Receptacle under bathroom sink.

[aelectricalman]

Hi all. It has been a long time since I've been here. I'm staying too busy too frequent like in the past. Quick question on code if you will. A customer wants a receptacle under their bathroom sink. Is this legal? I don't like the idea, because of curling irons and irons and other things with heating elements being left on under the sink with a rolls of toilet paper and fingernail polish remover. Sounds like a molatolve cocktail. Any code concerns im facing? Thanks for any help. Glad to be back.

 

[infinity]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

I don't see it being a problem as long as the sink has the required receptacle mounted within 3' of the basin you are free to install an additional one under the sink. I can understand the reasons that you've mentioned but I don't think that the NEC would prohibit it.

 

[benaround]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Chris,

Just thinking,It might be nice(or safer) if some type of time switch (in minutes) was ahead of the recpt. just in case.

frank

 

[allenwayne]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

i have done many custom homrs where the h/o`r wanted receps under the cabinet.They wee gfci protected so what is the problem

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Originally posted by aelectricalman:
Glad to be back.

Glad to see you back, Chris! )

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

What a bunch of Nervous Nellies.

 

[tony_psuee]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

It's legal, however you can always ask why. When I finished the bathroom in my basement the plumber wanted a recept under the bathroom sink for a hot water recirc pump. When I told the electrician, he said not a code issue but why? Gave him the reason he said OK, but anything other than that and he would have tried to talk me out of it for the concerns you expressed.

Tony

 

[jim k]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

For the past few years, I've been seeing switched receptacles under bathroom cabinets in upscale houses. The builder uses them to power a rope light that he then runs under the cabinet's toe kick. It makes for a cool-looking night-light.

I've never noticed anything else plugged into them. After all, who wants to get down on their knees and root around through all the junk that most people store down there when there's a perfectly easy-to-reach receptacle near the basin?

- Jim K, Oregon

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

I have installed plenty of them.Why not ? The idea is low light in middle of night.Keep them gfci protected and your fine.If you refuse they will find a new electrician that will.It is not required that we like it.It meets code and they want it.Work for the rich and you soon will learn they get what they want.

 

[allenwayne]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Kinda Jim,They will pay for what they want

 

[macmikeman]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

I did one for a homeowner who had etched glass bowl's for his sinks. I ran a switched rope light around the bowl under the countertop in the cabinet . The rope light is seen thru the bowels He really wanted a dimmer on it also, but I would not do that for him. It looked pretty cool when done.

 

[George Stolz]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Originally posted by jimwalker:
I have installed plenty of them.Why not ? The idea is low light in middle of night.Keep them gfci protected and your fine.

While you're at it, sell them one of these bad boys from P&S.

 

[petersonra]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Originally posted by macmikeman:
I did one for a homeowner who had etched glass bowl's for his sinks. I ran a switched rope light around the bowl under the countertop in the cabinet . The rope light is seen thru the bowels He really wanted a dimmer on it also, but I would not do that for him. It looked pretty cool when done.

Why would you not put a dimmer on it?

I just don't see that as introducing any additional hazard.

 

[jeff43222]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Originally posted by petersonra:

Originally posted by macmikeman:
I did one for a homeowner who had etched glass bowl's for his sinks. I ran a switched rope light around the bowl under the countertop in the cabinet . The rope light is seen thru the bowels He really wanted a dimmer on it also, but I would not do that for him. It looked pretty cool when done.

Why would you not put a dimmer on it?

I just don't see that as introducing any additional hazard.

I suspect his refusal may have had something to do with:

NEC 2002 404.14(E) Dimmer switches. General-use dimmer switches shall be used only to control permanently installed incandescent luminaires (lighting fixtures) unless listed for the control of other loads and installed accordingly.

Having a dimmer control a receptacle could lead to problems if someone plugs something other than an incandescent light into it and tries to "dim" the load. I think that's why this prohibition exists.

[ August 01, 2005, 08:21 AM: Message edited by: jeff43222 ]

 

[arjo_reich]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

I heard an interesting take on the purpose of the NEC a couple weeks ago, it may have even been here in fact, don't remember...

The purpose of the NEC is to protect the wiring system from morons, not to protect morons from themselves.

 

[macmikeman]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Why would you not put a dimmer on it?
I just don't see that as introducing any additional hazard.

Because the switch controls a receptacle outlet under the sink. I do not dim receptacle outlets. The rope lights had a factory installed molded case male plug on them. I don't cut these off either, or make other field modifications to lights or appliances other than making ko's or such.

 

[hurk27]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

You could get one of those plug in touch dimmers like those used for hockey puck line voltage lights. They just have a single conductor running to a round touch pad the will select three levels of dimming. I have on on each of my table lamps in the living room.

 

[allenwayne]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Having a dimmer control a receptacle could lead to problems if someone plugs something other than an incandescent light into it and tries to "dim" the load. I think that's why this prohibition exists


Yeah I can see that hazard 3 am getting ready for along day.I crawl under the bathroom sink seaching for a receptacle past the wives hairdryers,curlers for a receptacle that oh my. That`s my bad I had one within 3 ft. of the sink

 

[infinity]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Dimmer switches are not permitted to control receptacles. See: 404.14(E)

 

[electricmanscott]

Re: Receptacle under bathroom sink.

Lutron has solved the issue of dimming receptacles.