OK, we’re redoing a small bathroom. There is a small (6×5) room which will contain the toilet and the tub/shower. Immediately outside the door to this room is a large dressing/ exercise area with a big walk-in closet, so we’re putting the vanity and lavy there. I know code requires a GFCI -protected outlet on a dedicated 20a circuit in the bathroom. I plan to put this ‘dedicated circuit’ outlet near the lavy (though it’s not technically ‘in the bathroom’), as I assume it’s intended for high-draw items (hair dryer) which would usually be used near the sink. So far, so good.
Now, in the ‘bath room’ (remember, toilet and bath only in here), I’m installing an electric towel warmer (90 watts) which stays plugged in and on all the time. Obviously, this outlet will need to be GFCI protected, but should it be on the same circuit as the lavy outlet, or should I run it from a general purpose (lighting/outlets) circuit? I can’t easily get another dedicated circuit from the panel, so it’s one or the other.
Thanks
Replies
I'd put it on the bath circuit. Since they're in different rooms, I'd pigtail and put a GFCI receptacle in each location, instead of using one to protect the other downstream. A little extra money now can save a whole bunch of head scratching and confusion a few years in the future.
-- J.S.
I am not going to search the code and I don't know if it is there are not, but I have seen this discussed in some electrical forums.
This is not uncommon arrangement. Specially in motels.
A bathroom consists of all 3 fixtures. So it encompasses the whole area.
The towel bar does not require a dedicated circuit any place and could be taped in any general purpose circuit.
A dedicated 20 amp bathroom circuit serves all the receptacles in the bathroom. And it can also service receptacles in other bathrooms or in that one bathroom also the lights and fan.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
I have the 2005 NEC Code with handbook open and saw this.
"A bathroom is defined in Article 100 as ``an area including a basin with one or more of
the following: a toilet, a tub, or a shower.'' The term applies to the entire area, whether
or not a separating door, as illustrated in Exhibit 210.9, is present. Note that 210.52(D)
requires that a receptacle be located on the wall or partition adjacent to each basin
location or in the side or face of the basin cabinet. However, if the basins are adjacent
and in close proximity, then one receptacle outlet may satisfy the requirement, as
shown in Exhibit 210.9 (top)."
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
Thanks for the code reference- I don't see a specific answer to my question there, but I'm leaning toward putting the WC/Tub area receptacle on the same (dedicated) circuit as the lavy outlet. The constant 90 watt draw of the towel warmer doesn't seem like it will cause any problems with capacity for the sink outlet.Thanks again- what a great resource this forum is!
put all the outlets on one gfci circuit using a gfci breaker in the box, then your covered.
It's cheaper to buy 2 CFCI outlets.
I've seen articles that recommend putting all outlets on a GFCI breaker, arguing that the breaker is less subject to false trips. I've seen just as many articles arguing that the GFCI outlets are less subject to false trips. The convincing argument to me is the fact that, when a GFCI outlet trips, it's right there and the problem is pretty obvious. When the breaker trips, someone is standing in the bathroom wondering why the hairdryer doesn't work.As a handyman, I make my living off these people. Put it on the breaker. :-)George Patterson, Patterson Handyman Service
When you're wet and wearing a towel, would you rather push a button on the wall, or schlep on down to the breaker panel? GFCI's should always be in the same room with everything they control.
Overcurrent breakers, OTOH, need to be in the central panel where the branch circuit originates, 'cause that's the only way they can protect all the wire on their circuits. It's a necessary inconvenience.
-- J.S.
either way, I am drying off first worrying about a tripped gfci second
ALL BATH GFCIS SHOULD BE ON ONE 20AMP BREAKER , TIE THE WARMER IN WITH OTHERS IN THE HOUSE .
done- thanks
Is that 1 20 amp breaker...total....for the house... no matter how many bathrooms (2, 3, 4, etc)? Or 1 20 am breaker per bathroom?
"ALL BATH GFCIS SHOULD BE ON ONE 20AMP BREAKER , TIE THE WARMER IN WITH OTHERS IN THE HOUSE ."NO. All bath GFCI's should not be on one 20 amp circuit. But they CAN be, if there is NOTHING ELSE on the circuit.Or you can run a 20 amp circuit to ONE bathroom and also put lights and fan on it.But the receptacle for the towel warner is a BATHROOM RECEPTACLE and thus must be on the 20 amp bathroom receptacle..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
>Or you can run a 20 amp circuit to ONE bathroom and also put lights and fan on it.<
Of the group above, do they all need to be GFCI protected or just the outlets need GFCI protection? I'm thinking outlets only but I'm no electrician.
">Or you can run a 20 amp circuit to ONE bathroom and also put lights and fan on it.<Of the group above, do they all need to be GFCI protected or just the outlets need GFCI protection? I'm thinking outlets only but I'm no electrician."All of those are OUTLETS.In codish an outlet is anyplace where electrical power is utilized. It include both receptacles and permantely connected equipement such as the lights and fan.Code requires 2 things in this area.Receptectles to be GFCI protected.Manufacutres instructions to be followed. Often if fans are installed in wet areas, ie over showers or tubs, instructions require that they be GFCI protected..
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
The fan/heat/light unit I have requires it's own dedicated circuit, and the instructions don't say anything about it having to be GFCI protected. The last three bathrooms I've done have been like this: GFCI outlets on 1 20a dedicated circuit; Fan/Heat/Light on one dedicated 20a circuit, lighting tied in to existing lighting circuit from the closest room. All have passed inspection. I was under the impression that lighting is NOT to be connected to the outlet circuit.
"I was under the impression that lighting is NOT to be connected to the outlet circuit."Nope. The lights can be on a bathroom receptacle circuit as long as the circuit only supplies that one bathroom.BTW, you can't have any lights on the kitchen small appliance circuits."The fan/heat/light unit I have requires it's own dedicated circuit, and the instructions don't say anything about it having to be GFCI protected."Yes the heater part of it draws enough power that it would require a dedicated circuit.I am curious does the instructions allow for the unit to be installed over a shower or tub?.
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A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
"I am curious does the instructions allow for the unit to be installed over a shower or tub?"Doesn't mention.