Bathroom shower electrical question

[signcrafter]

Not garage related but know there is the answers on here so posting it.

Redoing our bathroom right now. Just a standard tub/shower combo and the toilet and vanity sink. For the shower I am going to build a small drywall arch across the front because we have tall ceilings and it will look nice. So inside the shower I will need a light, thinking can light in there. Then will have a fan light combo unit somewhere by the toilet. Then a vanity wall light by the sink.

My question is what is the right way to wire this all up? Can I run a 12-2 to the gfci outlet and then go to the lights after that so everything is gfci protected? Or do I need a dedicated 12-2 for receptacles and then a different circuit for the lighting? If so do I need to gfci protect the light in the shower? Anything else I'm missing? Thanks

 

[sberry]

If this is the only room this circuit goes to you can wire it all to one. The only thing that needs gfci is the outlet. An outlet only circuit uit can go to 2 bathroom outlets.

 

[TRWham]

If you arch that shower, I think you need a fan in there. Some fan/light combos will require a GFCI if they are used in a wet area.

 

[ard]

Consider an inline fan, with a intake vent in the shower as well as over the toilet.

By moving the blower away from the room (ie somewhere up in the structure, above the ceiling) you will make it MUCH quieter- you can have a large fan that really exhausts the room, and still be almost silent.

I know it isnt what you asked, but HTH.

Also, Ive used sealed 'shower rated' can lights for showers. Standard recess can but the light insert is somewhat sealed.

 

[yeldogt]

I second the inline fan -- or an external wall. Use w/ two inlets -- works great. I use Fantech.

You need to use a light listed for a shower -- they have a cover.

I would have a separate circuit for the lights ... you don't want the GFI to trip and leave you in the dark

 

[The Cobbler]

I actually just picked up 3 led wet location lamps on clearance for $5 each/ they would work well over a shower I imagine

 

[CumminsFan]

Consider wiring the light on a separate circuit. You don’t want a gfci trip to leave you in the dark.

 

[signcrafter]

Thanks for all the replies. I can do lights on a separate circuit, that makes sense.

So if I do outlets on a dedicated circuit I can do two bathrooms on the same circuit correct? So run 12-2 up to first bathroom and use a GFI and then out of that GFI run a 12-2 to the second bathroom and that will meet code?

For the inline fan, do you have a link to one that would be good for the shower and toilet? Is there one that can do two bathrooms? What do you use for the duct work on these and how are they vented? Just out the side of the gable like a traditional bath fan? I like this idea but never seen one before.

 

[dw1]

Thanks for all the replies. I can do lights on a separate circuit, that makes sense.

So if I do outlets on a dedicated circuit I can do two bathrooms on the same circuit correct? So run 12-2 up to first bathroom and use a GFI and then out of that GFI run a 12-2 to the second bathroom and that will meet code? YES

For the inline fan, do you have a link to one that would be good for the shower and toilet? Is there one that can do two bathrooms? What do you use for the duct work on these and how are they vented? Just out the side of the gable like a traditional bath fan? I like this idea but never seen one before.

I used Panasonic Whisper Quiet bathroom fans in my house, they have a DC motor and is very quiet, it actually works very well, it has a 3" metal pipe discharge on it going outside. I have another one where the toilet sits.

 

[MBfreak]

Light in a shower?
I did the same so I can shave in the shower stall.

Use a low voltage type of armature/lamp , good for wet environment.
Place the " transformer " outside the wet area.

The touch voltage that is lethal to a wet body is surprisingly low.
However 12 V is safe.

Ola

 

[yeldogt]

The CFM of the fan depends on the size of the bathroom -- ceiling height.

The best inline fans IMO are made by Fantech as I noted above -- look them up .... they have a lot of information available. When I'm building new I always use Fantech .. and often the external unit. They are powerful and silent -- I use two of the round intake vents and hard pipe with a "Y" to the fan. They make an inline for attic above situations. The wall is great for older house -- I did a brick house last year.

The best ceiling IMO are the Panasonic ..... Have used in the past. They are larger presence visually and don't work as nicely as having tow dedicated intakes.

It all depends on goal and what you want to spend.

There are ventilation systems that can do multi baths -- but you are getting into more $$ and complexity. possibility of negative pressure. It's nice to have each bathroom separate -- I also use one of the electronic countdown timers .... Leviton makes a nice one.

I believe each bath needs to be separate 20amp feeds for the outlets -- there is the potential for hairdryers -- other resistance users.

If the shower is large -- make sure to get a light with enough output.

 

[alfredeneuman]

I believe each bath needs to be separate 20amp feeds for the outlets -- there is the potential for hairdryers -- other resistance users.

Not at all
NEC 210.11 (C)(3)
(3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of
branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least
one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to
supply the bathroom(s) receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall
have no other outlets.

 

[ard]

The CFM of the fan depends on the size of the bathroom -- ceiling height.

