would having these branches from a circuit violate the NEC?
- Thread starter S-117
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
I am not sure I understand the setup. Is the box in the center of your image a junction box, with wires coming in from the breaker being tied to wires leading out to each of the bathrooms? Also, are the GFCIs you mention in each of the three bathrooms (i.e., not the breaker itself)? Finally, what do you mean by "upstream" (i.e., no bathroom appears to be upstream of any other)?
If this is what I think it is, then I would say it is code compliant. Be advised, however, that this circuit can feed nothing in any bathroom other than receptacles, and can feed nothing outside the bathrooms.
If this is what I think it is, then I would say it is code compliant. Be advised, however, that this circuit can feed nothing in any bathroom other than receptacles, and can feed nothing outside the bathrooms.
sorry, if it were a one line circuit, the first GFCI tripped would cut power to everything downstream
yes, it is a junction box. Further, could i make it a 20-amp circuit (#12 wires) TO the j-box and then do 15-amp supply to each bathroom? I mean it is only carrying 1 receptacle every bathroom, seems overkill doing 20-amp per bathroom.
Also, the lighting has to be a different circuit then?
hmm.. i guess i didn't think it through. I was basing my thinking off of what i see at homes. I do home inspections mostly.
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrical Engineer
No you cannot use #15 wire in a circuit fed from a 20 amp breaker (motors are a different story). Reference 240.4(D)(4).
The rule for bathroom receptacles lets you do one, and only one, of two choices:
The rule for bathroom receptacles lets you do one, and only one, of two choices:
- Provide power to bathroom receptacles in more than one bathroom, but use this circuit for nothing other than bathroom receptacles, or
- Provide power to anything inside a single bathroom (e.g., lights, receptacle, heated towel rack, exhaust fan, etc.), but use this circuit for nothing outside that one bathroom.
texie
Senior Member
- Location
- Fort Collins, Colorado
- Occupation
- Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
:thumbsup: I think this is what the OP is trying to achieve.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I am closing this thread since the poster is doing work himself and is not an electrician
I re-opened this thread after talking with the poster
I re-opened this thread after talking with the poster
Last edited:
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Not if you connect the line in and line out wires to only the line terminals on each GFCI and ignore the load terminals.
In fact, this is so commonly done, they're made to accept two wires on each one, so you only need to pigtail the EGC.
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
Correct. A GFCI receptacle has a line and load side. When it trips, only the LOAD side terminals (and the receptacle itself) are disconnected. The line side is unaffected. So running from the line side to another bathroom is not affected by a GFCI tripping.
i must have been sleepy when i made this thread. I am assuming the 20-amp circuit requirement is due to the possibility of high amperage items such as blow dryer.
I realize now that the entire circuit needs to be 20-amp not just at the initiation. I was trying to see if i could avoid the large amounts of 12# wiring throughout. Looks like i have no choice
MAC702
Senior Member
- Location
- Clark County, NV
BTW, why is it they can't make the EGC screw/plate/etc accept two wires like the others? I wouldn't always want to do it, but it sure would be a nice option.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
They used to, and some receptacles had two grounding screws. Then they added the rule that ground continuity may not depend on the device terminations.
MAC702
Senior Member
- Location
- Clark County, NV
Ah, got it. Just like a neutral of a MWBC. Thanks.
Hmmm, except we can just use the device screws for grounding the device (when designed for it) itself (and whatever is plugged in) to a grounded box...
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Yes, but the rest of the circuit is not dependent on that pathway, only that one receptacle.
Also, note that the device grounding may depend on the screw contact, but not the box. In other words, you can't land the EGCs on only the receptacle and use the screws to ground the box.
MAC702
Senior Member
- Location
- Clark County, NV
True, I was just thinking about the things plugged into the receptacle itself, but you're right, that's not as critical as the rest of the circuit's integrity.
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