Nec bathroom lighting

[WP9]

This is going to be a simple question for all you experienced sparkies.

I will be wiring my outbuilding this spring and have a question regarding the bathroom lighting . Does the bathroom lighting need to be on its own breakered circuit or can it be on a general lighting circuit in the area? ( I know the outlets must be on their own GFI protected circuit but did n't know if the code requires restrictions on lighting)

 

[exranger06]

It can be on a general lighting circuit.

You COULD put it on the same circuit as the bathroom receptacles, as long as the circuit only feeds that one bathroom and nothing else. The lighting doesn't need to be GFCI protected, so you could put the lights upstream of the GFCI. That way the bathroom won't go dark if the GFCI trips.

 

[Terry D]

Only thing I might add to that, if you do the dedicated circuit to the one bathroom, it needs to be 20 amp

 

[75gmck25]

If you are okay with using recessed lights, I recommend you look at some of the new LED "pancake" lights that just push into a 4" cutout in the drywall after you have put the small junction box in the ceiling. Most are damp-rated, and they are easy to install because they are only about 1 1/4" thick. I purchased some at HD and they had a switch on the junction box that could be set to from about 5000K (really white) down to 3500K.

Bruce

 

[WP9]

Since this bathroom does not have a window for ventilation, an exhaust fan is required. When placed on the lighting circuit,does the lighting circuit need to be 12 gauge( 20 amp breaker)? I think I remember reading that somewhere.

75gmck25 ---When we built our house three years ago, we chose not to use can lights and went with conventional octagonal lighting boxes with puck-like LEDs. This allowed more insulation over the lighting( as opposed to a can that has a height of 9 inches or so). These have worked out beautifully. The puck lights you refer to were not fully on the market at that time so we could not consider them.

 

[mike93lx]

If you are okay with using recessed lights, I recommend you look at some of the new LED "pancake" lights that just push into a 4" cutout in the drywall after you have put the small junction box in the ceiling. Most are damp-rated, and they are easy to install because they are only about 1 1/4" thick. I purchased some at HD and they had a switch on the junction box that could be set to from about 5000K (really white) down to 3500K.

Bruce

Commonly called wafer lights. Mentioning as it might help in the search.

They are actually only 1/2" thick, allowing you to install them directly below a joist.

 

[exranger06]

Since this bathroom does not have a window for ventilation, an exhaust fan is required. When placed on the lighting circuit,does the lighting circuit need to be 12 gauge( 20 amp breaker)? I think I remember reading that somewhere.

The exhaust fan cannot exceed 50% of the branch circuit rating, if it's sharing a circuit with lights and/or receptacles. So, you can put the fan on a 15 amp circuit as long as the fan is under 7.5 amps. Which it will be, unless it's one of those units that has a built-in heater.

If it's a fan with a heater, it'll draw roughly 1300-1400 watts, which can be over 11 amps. In that case, even if you put it on a 20 amp circuit, you're still over 50%, which is a code violation. So you would need to put the fan on its own dedicated circuit. The 50% rule doesn't apply to dedicated circuits; it only applies when you have hard-wired appliances that share the same circuit with lighting and/or receptacles.

 

[WP9]

Thanks Exranger,

No need for anything other than the most basic fan, as its my workshop.
I am leaning toward a separate lighting/fan circuit ( 15 amp) and outlets on their own 20amp GFI circuit.

 

[mike93lx]

Thanks Exranger,

No need for anything other than the most basic fan, as its my workshop.
I am leaning toward a separate lighting/fan circuit ( 15 amp) and outlets on their own 20amp GFI circuit.

On a shop, I think separate circuits is overkill, unless you have a heater. In a house, maybe a different story where hair dryers and flat irons would be used as they can cause dimming. What are you really going to plug into the outlet of a shop bathroom?