I am having some work done in my basement which the contractor has taken upon himself to move my washing machine directly beside the dryer. Previously, there was a utility sink between the two machines. Now the utility sink has been moved closer to a wall electrical outlet.
Does anyone know what the minimum distance is for an electrical outlet can be from a sink without being GFCI protected?
This is in Ontario, Canada.
Regards, Larry
6'
There's code, and then there's peace of mind.
I'll let an CEC expert answer the code question and just toss out that if you'd feel more comfortable with a GFCI receptacle in that location, install one.
As long as you don't think you'll be using it for anything that might cause nuisance trips, it can't hurt.
For example, there's no code that says my 2 fish tanks need to be GFCI protected, but they are. It gives me peace of mind.
There's code, and then there's peace of mind.
I'll let an CEC expert answer the code question and just toss out that if you'd feel more comfortable with a GFCI receptacle in that location, install one.
As long as you don't think you'll be using it for anything that might cause nuisance trips, it can't hurt.
For example, there's no code that says my 2 fish tanks need to be GFCI protected, but they are. It gives me peace of mind.
I would put a GFCI in no matter what the code is too. There's too much grounded metal and piping plus even the floor in a basement to take any chances. GFCIs have saved thousands from killer electrical shocks over the years. It's cheap and one device that works as advertised with few problems.
Tomsic
In line with the above, in the USA all basement outlets now require a GFCI.
Doh! Let me correct that. In the USA, the NEC requires all basement outlets to have a GFCI. What any state and/or municipality chooses to do is up to them, but most follow NEC.
In Ontario it's 5'. We use metric here but I dunno the metric number. I think it's 1.5M but it's basically 5 feet from a sink edge.
These guys enforce/verify the code in Ontario:
If you own this property, why are you letting the contractor move your appliances and sink without your permission? As a homeowner, you tell them what to do, not the opposite.
Either way, installing a GFCI costs little more than a standard outlet. They are a good idea in a basement. Also, outlets can be moved. It dont belong above a sink. Once again, YOU need to make the decision how and where the guy modifies your basement.
I thought that was only for unfinished basements? Did that use to be the case that only unfinished basements require GFCI?
Yes, you're right. Even after correcting myself, I still didn't get it quite right. What I stated is for unfinished basements. I heard basement, washer, utility sink , etc and pictured in my mind an unfinished basement. AFAIK GFCI is required by NEC only for an unfinished basement.
The only guy who can give you an answer that matters is the actual building inspector who's gonna do the inspection.
I'm in the US. Had the furnace upgraded and central air installed. They couldn't put the compressor exactly where I wanted it because they needed a vacuum pump to evacuate the system. If the outside outlet for the vacuum pump was more than 20 feet from the compressor, it had to be GFCI. Apparently, 19 feet is safe, but we're all gonna be electrocuted if it's 21 feet and in use for an hour or so. Doesn't matter if you use a 50' extension cord, the point of use has to be within 20 feet. By the time the building code people got involved, a GFCI outlet wouldn't do, it had to be a GFCI breaker on the circuit...no, new code meant that it had to be ARC Fault. What??? They don't make ARC fault breakers for that box? Well, you need a new breaker box!!! I don't know how much of this was arbitrary confusion and how much was actual building code. I never had the need to find out because...
Turned out to be a non-issue when we determined that my neighbor's fence was right on the property line and I didn't have the mandated space between the house and fence to allow the compressor unit anyway. That was a permanent feature and easily measured and wasn't gonna pass inspection.
Bottom line, go ask the building inspector. And not just any building inspector, cause they give different answers. You gotta ask the one who's gonna approve the work.
Bottomer line, regardless of whether it's required, a GFCI outlet is cheap and makes sense around water.
or unfinished parts of finished basements, such as utility rooms
Can anyone explain to me why you would need GFCI in an unfinished portion of a basement? Is moisture more of an issue in a unfinished basement?
Also what about a furance. I had a new furnance installed, in an unfinished room, and had a 125 v outlet installed for the condesation pump. It was not required to be GFCI (Ontario Canada) but is it required elsewhere?
Finished or unfinished basements??
The Nec has no exceptions. If the receptacle is located in any location requiring GFCI protection, it doesn't matter what it's intended use.
good question, no idea of the answer
Whatever you do, DO NOT plug anything besides the condesation pump into that outlet. If you plug anything else in there, you WILL be electrocuted immediately, and everyone else living in that house will die too.
Already tried. Wife was plugging her iron into that particular outlet. Nothing happened. She must have been wearing her rubber slippers. Damn. I really had some big dreams for that insurance money...
ment which the contractor has
That's quite an amazing story. I've never seen a trades person so concerned about anything that's only going to be used for an hour. Nor does it make sense that it's OK for it to be non-GFCI if the outlet is less than 20 ft away. Outside, I'd be most worried about a tool shorting, cutting the cord with a power tool, etc. Would not seem to have much dependence on the length of the extension cord. Is that some OSHA rule?
Why couldn't they just run an extension cord to any outlet in the house that is GFCI? That would appear to meet the arbitrary requirements.
basement which the contractor has
Sounded all rather arbitrary to me.
At the time, I had no GFCI outlets...but there exists a GFCI extension cord. All went to hell over the fence distance anyway, so wasn't worth the trouble to pursue it.
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