Switch location

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aftershock

aftershock

Senior Member
Location
Memphis, TN
Imagine walking into the house from the garage. The door swings inward towards the switch that controls the entrance light which puts it behind the door. So I cut in a switch backed up to it so you can switch the entrance light from the garage. Is there a code violation here?
 
Cavie said:
No, make it a 3/w
Click to expand...

That's what I did so you can also control the light from the inside as well. I got a call from the realtor who told me that the trim carpenter, the plumber and HO stated that it is a code violation. And here I thought I was the only electrician on the job.
 
I am suspicion that 3 people said the same thing. Your area may have an amendment that states the switch cannot be behind the door however the one outside in the garage should make it compliant.
 
It might be the garage is a fire rated wall and they will not let you place boxes back to back in a fire rated wall without seperation. Just a guess.
 
I think Tim is on the right track. The IRC, for instance, requires that the garage be separated from the residence by not less than 1/2 gyp board applied to the garage side. (I think this is more a CO concern than a fire concern.)

From your description, you just cut a hole in this separation.
 
+ + +
"It might be the garage is a fire rated wall and they will not let you place boxes back to back in
a fire rated wall without seperation. Just a guess."
Click to expand...
The wall between the Garage and the conditioned interior [ i.e. - the Residence ]
is not required to be a fire rated wall, just that a layer of gypsum board,
...min. of 1/2" thick be installed and sealed [ see Section R309.2 in the `06 IRC ].

I too would seek clarity from the 3 "wannabe electricians" as to what violation
you have performed and then correct it. :cool:

FWIW, if there is an opening in the gyp. board, ...when the HVAC unit starts,
it could [ in theory ] suck in CO or smoke and lead to further evolvement of a
fire inside the Residence.

& & &
 
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north star said:
+ + +

The wall between the Garage and the conditioned interior [ i.e. - the Residence ]
is not required to be a fire rated wall, just that a layer of gypsum board,
...min. of 1/2" thick be installed and sealed [ see Section R309.2 in the `06 IRC ].

I too would seek clarity from the 3 "wannabe electricians" as to what violation
you have performed and then correct it. :cool:

& & &
Click to expand...

North Star is correct, that wall is only a modified firewall and doesn't require all of the same protection as a true 1hr wall other than you can't put a panel in it.
 
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