3 Ft or 6 Ft Rule for Bath GFCI?

[Tom in Seattle]

Our updated 1/2 bath on the ground floor will have a new GFCI receptacle located on the wall behind the vanity. There's another recptacle in the corner by the WC that's on a different circuit that will tie into the existing upstairs bathrooms to supply them with power. Previously all the bathrooms plus the garage were on one circuit.

I know a bathroom must have a GFCI receptacle located within 3 ft of the rim of the sink, but does that mean if another receptacle is located more than 3 ft away it does NOT need to be GFCI protected, or does the GFCI rule for receptacles within 6 ft of a laundry sink also apply to bathrooms?

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[pattenp]

My understanding is any 125V 15A or 20A outlet within 6' of the edge of a sink needs to be GFCI protected. I believe all outlets in a bathroom need to be GFCI.

Edit:Just checked NEC 2011 210.8. All receptacles in bathroom need to be GFCI.

 

[rlitman]

I would put a GFI at every receptacle. I would also pigtail the line into the receptacle by the WC, so that the GFI does not protect the line going upstairs, and I would then install another GFI upstairs in that bathroom. That way, if you tripped the GFI upstairs, you wouldn't have to go downstairs to that bathroom to reset it.

 

[Tom in Seattle]

I would put a GFI at every receptacle. I would also pigtail the line into the receptacle by the WC, so that the GFI does not protect the line going upstairs, and I would then install another GFI upstairs in that bathroom. That way, if you tripped the GFI upstairs, you wouldn't have to go downstairs to that bathroom to reset it.

Thanks. That's what I was planning to do, just connect the wires feeding the upstairs bathrooms to the LINE side of the GFCI. I'll do the same between the two upstairs baths so each has their own GFCI.

I thought the 6 ft rule applied from a reading of the Leviton mat'l on the 2008 NEC updates, but I also seem to recall reading on this forum that only those within 3 ft of the sink needed to be protected... but it was probably the rule about needed a receptacle within 3 ft of the sink.

The bathrooms were a real pain before because they were all protected by a single GFCI out in the garage... and it was old and had a habit of tripping when my wife dried her hair. I should have rewired the receptacles years ago but instead we just tore the house apart