Receptacles in dwelling garages

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ryan_618

ryan_618

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Salt Lake City, Utah
I have long argued my opinion that, in a dwelling unit, there is no code (NEC or other) minimum height for receptacle outlets installed in the wall of a garage. Can anyone confirm or rebut my stance on this?

Thanks in advance.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Good question. Per 511.3(A) even if this were a commercial garage it would be unclassified. Yet, I have always put receptacles and other electrical equipment at or above the 4 foot level. I don't know where this comes from either, might be local building codes.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Originally posted by hbiss:
I don't know where this comes from either, might be local building codes.
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It isn't a local code requirement here. There is a strange misconception that it is a mechanical code provision, but I argue it on a regular basis.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Seems to me higher is better due to the piled up junk factor. No code rule however.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Originally posted by ryan_618:
I have long argued my opinion that, in a dwelling unit, there is no code (NEC or other) minimum height for receptacle outlets installed in the wall of a garage. Can anyone confirm or rebut my stance on this?

Thanks in advance.
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For more info checkout Articles 210.52 and
210.52(G). they should help you out a bit :D
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

golfking,
How do the sections that you cited address the question asked?
Don
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

I know of no minumum height requirement in the NEC for dwelling unit receptacles. I like to use 4'6" so they will be above a 4x8 sheet of plywood leaning against the wall.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

NEC doesn't say but UBC prohibits them below 18 inches from the floor in any area where a motor vehicle could be stored.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Ryan,

I don't know of any height requirement either, but I always liked to put them high so they would be above a workbench. Tom's idea is a good one.

Big Jim,

Can you please quote the section of the UBC that applies to this?

Bill

[ October 16, 2003, 03:16 AM: Message edited by: bill addiss ]
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Originally posted by big jim:
NEC doesn't say but UBC prohibits them below 18 inches from the floor in any area where a motor vehicle could be stored.
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Could you provide a reference please? I have the 97 UBC and hae never seen anything like that.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

I don't have a UBC handy but I'm guessing that the 18" rule (or rumor) may derive from sources of ignition in a garage. For instance, a gas-fired water heater (or gas fired heater) has to be on a raised platform. If there is a gas leak the gas stays low (heavier than air), so sources of ignition or sparks need to be kept high. That's also the source of the UBC requirement for low and high vents in a garage. That way a gas leak spills out through the low-vent before reaching the raised ignition source. The vent also provides the make-up (combustion) air for the burner(s).

Here are some of the UBC/UPC/UMC codes regarding water heaters (and other sources of spark or ignition): Water heater 18" platform: 510.1 (& UMC
303.1.3 or UBC 304.8 & UBC 307.8). Water heater combustion air: 507.0. UBC 2904. There may be regional & local codes too.

These codes or others may be an interpreted basis for any 18" rule if it exists.

[ October 16, 2003, 04:01 PM: Message edited by: awwt ]
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Originally posted by don_resqcapt19: golfking, How do the sections that you cited address the question asked?
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If you chose to put a receptacle outlet at the 6? level, you don?t get to count it as one of the outlets required to be installed along a wall. That tells me that there is a maximum height (5.5 feet, per 210.52).
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

True. But golfking only said that those sections could help out a bit. I was merely pointing out the little bit of help that they do provide.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

The mechanical code that you speak of states that "appliances having an ignition source shall be elevated such that the source of ignition is not less than 18" above the floor in garages.

I do not consider a receptacle outlet as an "appliance having an ignition source".

Thanks Wayne, this is the article I wanted to have brought up.

The bottom line is that there is not a requirement. I have had many other inspectors argue this with me.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

Article 511 applies to comercial garages but although the NEC defines a garage it doesnot define commercial. Many AHJ's simply use rules contained in 511.3(B)(1) and classify the location up to 18" above the floor as a Class 1 Div 2 location, hence no recepticles within 18" of the floor. Don't know if this interpretation is right or not but I believe this is where the 18" came from.
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

2002 NEC 210.52(A) General Provisions. In every kitchen, family room, dining room, living room, parlor, library, den, sunroom, bedroom, recreation room, or similar room or area of dwelling units, receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with the general provisions specified in 210.52(A)(1) through (A)(3).
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Garages and basements are not included in the list!
 
Re: Receptacles in dwelling garages

I have lost the exact referance. It was in an article about the Anchorage building code which was the UBC as ammended. The "source of ignition" was the issue and the local AHJ had no qualms in seeing a receptcle that could be disconnected under load as a source of ignition. The emphasis being on the "source of ignition" and not the "appliance"
 
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