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Bathroom circuit

Mike Honcho

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Mar 17, 2009
Messages
163
Location
SE Michigan
I need some help guys. i have a single 20 amp gfci outlet in my main bathroom, previous home owner tied ran another 20 amp line up to the upper half bath. Is this legal per NEC? Thanks in advance.

Chris
 
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Gooch

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May 30, 2009
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676
Location
Petersberg, IA
I need some help guys. i have a single 20 amp gfci outlet in my main bathroom, previous home owner tied ran another 20 amp line up to the upper half bath. Is this legal per NEC? Thanks in advance.

Chris

are you saying both bathrooms are on one 20 circuit? Yes this is ok. are both bathrooms GFCI protected?
 

Two Pump Chump

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Joined
Sep 27, 2020
Messages
106
Location
N CA
Daughter just tripped the garage power after being on the treadmill for 20 minutes. There was a 1500 watt space heater on and the garage lights in addition to a small refrigerator. This is a mass developer build tract house built with about 300 others in 2006. The circuit trip also blackened the laundry room lights and the bathroom lights. I neglected to differentiate light power from the receptacles as there was the feminine panic effect and I needed results. Har Har. . . . . All that aside -

Does residential electrical code circa 2006 , in this California Sacramento County, allow a garage, a laundry room (separate outlet for electric dryer not affected) and a bathroom to be on a single circuit protected by a single breaker ? I was in disbelief that this happened but there it was.

Thanks
 
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Two Pump Chump

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Sep 27, 2020
Messages
106
Location
N CA
I posted this so as to not clutter up the place with repetitive redundant threads. You both are a tremendous help and an inspiration to all of us. If you actually know anything or can contribute, please do.
 

sparky 1971

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Oct 9, 2018
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7,966
Location
Central Iowa
Daughter just tripped the garage power after being on the treadmill for 20 minutes. There was a 1500 watt space heater on and the garage lights in addition to a small refrigerator. This is a mass developer build tract house built with about 300 others in 2006. The circuit trip also blackened the laundry room lights and the bathroom lights. I neglected to differentiate light power from the receptacles as there was the feminine panic effect and I needed results. Har Har. . . . . All that aside -

Does residential electrical code circa 2006 , in this California Sacramento County, allow a garage, a laundry room (separate outlet for electric dryer not affected) and a bathroom to be on a single circuit protected by a single breaker ? I was in disbelief that this happened but there it was.

Thanks
Yes. The laundry and bath receptacles shouldn't have been on the tripped circuit, and probably weren't, but in 2006 SOP for tract homes was put the garage outlets on a 15 amp circuit along with a bunch of other things. I think it was 2011 (maybe 2008) where the garage receptacles had to be on a dedicated circuit, it was then modified in 2014 (maybe 2011) to allow outdoor outlets to be shared on that circuit.
 

Two Pump Chump

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Sep 27, 2020
Messages
106
Location
N CA
Well, if that's the case, and it is, it's done and final. Best solution is to add new 20 amp circuit on wall bearing the existing panel to take the treadmill and planned exercise equipment and Audio visual. Just have to consider the County permit and inspection. Thanks Sparky.


Interesting to note on this build circa 2006. There are four (4) separate circuits for the kitchen. Yet the entire garage, laundry room (minus the dedicated dryer) , bedroom, bathroom and closet are on a single 15-amp breaker.
 

sparky 1971

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Oct 9, 2018
Messages
7,966
Location
Central Iowa
Well, if that's the case, and it is, it's done and final. Best solution is to add new 20 amp circuit on wall bearing the existing panel to take the treadmill and planned exercise equipment and Audio visual. Just have to consider the County permit and inspection. Thanks Sparky.


Interesting to note on this build circa 2006. There are four (4) separate circuits for the kitchen.
Code requires two circuits for the countertop. The refrigerator, dining room, pantry, if there is a breakfast nook can, but don't have to, be on the same circuit but things like dishwasher, disposal, and a built in microwave can't be. Those would require separate circuits.
Yet the entire garage, laundry room (minus the dedicated dryer) , bedroom, bathroom and closet are on a single 15-amp breaker.
It's probably the laundry room lights, the 120 volt outlet for the washing machine shouldn't be on that circuit. The bathroom receptacle shouldn't be on it either. I have always put the garage outlet(s) on at least one 20 amp circuit with nothing other than the outdoor receptacles, so I don't like what they did there, but what you have really isn't that much in the grand scheme of things. You could have a dedicated 15 amp circuit feeding a duplex receptacle, plug both the space heater and treadmill into it and the breaker would have tripped. 1500 watts is over 12 amps, I don't know what a treadmill draws, but I bet it's over three.

Edited the next day to add: It's Sunday night and I just got back from an "emergency" service call for no power in the basement. The old gal was right, there was no power in the basement. The old man was watching football in the basement, got cold, and plugged in the space heater and within five minutes, there was no TV. The only things on the circuit were the receptacles in that room, and he swears the only things running were the TV, heater, and a lamp, the lights were on another circuit. On a side note, the no power in the basement was correct, as well as a bunch of the rest of the house. His wife went to the panel to check the breakers and managed to turn every single one of them on the left hand side off. She hadn't yet realized that the range and dryer didn't work as well as who knows what else, there were five single and two double pole breakers off.
 
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