Ground fault protection and damp locations

Status
Not open for further replies.
jaylectricity

jaylectricity

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Occupation
licensed journeyman electrician
According to 210.8(A)(7) {2008 NEC}, receptacles within 6 feet of a laundry, utility or wet bar type sink must be GFI protected. Does that include laundry circuit's receptacle for the washer machine?

I noticed most of the GFI receptacles I have been buying say they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations. Aren't kitchen counters, bathrooms, and basements considered damp locations?
 
jaylectricity said:
According to 210.8(A)(7) {2008 NEC}, receptacles within 6 feet of a laundry, utility or wet bar type sink must be GFI protected. Does that include laundry circuit's receptacle for the washer machine?

I noticed most of the GFI receptacles I have been buying say they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations. Aren't kitchen counters, bathrooms, and basements considered damp locations?
Click to expand...

No. .
 
ART.100
Location, Damp. Locations protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches, and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns, and some cold-storage warehouses.
Location, Dry. A location not normally subject to dampness or wetness. A location classified as dry may be temporarily subject to dampness or wetness, as in the case of a building under construction.
Location, Wet. Installations underground or in concrete slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in locations subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations exposed to weather.
 
acrwc10 said:
ART.100
Location, Damp. Locations protected from weather and not subject to saturation with water or other liquids but subject to moderate degrees of moisture. Examples of such locations include partially protected locations under canopies, marquees, roofed open porches, and like locations, and interior locations subject to moderate degrees of moisture, such as some basements, some barns, and some cold-storage warehouses.
Location, Dry. A location not normally subject to dampness or wetness. A location classified as dry may be temporarily subject to dampness or wetness, as in the case of a building under construction.
Location, Wet. Installations underground or in concrete slabs or masonry in direct contact with the earth; in locations subject to saturation with water or other liquids, such as vehicle washing areas; and in unprotected locations exposed to weather.
Click to expand...

There's quite a bit of moisture splashing around a bathroom and hovering in the air as vapor.
 
jaylectricity said:
There's quite a bit of moisture splashing around a bathroom and hovering in the air as vapor.
Click to expand...

You would think so, but none the less it is not considered a damp or wet location untill you get into the shower zone or have a steam unit.:smile:
 
jaylectricity said:
According to 210.8(A)(7) {2008 NEC}, receptacles within 6 feet of a laundry, utility or wet bar type sink must be GFI protected. Does that include laundry circuit's receptacle for the washer machine?
Click to expand...
Yes; there is no exception to 210.8(A)(7).

I noticed most of the GFI receptacles I have been buying say they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations. Aren't kitchen counters, bathrooms, and basements considered damp locations?
Click to expand...
No, otherwise we'd be installing weatherproof covers in them. ;)

I agree with Jeremy Sterling's response.
 
jaylectricity said:
According to 210.8(A)(7) {2008 NEC}, receptacles within 6 feet of a laundry, utility or wet bar type sink must be GFI protected. Does that include laundry circuit's receptacle for the washer machine?
Click to expand...

Yes, if the washing machines recept is within 6' of a sink.


jaylectricity said:
I noticed most of the GFI receptacles I have been buying say they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations. Aren't kitchen counters, bathrooms, and basements considered damp locations?
Click to expand...

No. But like you, I have seen the Cooper GFCI's that state "they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations". I don't get it.
 
jeremysterling said:
No. But like you, I have seen the Cooper GFCI's that state "they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations". I don't get it.
Click to expand...

Other than service personnel protection (near boilers, A/C's) I always operated under the assumption that the GFI's were for damp locations, yet the non-damp location ones are the norm when you purchase them.
 
jaylectricity said:
Other than service personnel protection (near boilers, A/C's) I always operated under the assumption that the GFI's were for damp locations, yet the non-damp location ones are the norm when you purchase them.
Click to expand...

I suppose you install the device inside the garage or some other dry location and run the load side to your required outside recpts
 
jeremysterling said:
I suppose you install the device inside the garage or some other dry location and run the load side to your required outside recpts
Click to expand...

Or as I just did last week, I sent the outside circuit through the receptacle by the panel first which (I think) has to be GFI protected anyway.
 
jeremysterling said:
No. But like you, I have seen the Cooper GFCI's that state "they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations". I don't get it.
Click to expand...

I would think that this is included to address the change to 406.8(A) and 406.8(B)(1) in the '08 NEC.

All 15- and 20-amp, 125- and 250-volt non-locking receptacles in wet or damp locations shall be a listed weather-resistant type.
 
jaylectricity said:
According to 210.8(A)(7) {2008 NEC}, receptacles within 6 feet of a laundry, utility or wet bar type sink must be GFI protected. Does that include laundry circuit's receptacle for the washer machine?

I noticed most of the GFI receptacles I have been buying say they are not acceptable for damp or wet locations. Aren't kitchen counters, bathrooms, and basements considered damp locations?
Click to expand...


I read that and was surprised. So, I called a couple of supply houses and asked them to read the installation instructions for the GFCIs they sell. All of the different brands, Cooper, Bryant, etc... said in the instructions that the device needed to be in a box that protects the GFCI from moisture if installed in a wet location. Those type instructions do not preclude the use of GFCIs in wet locations.
 
Pierre C Belarge said:
I read that and was surprised. So, I called a couple of supply houses and asked them to read the installation instructions for the GFCIs they sell. All of the different brands, Cooper, Bryant, etc... said in the instructions that the device needed to be in a box that protects the GFCI from moisture if installed in a wet location. Those type instructions do not preclude the use of GFCIs in wet locations.
Click to expand...

I'm going down to the job today, I'll take a picture of the label.
 
It's a little blurry but you can make out the words. I'm just not sure why ANY GFI should be made for only dry locations.
 

Attachments

  • gfireceptacle.jpg
    gfireceptacle.jpg
    67.1 KB · Views: 0
JohnJ0906 said:
Why would you want to pay extra for a weather-resistant GFCI if it is installed in a dry location?
Click to expand...

It just seems like they'd sell much less of the dry location ones which would make their manufacturing costs go through the roof while the damp location ones would be sold at a higher volume.

It doesn't make sense to me.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top