Shower door / outlet questions

[dcg9381]

Building a home. I've got a guest shower that we may put a glass door on.
The glass guys came by and said that I have to hinge the shower door on the "wrong" side as there is an outlet about 12" off the shower corner.

Glass guy said that he' can't install a door in a manner that would allow someone to walk out and touch an outlet. (I get it). I have to put the hinge on the side with the outlet, as it would prevent someone from touching it easily.

Thing is, this outlet is low voltage. It's got a "garage door opener" type single button, wired with CAT6. It's actual function is to close a low voltage switch that triggers a re-circulation pump. My guess is that low voltage doesn't count, but I'm not sure.

Anyone point me in the right direction on NEC that covers this?

 

[Terry D]

Its not a problem as long as its low voltage. The controls for a spa are low voltage and you can touch them from in the water. What is the pump for, that might have to be gfci protected.

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[Shiftless]

Most everybody with a garbage disposer has the switch near the sink, right.
You don’t have to dry your hands to turn on the disposer!

I guess the difference is that you usually aren’t barefoot and standing on a wet floor.

I put in an air activated switch here. It’s a plunger that fits into one of the extra holes near the faucet in most sinks. Push downward on, push downward off.


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[Jim greengo]

Its not a problem as long as its low voltage. The controls for a spa are low voltage and you can touch them from in the water. What is the pump for, that might have to be gfci protected. Why would the switch be so low

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I thought spa switches were vacuum operated,or maybe it's just the older ones.

 

[Todd.Brock]

So you ring the doorbell to get hot water? I’d disable/remove the device and put a blank plate on it. Get the door where you want and then fix it back the way you like when they leave.


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[dcg9381]

Yea, I'm seeing vacuum operated disposal switches now too.

I'm looking for a cite to show the glass guys that low voltage doesn't apply... Or a cite to NEC where it addresses the hinging issue (I'll find a low voltage exclusion)

 

[ripperd]

Can you easily move the button? That might be the easier way, even if you are correct.

 

[Terry D]

I thought spa switches were vacuum operated,or maybe it's just the older ones.

There are digital and pneumatic control pads. I am not sure how much voltage is present on the digital ones.

 

[dcg9381]

So you ring the doorbell to get hot water? I’d disable/remove the device and put a blank plate on it. Get the door where you want and then fix it back the way you like when they leave.

Your ring the doorbell to have the hot water pre-heated so you're not wasting water waiting on the line to get hot. This house is on 100% water collection, so water conservation is a thing. It's push button (on demand) so we don't waste energy heating water in lines that aren't being used.

I could plate it and get around the install thing. Curious on the code requirement so I can find a low voltage exception. Home inspectors aren't much better about NEC - so it's nice to understand.

 

[klassenl]

Technically that decision is not in his scope.

You could blank it off for now. You could GFCI protect the circuit that the 24v transformer is on if you are concerned about it

 

[alfredeneuman]

You could GFCI protect the circuit that the 24v transformer is on if you are concerned about it

A GFCI will only protect the primary side of a transformer. Anything on the secondary side will just show up as a load to the GFCI.

 

[dcg9381]

Can you easily move the button? That might be the easier way, even if you are correct.

Not anymore.. Not without replacing drywall/texture.

 

[dcg9381]

Technically that decision is not in his scope.

As much as I agree, it's his business... I'll blank it if I need to (as mentioned) - cant seem to find the building code / NEC code it though. Not concerned about the electricity portion.

 

[AntonLargiader]

Since no one here has been able to furnish code supporting your guy's claim, you might have to ask him. Prior to the 2020 NEC, it seems there was no distance requirement between an outlet and a shower or tub. Just can't be IN the shower or tub area. 404.4C and 406.9C.

 

[infinkc]

Put a blank plate on the box. Have the door installed. Replace the plate with the button.