sewage pump for basement bath

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growler

growler

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Atlanta,GA
On a sewage pump for a basement bathroom do any of you put it on the bathroom circuit or do you use a dedicated circuit.

I have not installed that many of these but I have always used a dedicated circuit. The plumber was telling the homeowner to just put it on the bath circuit.

I don't know what unit they will buy so I looked up a unit at random and they state the amperage for a 1/2 HP is 10.5 and that alone should be enough to require a dedicated circuit.

Opinions?
 
ptonsparky said:
Dedicated GFCI. You may want a device with an alarm if it trips.
Click to expand...

If it's dedicated with a single outlet or hardwired does it still need to be GFCI? A number of years ago I had done that with a washing machine and used a GFCI breaker. The inspector told me since I had put in a single outlet receptacle it didn't need to be GFCI, or so I recall.
 
Those single receptacle exceptions are pretty much gone.

They all went away but I think one for alarms came back.
 
gadfly56 said:
If it's dedicated with a single outlet or hardwired does it still need to be GFCI? A number of years ago I had done that with a washing machine and used a GFCI breaker. The inspector told me since I had put in a single outlet receptacle it didn't need to be GFCI, or so I recall.
Click to expand...

New Jersey still has the single receptacle exception to the GFCI protection requirement.
 
ptonsparky said:
Dedicated GFCI. You may want a device with an alarm if it trips.
Click to expand...

That's a good idea (alarm). Yes the installation instructions for the one I looked up shows a GFCI and not hard wired.

I knew it need the dedicated circuit but when the plumber tells the owner and the owner is an engineer (electrical type) that's probably never done any engineering work that he could just put it on the bath circuit.

You all know how it goes, everyone thinks that anything you do is just for extra money. The circuit was actually ran before the plumber even showed up.
 
Single ckt for reliability
alarm is a good idea
Gfci both sides have merit, I would install it on the side of safety
if the owner is an electrical engineer it is a bold assumption that he could not comprehend the pros/cons if explained to (if it even needed to be)
a hair dryer + pump would likely trip it
 
Ingenieur said:
if the owner is an electrical engineer it is a bold assumption that he could not comprehend the pros/cons if explained to (if it even needed to be).
Click to expand...

Nope the guy is as dumb as a bag of rocks. I know that you would assume that an engineer would be a bit smarter but not in this case. :happyno:
 
GFCI is only required if receptacle is in a location mentioned in 210.8, or if the product instructions require it.

It can't go on the bathroom outlet circuit unless it is in the bathroom.

Code aside, most of these have a pretty small sump well and if they would kick on while using a hair dryer at same time the overcurrent condition wouldn't be long enough duration to trip the breaker in many cases, It is more likely to trip from starting surge current then from the relatively short time running current.
 
Ingenieur said:
Single ckt for reliability
alarm is a good idea
Gfci both sides have merit, I would install it on the side of safety
if the owner is an electrical engineer it is a bold assumption that he could not comprehend the pros/cons if explained to (if it even needed to be)
a hair dryer + pump would likely trip it
Click to expand...

Engineers are the worst customers to engage with and explain why we have to do certain things.
 
Not sure about other places, but here in Northern CA, local building codes require a dedicated 20A circuit and also an alarm. But they don't require a single receptacle, so I suppose you could plug in something else, too. No mention of a GFI, but I put one in anyway. The alarm has to be tested by the local wastewater utility before it can be signed off on the permit. Similar to the gas company signing off on the pressure test of the gas piping. My pump went out a couple of years ago and the alarm saved me from a nasty mess. Good idea to check with your local AHJ if in doubt.
 
growler said:
On a sewage pump for a basement bathroom do any of you put it on the bathroom circuit or do you use a dedicated circuit.

I have not installed that many of these but I have always used a dedicated circuit. The plumber was telling the homeowner to just put it on the bath circuit.

I don't know what unit they will buy so I looked up a unit at random and they state the amperage for a 1/2 HP is 10.5 and that alone should be enough to require a dedicated circuit.

Opinions?
Click to expand...

If you are talking about ejector pump, I would dedicated it.
 
chris1971 said:
Engineers are the worst customers to engage with and explain why we have to do certain things.
Click to expand...
Some are; some aren't; there's a pretty wide range of personality types in the profession.
But the one thing most of us do have in common is a low tolerance for evasive answers.
 
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chris1971 said:
Engineers are the worst customers to engage with and explain why we have to do certain things.
Click to expand...

because they see thru your BS? And won't buy into it?

that is a blanket statement
have you tried?
give an example: I'll see if my meager brain can grasp to concept
like your work is so complex
how many elec engineers have you done work for?
 
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