Lets talk "Laundry"

[dnbob]

I am looking for some clarification (on my part) as to the Laundry ckt requirements. 210-11c2 '99 says you need at least one 20 amp ckt to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s).It goes on to say this circuit shall have no other outlets, which I now assume means that the ckt cannot leave the laundry room? How many receptacles could you put on the laundry ckt? unlimited if the ckt stays in the laundry room? I have never had an inspector let me have more than one receptacle on that ckt. Have I been mis-led for the past 12 years?

 

[Guest]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

210.11(C)(2) Branch Circuits Required.Dwelling Units.Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least one additional 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by 210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.

It says laundry receptacle outlet(s). I would interpret this to mean that any receptacles on this circuit can only serve laundry equipment. You can have more than one, but only to serve laundry equipment.

210.11(F) Laundry Areas. In dwelling units, at least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the laundry.
Exception No. 1: In a dwelling unit that is an apartment or living area in a multifamily building where laundry facilities are provided on the premises and are available to all building occupants, a laundry receptacle shall not be required.

Exception No. 2: In other than one-family dwellings where laundry facilities are not to be installed or permitted, a laundry receptacle shall not be required.

No wiggle room in (F). It's still laundry only.

 

[dnbob]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

I agree with you 100%, but is there anything besides a washer or dryer (gas with 120 V. motor) that could qualify as laundry equipment?

 

[russellroberts]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

Built in Ironing board with light and recep?

Russell

[ October 22, 2003, 11:23 PM: Message edited by: russellroberts ]

 

[hurk27]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

Bob We had a case where one of our guys did put the built in ironing board on the laundry circuit. as most people do continue to wash clothes when there ironing this was causeing the iron with the washer and dryer to trip the breaker. Not a good Idea! We had to run a new circuit to it. one thing that a home owner does not like to see is breakers tripping in a new house. Trust me this does not go over very good as they dont think this should happen. But as for the code many could argue that the NEC included ironing as it is part of doing laundry, But I don't think this was the intent of the CPM's when they put this code in the book. The intent was to eliminate overloaded circuits. and with an iron that pulls 1200 watts it would be over loaded.

[ October 23, 2003, 12:02 AM: Message edited by: hurk27 ]

 

[hbiss]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

I've always interpreted to mean a dedicated 20A circuit and receptacle for the washer (laundry). I always install another dedicated 20A circuit and receptacle for the dryer if it's gas even though you may be able to get away with one circuit for both.

 

[big jim]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

I have a hard time equating washer=laundry. Doing the "laundry" requires a washer and a dryer (many covenants do not allow clothes lines). For example, dedicated room with washer, dryer, furnace, water heater. One outlet behind the washer, one outlet behind the gas dryer on one circuit, additional circuit for furnace, additional circuit for lighting. The receptacles for the laundry circuit are located so it is not convienient to use them for any other purpose. No overloading present.

 

[pierre]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

If you look at Mike Holt's book, you will see he has the laundry room with all of the receptacles on the laundry circuit. There are other books that show just the 'laundry' equipment on the circuit. Mike and I bandied this about and I went to the NFPA for their idea on it. The response back was that the laundry area/room can have the receptacles on the circuit, that the breaker tripping from overload is a design issue and the NEC is not a design manual.

Pierre

 

[roger]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

Just for general information, the 1947 code required one receptacle of the grounding type serve the laundry.

Roger

 

[charlie b]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

The code does not say ?laundry equipment,? it just says ?laundry.? The NEC has no definition for ?laundry.? Therefore, we revert to common English usage of the term. I looked it up in my dictionary, and found two definitions. The first has to do with stuff that needs to be washed. The second is, ?a room . . . where such articles are laundered.? I believe this second definition carries the meaning intended by 210.11(F). I think that ?laundry? means the room. It therefore means that you can put all receptacle outlets in that room on a single 20 amp circuit. If the owner chooses to do ironing and washing at the same time, and if the breaker trips, then the owner needs to make some other choices. The intent of this code section is to force the builder to give the owner a chance to do laundry, by providing, as a minimum, one circuit in the room.

I agree with Pierre: it?s a design issue. I also agree with the idea that separating the circuits in the room is a better design, and will result in a happier client.

 

[bennie]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

Most domestic washing machines are rated at 10 Amps, a 1/2 HP motor. Most domestic smoothing irons are rated at 1200 watts. This is a 100% load on a 20 amp breaker. This is code compliant.

In 1981 the word "equipment" was dropped from the code section and changed to laundry area. The principal reason was due to the 50% loading of a circuit, being considered as not enough for restricting it for one appliance.

When the phrase was "laundry equipment" the intent was for supplying the washer and a gas dryer from the same 20 amp circuit. The gas dryer became popular in the 50's, that is when the (s) was added to receptacle.

 

[dnbob]

Re: Lets talk "Laundry"

Thank you all for your input!