Regarding countertop receptacles: People are saying that the 6" overhang is often used for seating which is why they don't want a receptacle located beneath it. What if the 6" overhang is used for seating and also is part of a living room, and you need to have a receptacle mounted there to serve this living room to please the 2' rule? Now there is a receptacle at 18" AFF yet it is below the countertop. If you ask me this should still be a hazard and the receptacle should not be installed. Any codes? Just had this on a project.
Countertop receptacles with a twist.
- Thread starter JSwanson
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Re: Countertop receptacles with a twist.
Look at 210.52. Countertop receptacles cannot be more than 18" above the countertop, or more than 12" below the countertop. If your countertop cantilevers more than 6" beyond the base cabinet you cannot put a receptacle below the countertop to satisfy any countertop receptacle requirement. Let me know if you have a different read on this. The safest bet for an island or peninsula is to mount them within 18" above the counter, or use a monument style receptacle on the counter itself.
If your base cabinets are 36" tall and you put the receptacle at 18" above finish floor you are not in compliance. The receptacle is not a violation in itself, but nor does it satisfy any countertop receptacle requirements.
[ May 19, 2004, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: awwt ]
Look at 210.52. Countertop receptacles cannot be more than 18" above the countertop, or more than 12" below the countertop. If your countertop cantilevers more than 6" beyond the base cabinet you cannot put a receptacle below the countertop to satisfy any countertop receptacle requirement. Let me know if you have a different read on this. The safest bet for an island or peninsula is to mount them within 18" above the counter, or use a monument style receptacle on the counter itself.
If your base cabinets are 36" tall and you put the receptacle at 18" above finish floor you are not in compliance. The receptacle is not a violation in itself, but nor does it satisfy any countertop receptacle requirements.
[ May 19, 2004, 09:36 AM: Message edited by: awwt ]
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- Bremerton, Washington
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Re: Countertop receptacles with a twist.
210.52 was changed for the 2002 NEC to allow receptacles above the counter top to be mounted at no more than 20". This was to allow plugmold to be installed under the bottom of the top cabinet. Its normally 18" from the counter to the top cabinets.
210.52 was changed for the 2002 NEC to allow receptacles above the counter top to be mounted at no more than 20". This was to allow plugmold to be installed under the bottom of the top cabinet. Its normally 18" from the counter to the top cabinets.
electricmanscott
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Re: Countertop receptacles with a twist.
To answer the question that was actually asked the 6" limitation is for countertop receptacle access. There is no reason you can't have a receptacle there or 18" above the floor to serve the living room. It just can't count as the required counter receptacle.
To answer the question that was actually asked the 6" limitation is for countertop receptacle access. There is no reason you can't have a receptacle there or 18" above the floor to serve the living room. It just can't count as the required counter receptacle.
Re: Countertop receptacles with a twist.
electricmanscott, thats what I was after. Now what I see being a problem is that the receptacle at 18" AFF (which is not for the countertops but to satisfy the 2' rule in the room)is in the space that you would have a barstool or chair. Chances are the cord plugged into that receptacle gets tangled in the chairs which would be the same hazard as having a receptacle mounted more than 12" below the countertop. To me the code should say no receptacles at all below that 6" overhang with the exception being if its less than 12" below the countertop. Does this make sense?
[ May 20, 2004, 02:05 PM: Message edited by: JSwanson ]
electricmanscott, thats what I was after. Now what I see being a problem is that the receptacle at 18" AFF (which is not for the countertops but to satisfy the 2' rule in the room)is in the space that you would have a barstool or chair. Chances are the cord plugged into that receptacle gets tangled in the chairs which would be the same hazard as having a receptacle mounted more than 12" below the countertop. To me the code should say no receptacles at all below that 6" overhang with the exception being if its less than 12" below the countertop. Does this make sense?
[ May 20, 2004, 02:05 PM: Message edited by: JSwanson ]
Re: Countertop receptacles with a twist.
you could put in a floor outlet a few feet back. the low island outlet is just a code consistancy item for 6' access. parsing anomolies in the code can keep you busy, but it won't buy you anything.
homeowners could run a vacuum cleaner cord over the island, across the cooktop, over to the sink, across the sink and into an outlet. the line could loop both her kids neck and a pot of boiling water on the island cooktop. is this a code violation?
paul
you could put in a floor outlet a few feet back. the low island outlet is just a code consistancy item for 6' access. parsing anomolies in the code can keep you busy, but it won't buy you anything.
homeowners could run a vacuum cleaner cord over the island, across the cooktop, over to the sink, across the sink and into an outlet. the line could loop both her kids neck and a pot of boiling water on the island cooktop. is this a code violation?
paul
electricmanscott
Senior Member
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- Boston, MA
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- Massachusetts Master Electrician, one man show.
Re: Countertop receptacles with a twist.
J you are way overthinking this. There are probably dozens of places that a cord could get damaged in some way in a house. Bottom line, install the receptacle, satisfy the code, and know it will probably never get used because it is a pain to get at.
J you are way overthinking this. There are probably dozens of places that a cord could get damaged in some way in a house. Bottom line, install the receptacle, satisfy the code, and know it will probably never get used because it is a pain to get at.
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