Code question - outlets

[Mike662]

Probably an obvious question, but there seems to be conflicting opinions on this.

If I run two separate circuits into the same box to power adjacent receptacles, do I need to use a double pole breaker for those circuits?

Here's my situation...I need to add a number of outlets around the garage. I was thinking that I'd like to install a series of double duplex outlets, with the outlet on the left on circuit #1 and the outlet on the right on circuit #2. That way, I could plug multiple tools in at the same location, without overloading a circuit.

I was planning to either color-code the outlets or label the outlet covers. And I was planning to pull two separate circuits from the panel, not do it as a MWBC with a shared neutral.

So, does the code require that I use a double pole breaker?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Gooch]

nope, as long as both circuits have their own neutral, two single poles will be fine.

 

[bobadame]

I just got dinged on this on my final electrical inspection. The inspector wanted me to use the type of 2 pole breaker that has the levers linked together. The reasoning is that without this, a person could turn off one breaker and still get zapped by the other circuit.

 

[skeletonizer]

I just got dinged on this on my final electrical inspection. The inspector wanted me to use the type of 2 pole breaker that has the levers linked together. The reasoning is that without this, a person could turn off one breaker and still get zapped by the other circuit.

Not sure about it being code or not but this makes sense to me and is how I would do it.

 

[tdkkart]

Not sure about it being code or not but this makes sense to me and is how I would do it.

The fact that it makes sense would be a perfect reason for it not to be code.....

 

[Teken]

The fact that it makes sense would be a perfect reason for it not to be code.....

 

[sdowney717]

If you dont use a double pole breaker, someone might turn off the breaker think it is dead circuit and then he is working on it, but the other half is still live and he could be dead.
I suppose it makes sense.

 

[Aceman]

I was planning to either color-code the outlets or label the outlet covers. And I was planning to pull two separate circuits from the panel, not do it as a MWBC with a shared neutral.

If you have several boxes like this, you might ask your supply house if they carry 12-2-2. It has two hots and two neutrals in one cable. It'll save you quite a bit of time...

If you dont use a double pole breaker, someone might turn off the breaker think it is dead circuit and then he is working on it, but the other half is still live and he could be dead.
I suppose it makes sense.

If a guy is too dumb to check power in a box after he shuts off the breaker he shouldn't be working with electricity. Period. This isn't rocket science..

 

[Ray-CA]

I was planning to either color-code the outlets or label the outlet covers.

That's basically what I did. I used orange outlets for one circuit and white for the other (these were the only two colors that I could find in sufficient numbers.)

Ray

 

[yarddawg]

Nothing in the National Electrical Code against doing this. Your local codes may vary.

 

[sdowney717]

If a guy is too dumb to check power in a box after he shuts off the breaker he shouldn't be working with electricity. Period. This isn't rocket science..

The inspector is god I suppose.

 

[ddawg16]

The inspector is god I suppose.

For the most part.....yep.....get into a ******* contest with him on something like that and you can pretty much expect EVERYTHING to be nick picked....

 

[Mike662]

Thanks for the responses everyone!

 

[robertlynk]

That's basically what I did. I used orange outlets for one circuit and white for the other (these were the only two colors that I could find in sufficient numbers.)

Ray

did you ground the orange receptacles properly? it is my understanding that the orange receptacles are grounded different than standard ie isolated ground

 

[juicegoose]

In line with the original poster but somewhat different question is this. If you want to run two duplex receptacle in adouble gang box like the original poster suggested and have them on seperate circuits can'tyou essentially run a 12-3 to the box, and share the neautral and ground of the 12-3 wire between the two circuits. Naturally at the panel you would have two 20amp breakers for the hots and the neutral and ground would go to the appropriate bus. Or am I mistaken and you can't share the neutral and ground of the 12-3 if your going to seperate the hots on two seperate circuits in the same box.

 

[Ray-CA]

did you ground the orange receptacles properly? it is my understanding that the orange receptacles are grounded different than standard ie isolated ground

Both sets of outlets were grounded the same way, there is no difference between them.

Ray

 

[juicegoose]

Answered my own question. For all that had this idea. If you are going to run two circuits off a single 12-3 wire they can share the neautral but at the panel you can not wire them on individual single pole breakers. They must be wired on a double pole breaker that has two 20 amp throws that are connected. This is to protect to neautral. The other option is to run two 12-2s for a single breaker.

 

[oleguy]

Both sets of outlets were grounded the same way, there is no difference between them.

Ray

be carful what you say!!with isolated ground recep's the ground does not connect to the mounting strap.this is beacause where they used,they are installed in metal conduit.if ground was connected to strap,you could not isolate ground.recp's will be marked iso ground.not saying your's are iso recp's,just letting some here know the diff.

 

[oleguy]

code say's that when both sides of a multi-wire ckt where a recp for each leg is mounted in the same box(two gang ect)has to have a two pole common trip breaker.the inspector is right.recp's or switches(devices)

 

[sdowney717]

on the 12/3 wire, I think that just ends up costing more money since you have to buy 12/3.
I know we had lots of extra 12/2 and there were times when I thought it would be nice to run 12/3 like in wiring up ceiling fans light with separate fan control.

Sometimes you need it for lights controlled from more than one switch.

wondering this here, say 12/3 to two oultets, the neutral gets shared. How about current flow threw that single neutral?
You got 2o wires feeding power and only one the same size returning it.
what happens when they are running close to ampacity of the circuit, will it overload the neutral? or is the power used up in the device.

 

[oleguy]

on the 12/3 wire, I think that just ends up costing more money since you have to buy 12/3.
I know we had lots of extra 12/2 and there were times when I thought it would be nice to run 12/3 like in wiring up ceiling fans light with separate fan control.

Sometimes you need it for lights controlled from more than one switch.

wondering this here, say 12/3 to two oultets, the neutral gets shared. How about current flow threw that single neutral?
You got 2o wires feeding power and only one the same size returning it.
what happens when they are running close to ampacity of the circuit, will it overload the neutral? or is the power used up in the device.

NO.beacause you make a 240 ckt.they are on two diff phases.neutral only sees imballance current.

 

[yarddawg]

code say's that when both sides of a multi-wire ckt where a recp for each leg is mounted in the same box(two gang ect)has to have a two pole common trip breaker.the inspector is right.recp's or switches(devices)

If he were running a multi-wire branch circuit, this would be correct. However, the OP specifically stated that he was not running an MWBC, therefore there is no NEC basis for an inspector to require a two pole common trip breaker.

 

[Mike662]

Thanks again all.
The reason I wasn't going to run a MWBC was that I thought that GFI outlets could not be used. Now I realize that I can run a MWBC (12/3 romex) from the panel into the first box in the garage, put GFI outlets in that box, then chain the rest of the outlets from there using either 2 separate runs of 12/2 or the 12/2/2 (12/4) wire suggested above. Doing that, of course, will require a double pole breaker. Given the confusion, I probably would have used one either way, to avoid any unpleasantness with inspectors, etc.

 

[oleguy]

If he were running a multi-wire branch circuit, this would be correct. However, the OP specifically stated that he was not running an MWBC, therefore there is no NEC basis for an inspector to require a two pole common trip breaker.

just some info on the code.if that is ok with you...

 

[yarddawg]

just some info on the code.if that is ok with you...

No problems here.