer that he has had since the 40's that weighs in excess of 800#, has no casters for rolling it and has a counter balanced weight just to assist you in opening the lid of this beast, then I would say no.
dana1028
Senior Member
- Location
- San Francisco Bay area
Readily Accessible - "Capable of being reached...without requiring those to...remove obstacles." Moving a refrigerator out of the way, even if it has wheels, is still a process of moving an obstacle. I think there are a lot of inspectors out there that would argue your opinion and not allow such an installation....which seems an awful PITA.
donf
Member
- Location
- Tidewater Virginia
Since 2008, the only exception to the GFCI protection is for and alarm everything else needs to be GFCI protected.
I understand if a receptacle is being installed new it must be accessible, how ever I should of been more clear, my apologies. I am in the residential service industry and we do home safety evaluations and I remove old receptacles and install GFCI's where needed, how ever I have been running into freezers and refrig's that have receptacles behind them and they have been like that for a while. I have to install GFCI recept's however the accessible part I don't believe they meet that. Am I required to relocate the receptacle which is way more work and an easy way to upset the home owner.
handy10
Senior Member
- Location
- western suburbs, chicago
If the receptacle is not the first from the panel, you can protect it with a gfi upstream which is readily acceptable.
- Location
- Massachusetts
In my opinion a GFCI you install today has to meet todays code so it would have to be accesable.
As mentioned you could install a GFCI device on the supply side of this receptacle.
Worst case if you have to do it at the panel and they have fuses you can install a faceless GFCI at the panel.
http://www.google.com/products/cata...=BSAbT4aAFIbD0QH4prXgCw&sqi=2&ved=0CEUQ8wIwAA
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