Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

[chadwick89]

Morning,
I am wiring a series of residential condo units each with it's own metered service. All the units have one or two bathrooms. My question is, can a bathroom light fixture or other outlet be connected to the required gfi dedicated bathroom circuit? When I read 210.11(C)(3), it tells me this circuit shall have no other outlets. The exception refers me to 210.23(A). When I read this, it tells me that lighting or other utilization equipment is permissable on a 15-20a branch circuit. Then the exception tells me that only RECEPTACLE outlets are allowed on the required bathroom branch circuit. Am I being dense when I tell my superiors that lighting outlets and exhaust fans are not allowed on a required bathroom circuit?

 

[tom baker]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

If the branch circuit is only for one bathroom, then lights, exhaust fan and recpt can be on the circuit. The branch circuit can feed more than one bathroom, but then it can only supply recptacles only.

 

[lectrishun]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

You may use the same 20 amp circuit to feed receptacles in multiple bathrooms in the same dwelling with no other outlets on the circuit or you may use the 20 amp circuit to feed one (1) bathroom receptacle and any additional outlets within that bathroom only.

 

[jxofaltrds]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

Hmmmm.

210.23(A) exception is a mandatory rule (90.5(A)).

210.11(C)(3) exception is a permissive rule (90.5(B)).

210.11(C)(3) FPN "not enforceable" sends you to example D2(b).

Read the bathroom and space heater line.

They show no additional calculation for the heater. Are they implying the heater is on the bathroom branch circuit. Maybe.

I don't believe any of us think that is good.

I use to think 210.11(C)(3) exception was OK. Now 210.23(A) exceptions has me thinking.

Thoughts?

 

[bphgravity]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

This topic has been discussed several times on this forum with no true agreement on code intent. The bottom line is that if you only have one bathroom, you may feed other outlets only in that bathroom. However, another popular topic is the fact that bathroom circuits are always being overloaded. I don't feel it is good design to put other utilization equipment with the bathroom receptacles. This will prevent nuisant tripping of the OCD and the GFI that the homeowner will appreciate. By simply pulling in a lighting branch-circuit from an adjacent room is just as easy and inexpensive as trying to use the 20-amp dedicated circuit.

 

[hornetd]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

I pull a multi wire branch circuit. One leg gets the outlet. The other leg gets the heater and lights. Since one hair dryer is 1500 watts or more I don't want two of them on the circuit. If there is no heater I run a dedicated outlet circuit and the lights come from someplace else.
--
Tom

 

[james wuebker]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

Bathroom dedicated receptacle circuit may supply other outlets providing they are in the same bathroom and the equipment does not exceed 50% of the branch rating.210-11c3 exception, 210-23a
Bye now

 

[james wuebker]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

chadwick89, I'll try to explain the diient options.
1. A branch circuit providing power to a bathroom recepacle may also provide power to other bathroom receptacle, whether in the same bathroom, or in different bathrooms 210-11(c)(3).
2. A branch circuit providing power to a bathroom receptacle may also provide power to other equipment, such as lighting and exhaust fans, but only within the same bathroom 210-11(C)(3) Exception. If this is done, however, that branch circuit cannot be used to provide power to any other bathrooms.
3. A branch circuit providing power to bathroom receptacles cannot provide power to any receptacle or lighting outside of bathrooms. 210-11(C)(3).

I hope this will help you. I only install bathroom circuits on a 20 CB. Of course on a GFCI.
Bye now everyone

 

[george t. everett]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

If the bath circuit supplies only one bath , then a jaccuzi can be connected to that circuit if it doesn't draw more then 50 percent of the circuit. Is this correct?

 

[james wuebker]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

George, good question. If you read act. 210-11c3 & exception 210-23a it will only tell you that fasten in place items like a air conditioner. Nothing about a Jaccuzi. But if you ever installed one it would tell you that to put it on it's own circuit with proper grounding to it. If any one tried it that way(putting it on the bathroom circuit) they might be re-wiring it after awhile. I would be putting it on it's own circuit. Sorry I really couldn't answer your question with a yes or no.
Bye

 

[a.wayne3@verizon.net]

Re: Required Branch Circuits (bathroom)

Most manufacturers state ; to be on dedicated circuit