Outside recpetacle

Status
Not open for further replies.
B

beachbumjeremy

Member
Would an outside receptacle set at 10' need to be gfci protected?
I thought I read somewhere in the code that anything 6' or higher did not need to be gfci. Also since 10' is not considered readily accessible, it meets the exception, but would be very susceptible to rainy conditions.
Someone want to point me in the right direction?
BMJ
 
The exceptions in the 2002 NEC to 210.8(A)(3) states,

...not readily accessible and are supplied by a dedicated branch for electric snow melting or deicing equipment....

So I guess this would not apply to a high receptacle intended for seasonal string lights, although that would be hard to enforce (unless you live in the south 8) ) since joe homeowner will plug whatever he want into it. Best just to GFI it IMO.

For non-dwelling units, outdoor GFI's are only required on "rooftops". This is all 2002 code and I think there were some changes in 2005, someone with a 2005 will likely jump in....
 
This is from the 2005 NEC:

210.8(A)(3) Outdoors
Exception to (3): Receptacles that are not readily accessible and are supplied by a dedicated branch circuit for electric snow-melting or deicing equipment shall be permitted to be installed in accordance with 426.28.
Click to expand...


I don't see how mounting the receptacle at 10' relieves you of the GFCI requirement unless it's for snow melting or deicing equipment. And a receptacle on a dedicated branch circuit for electric snow-melting or deicing equipment would require GFPE protection.

426.28 Equipment Protection.
Ground-fault protection of equipment shall be provided for fixed outdoor electric deicing and snow-melting equipment, except for equipment that employs mineral-insulated, metal-sheathed cable embedded in a noncombustible medium.
Click to expand...
 
I agree with infinity. I would require GFCI protection other than exception 210.8(A)(3)

romeo
 
This is just for general knowledge, which is why I'm asking. I just thought I read somehwere which I can't find now, that anything over 6' does not need a gfci. Does anyone know where that is, or am I hallucinating?
 
beachbumjeremy said:
This is just for general knowledge, which is why I'm asking. I just thought I read somehwere which I can't find now, that anything over 6' does not need a gfci. Does anyone know where that is, or am I hallucinating?
Click to expand...

Nothing like that at all in the NEC.
 
beachbumjeremy said:
This is just for general knowledge, which is why I'm asking. I just thought I read somehwere which I can't find now, that anything over 6' does not need a gfci. Does anyone know where that is, or am I hallucinating?
Click to expand...

You'll need to go back to the 1993 NEC which mentions that GFCI's are required where there is direct grade access, which is defined as not more than 6' 6" above grade.
 
Infinity is correct. This is from an old code that did not require GFCI on receptacles that were "not accessible from grade". This meant that receptacles on "balconies" etc. did not require GFCI protection. The code panels realized that this did not make sense (probably when they started requiring GFCI on rooftop receptacles), and deleted this exception.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top