Receptacles in unfinished crawl space

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you've never seen someone plug an extension cord into an outlet before? I dont care where the receptacle is located, a homeowner will make it work.... thats my take on why the code is what it is....
 
bstoin said:
In all my years of doing remodelling and electric work (more than 20), I have NEVER seen anyone fail an inspection because a freezer, refrigerator or similar appliance was not ground fault protected regardless of the location. I can genuinely say that I have also NEVER seen a fridge in ANY kitchen-old house or new-in Ohio, South Carolina or Florida (all of which I have worked in for quite some time) placed on a GFCI.
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That is the same for all of us in dwelling units.:smile: As long as someone is not using a counter outlet to supply a fridge the NEC does not currently require a GFCI for a home fridge in a kitchen.

However, the NEC does require ALL 15 and 20 amp 125 volt receptacles in non-dwelling kitchens to be GFCI protected there are no exceptions to this.

If you get a job wiring a non-dwelling kitchen you will be required to provide GFCIs regardless of what they supply or even a single receptacle.

In fact if you look at article 210.8 it is quite clear that there are exceptions to GFCI placement and usage requirements such as: those not readily accessible, single receptacle used for appliance, etc.
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Yes, right now and in the past there have been exceptions.

The exceptions that have to do with appliances with single receptacles only apply in garages and basements (not crawl spaces).

It is likely those exceptions will be removed when the 2008 NEC becomes adopted.



Of course, your right in that people have died from certain electrical accidents such as I had mentioned in my previous posts, but there is absolutely nothing (that I have seen in the code...correct me if I am wrong) that says a fridge or freezer HAS to be on a GFCI.
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That depends on the location not the appliance.

In a commercial kitchen it must be on a GFCI

In a crawl space cord and plug connected sump pump must be on a GFCI



An AFCI most likely would have prevented this fire but I don't think the code will ever change to the point that every outlet in a house sould be AFCI and/or GFCI protected.
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The 2008 NEC will likely require most all dwelling unit branch circuits to be AFCI protected. AFCIs include a type of GFCI protection.

By the way...I am glad you and your family made it out.
 
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winnie said:
It seems silly to me that a non-GFCI receptacle would be permitted in an unfinished basement to feed these loads, but would not be permitted in a crawl-space where it is even less likely to be used for an appliance other than the one intended. I'd give odds that the CMP simply missed applying the same exceptions to crawlspaces as are applied to basements.
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I doubt they missed anything.

IMO crawling around in a crawl space presents a great danger of both being well 'grounded' and getting tangled up with power cords.

The last thing I want while laying on my belly in a confined space is to get a shock that I will have a hard time moving away from.

I believe a co-worker of Rogers was electrocuted in a crawl space.
 
bstoin,
An AFCI most likely would have prevented this fire...
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Why do you think that? Even the manufacturers of that device say they will prevent only about 40% of the fires that start in the building's electrical system.
Don
 
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