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does NEC require you to install electrical power in detached garage?

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jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
I can see you in mid-February, stumbling in the dark searching for a snow shovel. Wouldn't it be nice....

He is in Hawaii so that shouldn't be an issue, but, even if not, You'd come closer to finding your scoop shovel in the dark than you would finding the slots in the receptacle to plug your hand held lamp in seeing as how the rule is for a "RECEPTACLE" outlet and not a "LIGHTING" outlet.

That IF hi-lited in the first post pretty well clarifies what the intention of the rule is.

JAP<
 

Joethemechanic

Senior Member
Location
Hazleton Pa
Occupation
Electro-Mechanical Technician. Industrial machinery
Being I've never had to deal with lava rock, how hard is it to cut through? What kind of equipment is needed?
 

petersonra

Senior Member
Location
Northern illinois
Occupation
engineer
It seems crazy to me to not run power to a detached garage. at some point someone is going to want to plug in something out there.

But, I don't think the code requires it.
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
That IF hi-lited in the first post pretty well clarifies what the intention of the rule is.

JAP<
If power is already there what's the point of requiring an outlet? Chances are there is already one there.....
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
If power is already there what's the point of requiring an outlet? Chances are there is already one there.....

There's not power there, he doesn't want to put power there, and, shouldn't be required to put power there.

JAP>
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
It seems crazy to me to not run power to a detached garage. at some point someone is going to want to plug in something out there.

But, I don't think the code requires it.

To the contrary, I have a shed I built roughly 200 feet from the house about 10 years ago to store my lawnmowers. and log splitter etc...

I ran a 1' conduit out to it from my garage and stubbed it up inside for power to be able to set a small sub panel for lighting and to charge batteries and what not.

10 years later and I've yet to pull the wiring to it , and, really not upset about the fact that I haven't.

JAP>
 

Fred B

Senior Member
Location
Upstate, NY
Occupation
Electrician
There's not power there, he doesn't want to put power there, and, shouldn't be required to put power there.

JAP>
enhanced content related to 210.52(G)(1) would indicate you are correct.

"ENHANCED CONTENT
Receptacle outlets are not required for a detached garage if it is not supplied with electricity. Receptacle outlets are not required for individual garages of multifamily dwellings where the garage is not attached to the dwelling unit."
 
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jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Being I've never had to deal with lava rock, how hard is it to cut through? What kind of equipment is needed?

I've never dealt with it either, but, it would be my guess it would be best to have your conduit in place before the volcano erupted. and, probably not PVC if you actually wanted to use it. :)

JAP>
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
There's not power there, he doesn't want to put power there, and, shouldn't be required to put power there.

JAP>
I was reffering to the code section:. at least one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be installed to supply receptacle outlets in attached garages and in detached garages with electric power."
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
enhanced content related to 210.52(G)(1) would indicate you are correct.

"ENHANCED CONTENT
Receptacle outlets are not required for a detached garage if it is not supplied with electricity. Receptacle outlets are not required for individual garages of multifamily dwellings where the garage is not attached to the dwelling unit."
Where is this from?
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
That is from the online comments in the NEC but they are not NEC rules, just an interpretation as I hear it. If you have the NEC Link you will see something like this. I expanded the enhance content



1691074590654.png
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
I was reffering to the code section:. at least one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be installed to supply receptacle outlets in attached garages and in detached garages with electric power."

I may be thinking too far into this but I would think a garage being built whether attached or detached would require a permit.

In most cases a permit is going to require an inspection.

An Inspection would allow the electrical work (if any) to be inspected a that time rather than simply having some wiring run to it and capped off in a j-box.

Not sure.

JAP>
 

rc/retired

Senior Member
Location
Bellvue, Colorado
Occupation
Master Electrician/Inspector retired
I may be thinking too far into this but I would think a garage being built whether attached or detached would require a permit.

In most cases a permit is going to require an inspection.

An Inspection would allow the electrical work (if any) to be inspected a that time rather than simply having some wiring run to it and capped off in a j-box.

Not sure.

JAP>
Depends on the size of the structure. But, probably. The building code requires a permit for a structure over 8' in height and/or over 120 sq. ft.

Agree

Also depends on what the local jurisdiction requires.
My old jurisdiction would only inspect what the permit stated was being done. That said, if I inspected a structure only with nothing else permitted and electrical or plumbing was installed, I would post a stop work order.

Ron
 

qcroanoke

Sometimes I don't know if I'm the boxer or the bag
Location
Roanoke, VA.
Occupation
Sorta retired........
That said, if I inspected a structure only with nothing else permitted and electrical or plumbing was installed, I would post a stop work order.

Ron
Ok, but this is a case of the homeowner doesn't want any power in the building and the jurisdiction says he has to have an outlet by code.
Would you reject it based on the code section provided in post #1?
 

rc/retired

Senior Member
Location
Bellvue, Colorado
Occupation
Master Electrician/Inspector retired
Ok, but this is a case of the homeowner doesn't want any power in the building and the jurisdiction says he has to have an outlet by code.
Would you reject it based on the code section provided in post #1?
No! I would argue what the code requires, or in this case, what it doesn't require. Unless, of course, there is a written amendment. I am definitely on the side of the OP.

Ron
 
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