Kitchen Island requirement...

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1793

1793

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Louisville, Kentucky
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I have a situation where I have an Island that is at least 8' long and 2' wide(deep). As I read 210.52.(C)(2) with the size of this Island, I only need one (1) GFCI located not lower than 12" anywhere along this unit.

Am I correct in reading this section requiring only ONE receptacle to be installed?

Norb

Island top is flat and nothing above. There will be a small sink, wet-bar at one end.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

That's correct. Just make sure that it's no more than 12" below the countertop and that the countertop has no more than a 6" overhang.

210.52(B)(5) Exception.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

210.52(C)(2)-05'NEC *Island Countertop Spaces

-Where a rangetop or sink is installed in an island countertop and the width of the counter behind the range or sink is less than 300mm (12in.) ,the range or sink is considered to divide the island into two separate countertop spaces as defined in 210.52(C)(4)
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

One more thing, if it is flat on the back side with no doors opening into cabinets, then wall spacing requirements for receptacle outlets applies, though not allways enforced. If the back side needs a receptacle to fufill the spacing requirement, the S.A. circuit run to the island countertop outlet cannot be used unless the room the island backside faces is one of the allowed S.A. rooms like dining,breakfast, etc.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

macmikeman
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One more thing, if it is flat on the back side with no doors opening into cabinets, then wall spacing requirements for receptacle outlets applies, though not always enforced. If the back side needs a receptacle to fulfill the spacing requirement, the S.A. circuit run to the island countertop outlet cannot be used unless the room the island backside faces is one of the allowed S.A. rooms like dining,breakfast, etc.
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Great point, I doubt I would have caught that on my own.

Norb
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

I have never been called for not placing a recetacle on the backside of the island wall. The kitchen I am presently roping has such an island. It is an eight foot by four foot rectangle. On the back side, a radiused counter top will overhang the island. It will be a breakfast bar with bar chairs. IMO a receptacle would ba an obvious hazard located on the back of this island. What do you all think?

edited to correct grammer

[ September 24, 2005, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: sparky_magoo ]
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

Good call Sparky.
210.52 (C)(5) Receptacle Outlet Location. Receptacle outlets shall be located above, but not more than 500 mm (20 in.) above, the countertop. Receptacle outlets rendered not readily accessible by appliances fastened in place, appliance garages, sinks, or rangetops as covered in 210.52(C)(1), Exception, or appliances occupying dedicated space shall not be considered as these required outlets.

Exception to (5): To comply with the conditions specified in (1) or (2), receptacle outlets shall be permitted to be mounted not more than 300 mm (12 in.) below the countertop. Receptacles mounted below a countertop in accordance with this exception shall not be located where the countertop extends more than 150 mm (6 in.) beyond its support base.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

One more thing, if it is flat on the back side with no doors opening into cabinets, then wall spacing requirements for receptacle outlets applies
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What article states that this is wall space?
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

I love it how it is so possible to get slapped around for trying to help a fellow spark out. Last month we found colum's to be wall space and needed a plug if the sides were 1 foot square each , but when I talk about the island, which is stated to be 8' long it has no wall space on the back side? I was not saying it needed one at bar top height. I mean down at floor height just like along any perimeter wall. No more a hazard than a railing along a balcony, which is defined as wall space. I have wired many Islands which have a 2"x 4" pony wall along the backside that is finished with drywall. This pony wall supports the granite bartop, and allows the cabinets to be screwed into something solid at the back. A wall is a wall, and if it is wider than 24" it needs a receptacle outlet. 8' long is wider than 24".
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

Aggreed. What about my present situation where the bar counter top over hangs the back side of the island. Wouldn't it pose a hazard place a receptacle along that space?
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

Sparky, again, I am not refering to a receptacle outlet that serves the countertop. A different set of rules applies to those receptacles, one of which is the one for the island that is the subject of the original post in this thread. I am refering to another receptacle outlet down at the floor level to serve wall spacing requirements as follows. If the backside wall space is unbroken then 210.52(2)(3) applies.
210.52 (2)(3)"The space afforded by fixed room dividers such as "freestanding" bar- type counters or railings.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

I agree with you 100%, I was refering to the receptacles at floor level. My question still stands, should I place a receptacle in this space. There is the question of wheather the over-hanging counter top space creates an unsafe condition for the receptacles below.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

Would a shelf along the inside of an exterior wall above the standard wall outlets constitute the same hazard? What exactly is the hazard anyway? I still say 210.52(A)(c) is the code that applies to the island situation, and so I put the receptacle in. What you do on your jobs is your business. :)
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

210.52 (2)(3)"The space afforded by fixed room dividers such as "freestanding" bar- type counters or railings
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I guess that we'll have to agree to disagree. All of the island counters that we've wired simply sit in the middle of the kitchen and they do not divide two rooms as required for 210.52(2)(3) to apply. They are in the middle of one room, the kitchen. Just because it has a blank side with no doors doesn't automatically make that wall space. Now if it were sitting against a framed and drywalled wall that divided a space into two rooms than I would agree.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

1099601197_2.jpg
Roger
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

The hazard would be people sitting chairs while eating at the breakfast bar. Pushing their chairs out would catch cords plugged into this receptacle.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

I guess that we'll have to agree to disagree. All of the island counters that we've wired simply sit in the middle of the kitchen and they do not divide two rooms as required for 210.52(2)(3) to apply.
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Nice picture Roger. Now slide that island out even with the wall and you have the exact situation I have had with the last 5 Island installs. Please note the wording of 210.52(2)(3) says "such as", it does not limit to bar type freestanding counters and railings. Islands are not alway's at the center of the kitchen, as Infinity has experienced. I am going to further dig myself in and say the backside of that peninsula in the picture also needs to have an outlet, or possibly more than one depending on the length.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

Roger, please note that the heading of Mike Holts picture from one of his great books is about placement of the countertop receptacle outlets. This is a great picture. Now what I was refering to has nothing to do with countertop receptacle requirement, but rather wall space receptacle outlet requirements.
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

Okay a good illustration from Mike Holt describing the requirements of 210.52 (C).

Now how does Mr. Holt look at 210.52 (A)(2)(3)? Would not the face of the peninsular facing the opposite side of the kitchen (red arrow) require a receptacle? Notice that the total length is eight feet. There is no over hang.

Holtskitchen.jpg
 
Re: Kitchen Island requirement...

If there's no overhang, I'd say yes. If there IS an overhang (many penninsulas overhang to create a breakfast "bar," though I'm sure many eat other meals there as well :) ) then I'd say no, because it's more of a built-in table or furniture.
 
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