Conference room floor outlets

[david.mullins]

I recently sat in on a 2017 code change webinar and was confused by this. Sorry I don't have the code section, but apparently, in conference rooms larger than 30' (if I remember correctly) floor outlets cannot be more than 6 feet from the wall. This seems strange because the purpose of a floor outlet is to put an outlet in the middle of a large area so that extension cords don't need to be strung from the wall to the center of the room, for, say, a projector and laptop.

Is this only if there are no wall outlets? One presenter said "When you get further away from the wall than six feet, you start looking for use of extension cords if there’s no receptacle available." Now, people will be running extension cords from floor outlets 6 ft from the wall to the conference table in the center of the room. :?

 

[steve66]

I recently sat in on a 2017 code change webinar and was confused by this. Sorry I don't have the code section, but apparently, in conference rooms larger than 30' (if I remember correctly) floor outlets cannot be more than 6 feet from the wall. This seems strange because the purpose of a floor outlet is to put an outlet in the middle of a large area so that extension cords don't need to be strung from the wall to the center of the room, for, say, a projector and laptop.

Is this only if there are no wall outlets? One presenter said "When you get further away from the wall than six feet, you start looking for use of extension cords if there’s no receptacle available." Now, people will be running extension cords from floor outlets 6 ft from the wall to the conference table in the center of the room. :?

I think one floor outlet not less than 6' from the wall is the new requirement.

http://iaeimagazine.org/magazine/2015/04/30/analysis-of-changes-2017-nec/

 

[jumper]

I think one floor outlet not less than 6' from the wall is the new requirement.

http://iaeimagazine.org/magazine/2015/04/30/analysis-of-changes-2017-nec/

Plus the new rule requires wall receptacles for meeting rooms to meet the requirements of 210.52(A)(1)-(4) in addition to the floor receptacle at least 6' off a wall.

View attachment 16191

 

[david.mullins]

Thank you very much. Maybe I should stop attending their webinars. hmy:

They obviously wrote "within 6 feet" when the code actually says "not less than 6 feet."

 

[iwire]

So now the NEC is designing commercial space? :roll:

At least I have only about three more code cycles and I am done with this.

 

[mgookin]

So now the NEC is designing commercial space? :roll:

At least I have only about three more code cycles and I am done with this.

I had the same thought. That and "What floor box salesman conned the CMP into this one?"

 

[iwire]

I had the same thought. That and "What floor box salesman conned the CMP into this one?"

Seriously as a building owner I might be inclined to call it a closet where we store tables, chairs, a video projector and a screen.

 

[steve66]

So now the NEC is designing commercial space? :roll:

I had the same thought. That and "What floor box salesman conned the CMP into this one?"

Me three. It seems like a slippery slope. What's next - outlets within 6' of all wall space, and 2' above break room counters?

I really don't buy this whole "people will use extension cords, and they are so dangerous we can't allow any circumstances where they might be needed" attitude.

Can anyone cite one instance of anyone being injured or a fire being started because someone used an extension cord in a conference room?