Hi, I'm planning a wet bar in finishing my basement. It will have a counter with a sink. No provision for a stove, nor automatic dishwasher. It will need a greywater pump under the sink because I'm below the main drain. Not clear on what NEC directs for circuits and wiring. I believe this qualifies as a "similar area" to a kitchen (as specified in the NEC), so I know GFCI's required every 2ft. on the counter.
Will one 20amp circuit for these countertop outlets suffice? or do I need more?
Does it depend on the length of the countertop?
Do I need a dedicated circuit just for that pump under the sink? (the models I see at HomeDepot draw 8amps, if that makes any difference).
Hmmm... I'm not sure of that. Are you using it for food preparation?
Imagine having a sink near your washing machine (we had one growing up). Imagine a counter there to fold clothes. It's not really similar to a kitchen -- except that it has a counter and a sink (but so does a bathroom!).
See above. I don't think it owuld be treated as a kitchen/food prep area. As such, you might be able to share the circuit in ways that are not allowed in a kitchen.
First question you should ask is what do you *envision* your needs there to be? Will you have an electric frying pan roasting up cocktail weenies to serve to your buddies congregating there? Will you be using a portable electric grinder to trim ceramic bowls that you're throwing on a wheel and firing? etc.
Kitchen requirement doesn't care about counter length.
One way of looking at this is to consider the consequences of something *else* on that circuit tripping the breaker. I.e., now your pump is inoperative. What are the consequences? Would you want a battery backed pump?
No outlets with 12" of water. Any outlets within 6' of sink must be GFCI. Outlet to service any portion of counter exceeding 24".
Just off top of my head. Code book is your friend!
This is not a kitchen so the only rule you have to follow is the GFCI within 6' of the sink. There is not even a requirement that you have a receptacle but that is your design choice. If this is finished space you still have the requirement for general lighting circuits so you need receptacles along any wall segment more than 2' spaced so you are within 6' of a receptacle without crossing a doorway or similar obstacle. Counter receptacles do not count for this requirement.
You could share an 8 amp pump with ther counter or wall receptacles if you want. (less than half the rating of the circuit). Again that is a design choice. If I was going to share it, I would share it with the lights so you knew right away it tripped. Put the receptacles on another circuit.
No garbage disposal unit planned. And I'm not preparing food, but possible some dope might rinse their plate in this sink on Thanksgiving instead of bringing it upstairs. More conservative answer is yes, it's greywater. Does that change approach?
Well, probably not. I will have no stove or cooktop in the basement. I would use it just to wash something instead of hauling it upstairs to the kitchen.
True. It'll have a counter with cabinets beneath and maybe above too.
No... I've no exhaust fan either. I, personally, would not be preparing food in the basement.
My concern with this is that the code mentions a "sump pump" must be on a dedicated circuit. To me, sump pump is for a whole house dewatering system in the basement. Does this (under sink pump) qualify as a sump pump by the NEC?
No garbage disposal unit planned. And I'm not preparing food, but possible some dope might rinse their plate in this sink on Thanksgiving instead of bringing it upstairs. More conservative answer is yes, it's greywater. D oes that change approach?
Well, probably not. I will have no stove or cooktop in the basement. I wo uld use it just to wash something instead of hauling it upstairs to the kit chen.
True. It'll have a counter with cabinets beneath and maybe above too.
No... I've no exhaust fan either. I, personally, would not be preparing fo od in the basement.
I thought the NEC mentions a "sump pump" must be on a dedicated circuit. I s that correct? If so, to me, a sump pump is for a whole house dewatering system in the basement. If so, does this (under sink pump) qualify as a su mp pump by the NEC? (Please correct me if I'm wrong).
Don't know about code in your area, but here each countertop receptacle has to be either a 20amp dedicated or a split15. Split15 gets expensive because you need a 2 pole GFCI breaker for each outlet, where you only need a 20 amp GFCI outlet for each using 20 amp circuits. I would put the pump on a separate 15 amp circuit.
Well, a sump pump only runs when you are "running water" in the sump. ;-)
I say that somewhat facetiously, but is there really a difference? Both pumps are automatic in that they only run when they need to move water and both the sink and the sump could cause flooding if the pump didn't run.
Why wouldn't they be treated the same as far as requiring a dedicated circuit? Just curious.
It is a totally different function. The sump pump runs whenever water starts building up in the sump, from rain or ground water. You may not be there to be sure it is running. The sink pump only runs when you are there running water and it would be pretty apparent that it was not leaving the sink.
Actually I am curious where the requirement that a sump pump be on an individual circuit is. I have never seen it. I just scanned the 2014 and I didn't see it and I know it wasn't in the 08 and I don't see it in the 11 analysis of changes. We won't be on the 14 here for 3 years or so. We just adopted the 11.
My question pertained to whether or not you were going to route it into the sanitary sewer. "Greywater" can usually be disposed of on your property (e.g., irrigation). But, it must *truly* be greywater (in the code's definition of same)
My question was semi rhetorical. If you're not preparing food, then it's less likely "like a kitchen". I.e., it could be more like a *bathroom* or a "laundry room" (see my point?). So, the invariant issues are GFCI's and proximity to water.
OK, so it's not used *like* a kitchen. But, how do you *want* to use it (forget the Code issues)? E.g., if you want to have a wet saw draining into the sink, you probably want power for the wet saw nearby (silly example). If you want to make popcorn, you'll want to be able to set the popcorn popper on the counter (and have power available). The size of your counter will determine how much stuff you can set on it and where (in relation to the sink). Having just
12" on either side of the sink will pretty much screw you wrt outlets (which need to be 12" from water).
Dunno. My sister had a similar arrangement. Basement was below the sewer line. Yet, they installed a toilet, shower, etc. Let everything drain downward -- then a sump pushed it back up overhead. Never a danger of the sump filling from rain/runoff as they were on the high side of a hill. But, if the water was running in shower, toilet, sink, etc. the pump had to be reliable -- no way to "inhibit" the flow of water *into* the sink if the pump failed!
[BTW, a dedicated circuit means exactly that! I.e., you can't even use a duplex *receptacle* on the load end!]
The only way a sump pump does not to need to be on a GFCI is if it is in finished space or hard wired. I suppose you could use a 240v sump pump. Unfinished basements, utility rooms etc require GFCI everywhere (on 15 and 20a 120v receptacles). The exception for sump pumps went away a long time ago.
If you really want to keep your options open, use smurf tube. Then you can pull in different wire and if you run extra smurf you have the opportunity to install all sorts of stuff.
I ran it in my new addition
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All of the boxes terminate in a central location so I can change what any switch controls, among other things. I have already changed 2. I can also add wires if I need them since it is all 3/4" tube.
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The wire cost is probably twice what Romex would be but that is pretty insignificant in the total cost of the project.
No. it's not a kitchen, and there is no "permanently installed" cooking equipment. But get a party goi g with 2 coffee-makers, a hot plate, a crock pot, and an electric frying pan and you will want a few
20 amp circuits, or even more 15s.
Not a code requirement - but if I were putting in a "wet bar" in a rec room or party room, I'd make sure I had enough juice available!!
all outlets on counter of wet bar and within 6ft of sink need to be GFCI protected.
This circuit for these outlets can be shared, no requirement for dedicat ed 20amp line just to counter outlets (as would be the case if it were a ki tchen). But if I do decide to share, it's WISE to include sufficient capac ity for a nearby fridge and/or blender or toaster oven or microwave at this location.
Dedicated circuit for under-sink pump, with GFCI outlet.
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