The best inline fans IMO are made by Fantech as I noted above -- look them up .... they have a lot of information available. When I'm building new I always use Fantech .. and often the external unit. They are powerful and silent -- I use two of the round intake vents and hard pipe with a "Y" to the fan. They make an inline for attic above situations. The wall is great for older house -- I did a brick house last year.

The best ceiling IMO are the Panasonic ..... Have used in the past. They are larger presence visually and don't work as nicely as having tow dedicated intakes.

It all depends on goal and what you want to spend.

There are ventilation systems that can do multi baths -- but you are getting into more $$ and complexity. possibility of negative pressure. It's nice to have each bathroom separate -- I also use one of the electronic countdown timers .... Leviton makes a nice one.

I believe each bath needs to be separate 20amp feeds for the outlets -- there is the potential for hairdryers -- other resistance users.

If the shower is large -- make sure to get a light with enough output.

+1

Personally I upsize the **** (in terms of CFM) on exhaust fans. I like a room to clear, quickly. By the time I walk from shower to mirror.

And when you bury the fan up in the attic, you dont worry about sones (quiet rating) at all! You are ducting 5,10,15 feet to the fan, it is no longer mounted on the sheetrock buzzing away. Makes it much less expensive to install 'any old large CFM fan'. Ive used 'duct fans' but found them to be priced high. I will use any old fan, then bend up a sheetmetal box to adapt whatever ducts im running to it.

So if you are mounting a fan on teh ceiling, you will pay $$ for quiet and $$$ for CFMs. The equation changes when you can move the noise away....

 

[exranger06]

You can put the lights on the same circuit as the receptacles, and wire the lights to the LINE side of the GFCI. So even if the GFCI trips, the lights still stay on. The circuit has to be for that bathroom only though, in that case. And it has to be a 20 amp circuit.

The alternative is to put the lights on a different circuit, then you COULD have one circuit for receptacles in multiple bathrooms. But I'm not a fan of having more than one bathroom on the same circuit. If you have 2 people using hair dryers or curling irons at the same time, you're going to trip the breaker. Meanwhile, lighting uses very little power, especially with LEDs, so lighting on the receptacle circuit isn't a big deal.

 

[Zeke]

Not at all
NEC 210.11 (C)(3)
(3) Bathroom Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of
branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least
one 120-volt, 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to
supply the bathroom(s) receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall
have no other outlets.

You can put the lights on the same circuit as the receptacles, and wire the lights to the LINE side of the GFCI. So even if the GFCI trips, the lights still stay on. The circuit has to be for that bathroom only though, in that case. And it has to be a 20 amp circuit.

The alternative is to put the lights on a different circuit, then you COULD have one circuit for receptacles in multiple bathrooms. But I'm not a fan of having more than one bathroom on the same circuit. If you have 2 people using hair dryers or curling irons at the same time, you're going to trip the breaker. Meanwhile, lighting uses very little power, especially with LEDs, so lighting on the receptacle circuit isn't a big deal.

When you read AEN's post I believe he intended to include lighting as part of that requirement. The lighting can be on a lighting circuit that serves multiple areas. A heater/fan requires its own 20 A circuit. These items above, in or out of the shower area, do not require GFCI protection, just damp or wet location UL designation.

(deleted) Reading the post you cannot extend a GFCI outlet, from one side or the other, to additional devices. As of now, just about every 120v single phase circuit within the conditioned living space shall be AFCI protected. The lighting, placed above or near the shower would be GFCI protected in my home even though the code has not required that yet.

This bathroom needs a dedicated 20A GFCI receptacle, or more on the same GFCI circuit, and separate power for any lighting and/or fans that don't include a heating element.

 

[Norcal]

If you share the lighting & receptacle(s) on the required 20A circuit it can only serve that bathroom, if only the receptacles are on it, then it can serve the receptacles in other bathrooms.

 

[ard]

In our master, there are outlets on either side of his and her countertops.

Two 20A dedictated circuits, but split in an unusual way: One his and one her on circuit 1...then the other his and other hers on the second circuit. The theory here was if someone is using hair dryer AND curling iron, it could then be shared.

Anyway, prolly over thought. And for some retarded reason I put in 15/20A receptacles. (That take 15 and 20A plugs) lol on that, last time anyone saw something with a 20A plug that should be in a bathroom??

 

[Bretny]

I used a inline bath fan in my small 5x10ft bathroom. I decided on 8in duct (way overkill) because i have a 11ft ceiling in it. I believe the one i bought came from amazon or ebay. It came with a speed controler that i set on high first. Well it was like taking a shower in a wind tunnel, its set on low now. I think i paid $65 shipped for that fan.

You can still use any normal bath fan/light combo just use the inline fan further into the duct and disconnect the in light fan.

I wouldnt bother with a fan above the toilet your not going to get alot of hot humid air up there as you would with the shower.