Bathroom arc fault protection.

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blacknumber4

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I came across a bathroom inside of a secondary bedroom but a door separates the two, does the bathroom have to be arc fault protected? The bathroom is currently on it's own standard breaker and is not tied to the bedroom circuit, but it does tie to the master bathroom which has no door separating it from the master bedroom, just a big opening. The master bedroom is on it's own arc breaker. Am I correct in saying that the master bathroom should be arc fault protected because there is no door separating the bedroom from the bathroom which in turn protects the secondary barthroom anyways. If so...code reference. Thanks:-?
 
I do not believe the code requires a room to have a door. I see no reason to arc fault the bathroom areas. Here is article 210.12

210.12 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection.
(B) Dwelling Units. All 120-volt, single phase, 15- and 20-ampere branch circuits supplying outlets installed in dwelling unit family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, parlors, libraries, dens, bedrooms, sunrooms, recreation rooms, closets, hallways, or similar rooms or areas shall be protected by a listed arc-fault circuit interrupter, combination-type, installed to provide protection of the branch circuit.
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Bathrooms are not mentioned in this article.
 
aftershock said:
Had an inspector here in Bryan, Tx have us AFCI a bathroom because it did not have a door seperating it from the bedroom.
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There is no doubt in my mind that an Ahj may require AFCI in the room. I just don't think he is correct. Why not say the whole area is a bathroom so the sleeping area doesn't need AFCI. :D That's how silly your inspectors interpretation is- at least to me, anyway.
 
I agree with Dennis ,. though I was asked by an inspector to put such a bathroom on AFCI once ,.. it was a good conversation... something like this ...

Me:
AFCI ?,... It's not a bedroom,.. it's a bathroom

Him:
But it is connected to the bedroom isn't it ?..

Me:
Yes,.. as is the rest of the house.. I have a couple questions for you now .

Him:
go ahead

Me:
where
do you $#!* in a bedroom or a bathroom ??
where
do you shower in a bedroom or a bahroom ??
where
do you shave in a bedroom or a bathroom ??
where
do you sleep in a bedroom or a bathroom ??

Him :
laughter,.. well,... I 'd say that it is a bathroom and not a bedroom ..you are all set.
 
I can't speak for California, the OP's home state, but in Washington there is a local rule that explicitly excludes bathrooms from the AFCI requirements.
 
To tell the rest of the story, Washington elected to retain the 2005 rules concerning AFCI (i.e., bedrooms only). But they went on to define bedroom in such a way as to include closets and other areas that are accessible only from the bedroom, and they excluded bathrooms. I do not know the reasoning, and I don't know if there is a publication in which their discussions on the topic are available (i.e., similar to the NFPA's publication of ROPs and ROCs).
 
blacknumber4 said:
I came across a bathroom inside of a secondary bedroom but a door separates the two, does the bathroom have to be arc fault protected? The bathroom is currently on it's own standard breaker and is not tied to the bedroom circuit, but it does tie to the master bathroom which has no door separating it from the master bedroom, just a big opening. The master bedroom is on it's own arc breaker. Am I correct in saying that the master bathroom should be arc fault protected because there is no door separating the bedroom from the bathroom which in turn protects the secondary barthroom anyways. If so...code reference. Thanks:-?
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It is still amazing that this topic causes such an issue. Where does the code book even allude that a connected room must meet the same requirements as a bedroom or bathroom for that matter.

'M.D that post was outrageous I'm still laughing. Nice work.
 
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