Must the outlet for eqipment in the attic be GFCI ?

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Buck Parrish

Buck Parrish

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NC & IN
I have been useing GFCI outlets in the attic for the eqipment . My helper says a regular outlet is okay. What do y'all do?
Thanks
Buck
 
Unless whatever you are plugging in requires a GFI by it's instructions.

But I have never seen anything (in an attic) that does. But then again, I don't know everything.
 
480sparky said:
Unless whatever you are plugging in requires a GFI by it's instructions.
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Aren't they requiring "whatever you are plugging in requires a GFI" to come with it's on intergral GFI protection? (Blow dryers, vending machines, etc)
 
celtic said:
Aren't they requiring "whatever you are plugging in requires a GFI" to come with it's on intergral GFI protection? (Blow dryers, vending machines, etc)
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Who is 'they'? It's not an NEC thing, I'm thinking NEMA??
 
i had an inspector try to require us to install a gfi receptacle in the attic. he said it was an unfinsished area, so it needed it.

NEC 210-8 does not list an attic (unfinshed or finished) as required gfi protection.
 
While the code does not require the attic receptacle outlet to have GFCI protection, the most common uses will require the user to provide GFCI protection. That is the most common use is for maintenance purposes. The user must comply with the second part of 590.6(B).
Don
 
IMO the receptacle in the attic would not qualify as a temporary installation. It is installed permanently so a maintenance person can easy plug in power tools and other equipment. 590.6b also excludes 125volt 15, 20 and 30 amp receptacles from the requirement. Though he may have a point with 590.6a, this can be satisfied with a portable GFCI however, and I think that is the intent of the code. In the sense of 590.6a you could say almost any receptacle in a dwelling could be used as temporary power. Isn't 590.6a in conflict with the scope of the article? Or is it basically saying you need to have a portable GFCI available for a maintenance person to use?
 
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IMO the receptacle in the attic would not qualify as a temporary installation. It is installed permanently so a maintenance person can easy plug in power tools and other equipment.
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That is correct, the attic outlet is not a trmporary installation, however the cord that is plugged into it is and 509.6(A) requires the user to provide the GFCI protection if the "temporary" power is used for maintenance purposes.
Even when the user is the HO?
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Yes, per the code rule, however that part of the rule does not really belong in the code.
590.6 Ground-Fault Protection for Personnel
Ground-fault protection for personnel for all temporary wiring installations shall be provided to comply with 590.6(A) and 590.6(B). This section shall apply only to temporary wiring installations used to supply temporary power to equipment used by personnel during construction, remodeling, maintenance, repair, or demolition of buildings, structures, equipment, or similar activities.
(A) Receptacle Outlets All 125-volt, single-phase, 15-, 20-, and 30-ampere receptacle outlets that are not a part of the permanent wiring of the building or structure and that are in use by personnel shall have ground-fault circuit interrupter protection for personnel. If a receptacle(s) is installed or exists as part of the permanent wiring of the building or structure and is used for temporary electric power, ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel shall be provided. For the purposes of this section, cord sets or devices incorporating listed ground-fault circuit interrupter protection for personnel identified for portable use shall be permitted.
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So Don , when I use a vacuum in the every day maintenance of my house , unless it is gfci protected when I plug it in ,...I have violated 590.??
 
590.6(A) does not say the receptacle has to be GFCI protected. It states that GFCI protection would be required and the GFCI protection can be other than the receptacle.


"
A) Receptacle Outlets.​
​
All 125-volt, single-phase, 15-,
20-, and 30-ampere receptacle outlets that are not a part of
the permanent wiring of the building or structure and that
are in use by personnel shall have ground-fault circuit interrupter
protection for personnel. If a receptacle(s) is installed
or exists as part of the permanent wiring of the
building or structure and is used for temporary electric
power, ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel
shall be provided. For the purposes of this section,
cord sets or devices incorporating listed ground-fault circuit
interrupter protection for personnel identified for portable​

use shall be permitted."
 
M. D. said:
So Don , when I use a vacuum in the every day maintenance of my house , unless it is gfci protected when I plug it in ,...I have violated 590.??
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I would say yes the way it is presently worded.

The fact it is ignored and does not make sense has no bearing on what it says. :grin:

BTW, good to see you back, I had not seen you post in a while.
 
Well, I don't know about everyone else, but when we go into a residence to perform service work we go ahead and put GFCI protection on all the 15 and 20 amp 125 volt circuits so if we have to plug a drill motor or other tool in any receptacle in the house, we're covered.

We use breakers so we have a larger material mark up.

What would normally be a simple 1 hr service call ends up costing these customers a few grand but we are safe, code compliant, and happy, life is good. :grin:

Roger
 
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