Receptacles Within 3' Of a Tub or Shower

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infinity

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New Jersey
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Journeyman Electrician
Receptacles are no longer permitted within the 3' of a tub or shower. Don't know what people with the $2000 toilets that require power are going to do. :slaphead:
 

480sparky

Senior Member
Location
Iowegia
I sure hope designers are going to learn that. In some bathrooms, the required receptacle would have to be within that distance.
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
Al, one issue with your install

210.52(D) Bathrooms.

At least one receptacle outlet shall be instal⁠led in bathrooms within 900 mm (3 ft) of the outside edge of each basin. The receptacle outlet shall be located on a wall or partition that is adjacent to the basin or basin countertop, located on the countertop, or installed on the side or face of the basin cabinet. In no case shall the receptacle be located more than 300 mm (12 in.) below the top of the basin or basin countertop. Receptacle outlet assemblies listed for use in countertops shall be permitted to be installed in the countertop.
 

StarCat

Industrial Engineering Tech
Location
Moab, UT USA
Occupation
Imdustrial Engineering Technician - HVACR Electrical and Mechanical Systems
Attempting to " Engineer Around " what should be common sense and proper eductation will ALWAYS fail. It will lead to a worse position and situation than is currently being seen.
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
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Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Yes, I stop at 3' from the tub...Missed the toilet part. I was wondering why you had that in your post..hahaha

Are you saying you stop installing receptacle outlets 3' from the "tub," or the 406.9(C) "tub zone?" The question is, with a $2,000 electric toilet right beside a tub, can I put a receptacle outlet on the wall behind the toilet and within inches of the side of the tub?

My answer is yes, as long as the top of the receptacle outlet is below the top rim of the tub (which is where "the zone" begins.).
 

Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
LOL...What I meant was that I stop reading Trevor post after I read
3' from the tub
...


I would have to agree with you on the placement of the receptacle based on the wording, however I doubt that is the intent. I believe the thresholds are mentioned simply to state that the height measurement must be from the top of the threshold not from the floor.
The only issue may be the wording "all encompassing". My suspicion is that an authority having jurisdiction will read that as a violation if it is installed below the threshold and within 3'

I am posting the section for others to read


406.9(C) Bathtub and Shower Space.

Receptacles shall not be instal⁠led within a zone measured 900 mm (3 ft) horizontally and 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold. The identified zone is all-encompassing and shall include the space directly over the tub or shower stall.

Exception: In bathrooms with less than the required zone the receptacle(s) shall be permitted to be installed opposite the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold on the farthest wall within the room.
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
If there's a modern style curb less shower you're out of luck.

In general, I agree. The exception poses an interesting condition.

Say there is a 5' by 7' shower / toilet. The curb-less shower has 3' along the 5' wall, and in the remaining 2' of the 5' wall sits the $2,000 toilet. On the other side of the toilet is a 7' wall.

406.9(C) tells us that the entire 5' wall is within the new "zone". No receptacle outlet allowed in the 5' wall. The 406.9(C) Exception, however, allows the receptacle outlet anywhere in the 7' wall beside the toilet.
 

infinity

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Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I'm too lazy to look up the substantiation for this one but I would bet there isn't any real world issue other than someone thinks this is a good idea. Unless people are dying from the receptacle being near the shower this is another example of stupid code overreach. If someone on this forum wrote this PI don't be offended by my opinion but this one falls into if ain't broke don't fix it category. :slaphead:
 

Dennis Alwon

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Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I'm too lazy to look up the substantiation for this one but I would bet there isn't any real world issue other than someone thinks this is a good idea. Unless people are dying from the receptacle being near the shower this is another example of stupid code overreach. If someone on this forum wrote this PI don't be offended by my opinion but this one falls into if ain't broke don't fix it category. :slaphead:

Not I so I am not offended. If I did write a proposal that was accepted and someone didn't like that would be okay also. Seems like they didn't like my proposals this year.... I tried to get the length of wire increased in the case of a service change where you would avoid afci. They didn't like it but they did add the part where the wire inside the panel or jb does not count for the 6'-- half successful anyway
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
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EC - retired
Not I so I am not offended. If I did write a proposal that was accepted and someone didn't like that would be okay also. Seems like they didn't like my proposals this year.... I tried to get the length of wire increased in the case of a service change where you would avoid afci. They didn't like it but they did add the part where the wire inside the panel or jb does not count for the 6'-- half successful anyway

:thumbsup:

Not that any of my inspectors have voiced concern, but we had been watching that inside length.
 

infinity

Moderator
Staff member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Journeyman Electrician
I tried to get the length of wire increased in the case of a service change where you would avoid afci. They didn't like it but they did add the part where the wire inside the panel or jb does not count for the 6'-- half successful anyway

If I remember correctly here in NJ they just deleted that rule in its entirety. :cool:
 
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