small appliance & fridge circuits

[dirk]

This question is in regards to a kitchen remodel project.
In addition to the two or more required small appliance branch circuits (in this case there are three) there is also an additional dedicated 20A branch circuit for the fridge. Can an additional outlet located on a three-season porch be supplied from the 20A dedicated branch circuit currently feeding the fridge. I understand that the fridge can be supplied from one of the small appliance branch circuits but if the fridge is given its own circuit and is then not part of the small appliance branch circuit, where is the violation in adding an additional outlet on this circuit.

 

[charlie]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

The violation is that the refrigerator is in the kitchen.

210.52(A)(1) states "Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A) and (C) and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment."

Exception No. 2: The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater.

Looking at Exception 2, not only can you not extend the circuit but you are not permitted to use a duplex receptacle in the outlet.

 

[dirk]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Charlie,
I am not sure that I fully agree with your interpretation.

Looking at exception #2 one could say that ?the receptacle outlet? (singular) could mean a single outlet; the code does not specifically say a single outlet only in THIS fridge outlet requirement. Except of course for unfinished basements and garages, which is irrelevant to this topic.
Exception #2 also does not say that this individual fridge branch circuit supply no more than the fridge itself.

The two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A) and (C) and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment."

By reading ?AND receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment? for the small appliance branch circuits you could say that YES the fridge is in fact part of the small appliance branch circuit even if it is on its own circuit and thus subject to the requirements of ?no other outlets, except...

Interpretation, interpretation, interpretation.

What if I said that the homeowner eats breakfast on the three-season porch?

Anyway, please let me know if I am wrong.

 

[charlie b]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

I agree with Dirk?s conclusion on this one, but not with the reasoning that led him to his conclusion.

Originally posted by dirk:Exception #2 also does not say that this individual fridge branch circuit supply no more than the fridge itself.

Yes it does. The phrase of interest is ?individual branch circuit.? Once you add the second load to the branch circuit that feeds the fridge, then it can no longer be called an ?individual branch circuit.? However, this is a permissive statement. You don?t have to give the fridge an individual branch circuit. It can share a circuit with other loads, but you must feed them from the ?two or more 20 amp small appliance branch circuits.?

What if I said that the homeowner eats breakfast on the three-season porch?

Even if you hadn?t said that, I would have considered the 3-season porch to fit the description of ?In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit. . . .? If that room has walls greater than 2 feet in width, then 210.52(A) requires it to have outlets along the walls. 210.52(B)(1) requires all of those outlets to come from the ?two or more 20 amp small appliance branch circuits.? Nothing prohibits the fridge to share a circuit with one of the other loads that also come from the ?two or more 20 amp small appliance branch circuits.? In fact, it has to share a circuit, if you don?t give the fridge its own individual branch circuit. I conclude that the fridge can share a circuit with a kitchen counter top receptacle, or with a dining room receptacle, or with the 3-season porch receptacle.

 

[dirk]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Charlie,
You are correct about the individual branch circuit. It?s definition in article 100 says as much.
What about a single outlet though? Is that in fact required for this circuit in the kitchen?

I also considered the three-season porch as a breakfast or dining area because that is in fact how the homeowner utilizes this room.

 

[charlie b]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Originally posted by dirk:What about a single outlet though? Is that in fact required for this circuit in the kitchen?

Article 100 defines an outlet as, ?A point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.? I read that as meaning that the word ?outlet? refers to a physical location, not to an electrical component that happens to be installed at that location. Thus, the singular word ?outlet? in the phrase, ?The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment,? as quoted above from Exception No. 2, means a single point in space. It does not mean a single (i.e., not duplex, not quad) receptacle into which you can only plug a single cord.

Others may disagree. One who might disagree could be the AHJ (i.e., the Inspector who would have to approve your plans or who would come out to view and approve the completed installation). You might want to discuss the question with them.

 

[dirk]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Thanks Charlie,
In my experience it has always been a duplex receptacle installed behind the fridge in this particular situation and it has always been accepted by the AHJ.

