Outlet spacing

[desgnr]

In finishing a basement how should electric outlets be spaced ( how far apart )

[RBM]

Every wall space 2' or larger requires an outlet. There can't be more than six feet from any point along a wall to an outlet. Loosely interpreted, you need an outlet every 12 feet

[Doug Miller]

The minimum requirement of the National Electrical Code is "such that no point measured horizontally along the floor line in any wall space is more than 6 feet from a receptacle outlet".

[Bill Gill]

Now you have gotten the official requirement lets talk about reality. You should have an outlet every 4 to 6 feet. That way you will have an outlet wherever you need one. And there will be one that isn't hidden behind something you would rather not have to move.

Bill

[aemeijers]

Agreed. Outlets and wire are cheap, and while the walls are open, it is silly to not put in as many as you think you ever might possibly need. Don't forget the high-placement outlets near where workbench or desk will be, and consider doing double-gang outlet boxes anyplace there will be a lot of things plugged in, like computer or entertainment center/game console area. If the room is big and walls will be crowded, a few ceiling outlets here and there are nice, for plugging in drop lights and vacuum cleaners and such.

-- aem sends...

[Harry K]

I followed the '6 ft' rule when I built and addition and rehabbed the entire house. Nowhere near enough. Another mistake I made was putting them near the floor. Every outlet in the house except a few is now behind something and some are even inaccessable at all due to large furniture.

Make them fit the rule and then greatly increase it.

Harry K

[Jim Elbrecht]

-snip-

I misunderstood the 6' rule and did my first house with outlets no more than 6' apart. Best misunderstanding I ever had.

I have never heard anyone comment; "Too many outlets in that house."

Jim

[Colbyt]

When we had to rebuild a house a few years back I swear the inspector was looking for them every six feet.

I know for a fact the electrician had to come back and add one to satisfy the inspector. The 14 x 14 rooms have 2 on each wall.

I would not want any less. If I build again that will be my specs whether it is code or not.

Colbyt

[Steve Barker]

4 to 6 feet is a bit ridiculous. More realistically, every 96 or 112 inches works well. (and lands on a stud)

steve

[Steve B]

According to local code.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

What do you (or the Code) mean by "finishing?"

I lined our previously unlined furnace/utility room. One long wall is almost all floor-to-ceiling shelving; so no place to put an outlet. One short wall has the water heater so close to it that there's no point in having an outlet there.

I put six outlets above the workbench. That's four more outlets than there ever were before.

BTW, I recall that when our old farmhouse in UK was wired for 240V AC (we'd had 32V DC previously), the electrician's original plan was to put one outlet on a landing to serve three bedrooms! I eventually persuaded him (and my parents) to put one in each bedroom.

Perce

[RBM]

A room is considered finished, by the way it is used more than by it's construction. A finished "habitable" room must be wired by different specs than an unfinished room according to the NEC

>

[Tony]

;-) Good misunderstanding indeed.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

So is a utility room/workshop considered to be "habitable?"

Perce

[RBM]

No, it would be considered unfinished, so the current nec would only require one gfci protected outlet in it. If you called the same room, a play room, it would be considered by nec to be habitable, and require outlets to be installed by the six foot rule, but not necessarily gfci protected, and possibly afci protected

[Stepfann King]

They need to be spaced every 2.5 inches.

[Red Green]

Steve Barker wrote in news:n6CdnV2eOrUAdvPWnZ2dnUVZ [e-mail]:

Thought I remember reading someplace long ago that the reason it's 12' is because most devices - lamps, radios, TV's always came with a minimum of a

6' cord.

[Harry K]

By definition, you _have_ to have two on each wall to meet the 6' rule.

The 6' rule is no longer enough outlets in today's world, you need more especially around any enterainment or computer center.

Harry K

[Harry K]

For a basement yes, not enough for livign spaces in today's world.

Harry K

[mm]

My mother used to plug an extension cord in before she put something big against the wall. The other end was where she could get at it.

But she bought houses with wiring in already. If she were putting in outlets, the more the better.