GFCI's ??

[augie47]

I would like an opinion form other AHJ's or inspectors.
A portion of the area I inspect is rural/agricultural. Seems everyone builds a structure on their property..they call these "outbuildings", "barns" "sheds" "storage buildings" "shops", etc and that terminology is listed on their permit as an "other".
Most are called "barns" although few have any livestock.
I have not settled in my mind, the GFCI requirement,
If there is a residence on the same property is the an "outbuiling" requiring GFCI under 210.8A(2) even though its an acre away and twice the size of the house.
If its a barn, no livestock, no equipotential grid, are GFCI's required inside in dry areas?"
If its a "shop"..??

Any other "country" inspectors have a comment?

 

[bphgravity]

Re: GFCI's ??

I say yes, GFCI protection of the qualifying receptacle outlets should be required.

The purpose and use of these receptacles is the same as any typical garage or accessory building, regardless of what you call the building.

 

[charlie b]

Re: GFCI's ??

Since there is a house on the property, and since (as I must presume) the power to the "outbuilding" comes from that house, then you are definitely in 210.8(A) (dwelling units). Since the "outbuilding" does not contain habitable rooms, and since it will be used for storage or work activities, then you are definitely in 210.8(A)(2). My answer is "yes," and I don't see how it could be interpreted in any other way.

 

[al hildenbrand]

Re: GFCI's ??

I'm not an inspector. Pardon me for jumping in. Isn't a farmstead "mixed use"? That is, the dwelling is a dwelling, as well as outbuildings that have direct dwelling related purpose, and the rest is commercial building and commercial activity. That's how 210.8(B) gets involved.


I am not an inspector
Al

 

[al hildenbrand]

Re: GFCI's ??

Most rural/agricultural acreages have the Poco run secondary from the transformer pole to a customer pole that has the service disconnect(s). Multiple feeders will radiate from this diconnect. One will hit the dwelling. Others will hit what I would consider the commercial (other than dwelling) structures.

 

[augie47]

Re: GFCI's ??

charlieb and al
you guys hit on the "key" to my delima...Charlie, I should have clarified, these buildings are usually seperately metered (to confuse the "input"..sometime on a CT with the house, sometimes on a seperate meter on commercial rate..POCO decides)

Barn (argricutural) ?? GFCI outside & wet
Commerical (2002 Code) GFCI bathroom
Resid. outbuilding ?? GFCI all

 

[charlie b]

Re: GFCI's ??

I'm sticking with my original opinion. Separate meters or not, you have one ownership, one property. Call it residential, and call it a day.

I can't think of any equipment that would be vital to the health and safety of any livestock, and that would be plug & cord connected, and that would be at risk of inadvertently tripping a GFCI receptacle. However, I can think of equipment that could pose a risk to human health and safety, that would be plug & cord connected, and that you would want to trip the GFCI receptacle in the event of a failure.

This may be one example of when an AHJ should enforce his interpretation, given that no NEC article would contradict that interpretation, since it would result in a safer installation.

 

[George Stolz]

Re: GFCI's ??

Originally posted by charlie b:
I can't think of any equipment that would be vital to the health and safety of any livestock, and that would be plug & cord connected, and that would be at risk of inadvertently tripping a GFCI receptacle.
...

This may be one example of when an AHJ should enforce his interpretation, given that no NEC article would contradict that interpretation, since it would result in a safer installation.

Sounds more like a proposal than a code interpretation.

Is a chicken coop a dwelling unit? No.

Article 547 modifies 210.8. If 547 isn't restrictive enough for these areas, then a proposal should be submitted to fix 547. More stringent requirements shouldn't just be levied at will.