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Discussion Forum

bathroom, 1 gfci breaker or 2?

kray | Posted in General Discussion on August 24, 2009 05:18am

I plan on installing both an in shower fan (panasonic whisper green) and under tile electric radiant heat system in a basement bathroom. Both should be on a gfci breaker. My question is do they each need their own breaker, or can they both be put on the same breaker?

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  1. User avater
    xxPaulCPxx | Aug 24, 2009 06:22am | #1

    Check and see if your underfloor heat thermostat already has GFCI built in. I think mine does, even though it's also downstream of another GCFI for the whole bathroom.

    I have everything going back to a single GFCI - it pops and the bathroom is dead... with the exception of the jacuzzi tub on it's own GFCI circuit.

    Tu stultus es
    Rebuilding my home in Cypress, CA
    Also a CRX fanatic!

    Look, just send me to my drawer.  This whole talking-to-you thing is like double punishment.

  2. JTC1 | Aug 24, 2009 02:44pm | #2

    In terms of GFCI protection, they can share a single GFCI.

    The question is the total amp loading from the two items involved.  The fan will draw a minimal amount, the question is the heating load.

    If both items combined draw less than 15A, I would install a single 20A GFCI, feed both from that one GFCI and be happy.

    Uhmmmm, the basement bath will be required to have a 20A outlet, also GFCI protected.

    With that in mind, sounds like you will need 2 GFCI devices (either wall mounted or breaker).  I would probably let the fan feed off of the outlet circuit and provide a second circuit for the heating (heating may need a 15A or 20A, check the plate / installation instructions).

    Jim

     

    Never underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
  3. Brickie | Aug 24, 2009 06:37pm | #3

    The panasonic bathroom fan I installed recently barely used any juice at all in terms of amps.  it does not need to be on a separate circuit.

  4. Geoffrey | Aug 25, 2009 12:39am | #4

     

    your lighting circuit should not be GFCI protected, unless it's in the shower area, if it is, you should have a second lighting that is not GFCI protected, such as a light bar over the MC, you don't want to be standing in the dark if the GFCI trips while your using the shower etc..

    If your radiant heat has a GFCI built in,as previously mentioned, you can use the feed thru (unprotected) from the required outlet to feed the GFCI on the radiant heat switch, you can then feed the fan from the protected side of the required outlet, this is assuming you don't need 2 seperate circuits due to load capacity.

                                                                   Geoff  

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