switched receptacles - 210.52?

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Hoyt

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210.52

In deweling units if I switch a receptacle it does not count towards meeting 210.52 (2)....correct?

If I just switch the top half and split the receptacle does the bottom half count toward my 210.52 requirement....or if I made the receptacle a double duplex and only switch the top half of one of the duplex receptacles. Will that satisfy it?
 
Hoyt said:
In dwelling units if I switch a receptacle it does not count towards meeting 210.52 (2)....correct?
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Correct.
Hoyt said:
If I just switch the top half and split the receptacle does the bottom half count toward my 210.52 requirement. . . ?
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I was going to say yes, thinking this was absolutely true. Then I went back and read the actual words. Now I am not so sure. What is required is that no point along a floor line shall be more than six feet from a ?receptacle outlet.? Note that that phrase contains two words. If the code said ?not more than six feet from a receptacle,? then the unswitched bottom half of a duplex would certainly count as a ?receptacle.? But if you switch one half, and use it in lieu of a lighting outlet, and leave the other half unswitched, do you still have a ?receptacle outlet?? It may be argued that this is not a ?receptacle outlet,? because half of it is a ?lighting outlet.? My opinion is that the thing inside the outlet is a pair of receptacles, so it is still a ?receptacle outlet,? and so I am back to saying ?yes? to your question.
Hoyt said:
. . . or if I made the receptacle a double duplex and only switch the top half of one of the duplex receptacles, will that satisfy it?
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That would not change the situation at all. It would still boil down to an interpretation of whether the outlet is, or is not, a ?receptacle outlet.?

Welcome to the forum.
 
I say it's a recpt. outlet and is good for the 6ft rule, because, a lighting

outlet is made for the direct connection of a lampholder, fixture, etc. With

that logic, a switched outlet is a switched recpt.
 
I have no doubt in my mind that switching one half the receptacle is perfectly okay and meets the requirement of 210.52.

You don't need a duplex to satisfy the code so I don't see an issue here.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
You don't need a duplex to satisfy the code so I don't see an issue here.
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I don't think there is a "real" issue either. It's just the unfortunate choice of words, the choice of requiring a "receptacle outlet" within six feet. I agree that you don't need a duplex to satisfy the code, but you do need a "receptacle outlet." So the essence of my point was that I was not certain that switching one half, and using it in lieu of a "lighting outlet," did not change its character from "receptacle outlet" to something else.
 
charlie b said:
I don't think there is a "real" issue either. It's just the unfortunate choice of words, the choice of requiring a "receptacle outlet" within six feet. I agree that you don't need a duplex to satisfy the code, but you do need a "receptacle outlet." So the essence of my point was that I was not certain that switching one half, and using it in lieu of a "lighting outlet," did not change its character from "receptacle outlet" to something else.
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I knew where you were going with that. It is one of the pains of being so literal. :grin:
 
benaround said:
I say it's a recpt. outlet and is good for the 6ft rule, because, a lighting outlet is made for the direct connection of a lampholder, fixture, etc. With that logic, a switched outlet is a switched recpt.
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I agree - a switched receptacle outlet does not automatically become a lighting outlet; it is just a switched receptacle.

As an electrical inspector, if I encountered this in the field I am not familiar with a code section to turn this installation down.
 
dana1028 said:
I agree - a switched receptacle outlet does not automatically become a lighting outlet; it is just a switched receptacle.

As an electrical inspector, if I encountered this in the field I am not familiar with a code section to turn this installation down.
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There is no code section to use to turn this installation down. It's code-compliant. :smile:
 
Charlie,
I don't see a code issue here. Look at the definition of a "receptacle outlet".
Receptacle Outlet. An outlet where one or more receptacles are installed.
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There is still one receptacle available at the receptacle outlet when you switch one half of the duplex.
 
Hoyt said:
210.52

In deweling units if I switch a receptacle it does not count towards meeting 210.52 (2)....correct?
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Under the 2008 NEC, if the receptacle is installed to replace the required lighting outlet by 210.70, then no, it wouldn't be enough. There was a proposal that was accepted for the 2008 NEC, that eliminates a switched receptacle that is serving as the replacement for the lighting outlet to do double duty as the required wall space receptacle as well.

Hoyt said:
If I just switch the top half and split the receptacle does the bottom half count toward my 210.52 requirement....or if I made the receptacle a double duplex and only switch the top half of one of the duplex receptacles. Will that satisfy it?
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In that case, there is a receptacle at the required spacing not being used to replace the required lighting outlet, so that receptacle (the lower half of the duplex) is the one not being used for that. It's peachy.
 
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