Receptacle inside NEMA enclosures

aelec84

Member
Location
Los Angeles
Occupation
Electrical Engineer
Hello Forum,

Do receptacles inside outdoor NEMA 3R or 4X rated cabinets require GFCI protection? I don't see anything of that nature but seems like "outdoor" under section 210.8 (B) would require it to be GFCI.
Please advise. thank you.
 
IMO, I agree. If they are outdoor, even in an enclosure, GFCI is required,
 
You're protecting the equipment plugged in and cord not the receptacle itself (I suppose the enclosure also is protected but of secondary importance). So why would the enclosure matter?
 
I think you could ignore the enclosure and go by the location. It's outdoors so I would say yes, it's required to be GFCI.

-Hal
IMO it is indoors and possibly in a more weathertight structure than many human occupied structures are.

I've seen many installs of some sort of communications device inside a N4/12 enclosure in some remote outdoor location often to be used as a relay/repeater/etc.

If one is concerned someone may want to use the receptacle for something other than the equipment inside that enclosure, you could always put a GFCI protected receptacle outside the enclosure and possibly even on a separate branch circuit depending on whether you want the inside equipment on a completely dedicated branch circuit for whatever reason.
 
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