 

[bthielen]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

My understanding here is that the exception #2 you are referring to makes allowance for a 15amp circuit in an area that is supposed to be supplied by 20amp small appliance circuits, provided it is dedictated to the refrigerator and therefore, if one uses a 15amp circuit it must only have a single receptacle, not a duplex. This does not require the refrigerator to be on an isolated circuit although it is my understanding that it is preferred by most. To allow a duplex would require a minimum 20amp circuit which makes it just another small appliance circuit and therefore subject to the code as such. I would have to agree with Charlie's first statement that one is not allowed to extend the circuit beyond the kitchen or dining area.

This brings up another question. Since the refrigerator is not required to be on its own dedicated circuit, if one was to provide a 20amp small appliance branch circuit with one duplex for the refrigerator and then supply the rest of the kitchen with another branch circuit, would this satisfy the code? I realize it would be a rather inadequate means to satisfy the code, I'm just asking hypothetically. I don't believe I have seen anything to suggest a balance between the number of receptacles on the small appliance circuits is required.

Bob

 

[dirk]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Great point bthielen,
Although I don?t think you would see many electricians using that method to wire kitchens, you could interpret that to be in compliance with the code. But could you convince the AHJ? Probably not. I guess that is why the code is still after all these years a work in progress.

 

[bill addiss]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

if one was to provide a 20amp small appliance branch circuit with one duplex for the refrigerator and then supply the rest of the kitchen with another branch circuit, would this satisfy the code?

No, it wouldn't satisfy the code. Look at 210.52(B)(3) which basically says that no fewer than 2 small appliance branch circuits must feed the countertop surfaces.

Bill

 

[bill addiss]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Let me modify/clarify my previous statement;

If the duplex for the refrigerator is behind the refrigerator the answer would be no. If it was over the countertop that would be a different story.

Bill

 

[bill addiss]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

I have a question now.

If it's determined that the porch is a breakfast or dining area wouldn't it then need more than one receptacle?

Bill

 

[charlie b]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Originally posted by bthielen:To allow a duplex would require a minimum 20amp circuit which makes it just another small appliance circuit and therefore subject to the code as such.

I agree, and I believe that this is consistent with what I have said. But I took it one step further. Since it is ?just another small appliance circuit,? then it can supply ANY load that the ?20 amp small appliance circuits? are required to serve. These loads include the fridge, the kitchen countertops, the dining room receptacles, and . . . (the story is continued below).

I would have to agree with Charlie's first statement that one is not allowed to extend the circuit beyond the kitchen or dining area.

(That would be ?The Other Charlie.?) I would agree that one is not allowed to extend the circuit beyond the kitchen or dining area OR a pantry, breakfast room, or similar area of a dwelling unit. If you tried to extend the fridge circuit to power a receptacle in a hallway, then I would throw a flag on the play. But I think it?s OK to extend the fridge circuit to power a receptacle in a 3-season room that serves as a breakfast room. You would be using a small appliance circuit to power one of the loads that are required to be on the small appliance circuits.

 

[charlie b]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

Originally posted by bill addiss:If it's determined that the porch is a breakfast or dining area wouldn't it then need more than one receptacle?

Probably, as per 210.52(A). It?s like any other room. Every wall over 2 foot in width would need a receptacle, and no place along a wall can be more than 6 feet from a receptacle.

 

[charlie]

Re: small appliance & fridge circuits

A comment about the Individual Branch Circuit.

From Article 100:
"Branch Circuit, Individual. A branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment."

From the NFPA NEC Handbook:
"An individual branch circuit is a circuit that supplies only one piece of utilization equipment (e.g., one range, one space heater, one motor). See 210.23 regarding permissible loads for branch circuits.

An individual branch circuit supplies only one single receptacle for the connection of a single attachment plug. This single receptacle is required to have an ampere rating not less than that of the branch circuit, as stated in 210.21(B)(1).

Exhibit 100.6 illustrates an individual branch circuit with a single receptacle intended for the connection of one piece of utilization equipment. A branch circuit that supplies one duplex receptacle that can accommodate two cord-and-plug-connected appliances or similar equipment is not an individual branch circuit."