Tamper Proof Outlets / NEC Requirement

[Jakethegriff]

Hi Guys,

I'm stumped by NEC 406.4 & 406.12 - I'm currently adding 3 new circuits inside my garage.

- One 15a to accommodate 12 LED overhead lights, and 3 Garage Door openers
- One 20a to accommodate 3 ceiling fans, radio, and 6 outlets near bench
- One 20a to accommodate 5 more outlets, for larger shop tools table saw, small compressor etc.

In regards to the above mentioned 406.4 & 406.12 it read as;

"All 125 and 250 volt, 15 and 20
amp receptacles installed or replaced in dwelling units shall
be listed tamper-resistant. Three exceptions include
receptacles located 5½ feet or more above the floor, a
receptacle in space dedicated for an appliance that is not
readily moved and receptacles that are part of a luminaire"

With that said, does this hold true into the garage as well, seeing as it's not the dwelling? I'm not electrician, so I'm not 100% familiar with code requirements, but I would hate to wire 25+ outlets, only to find out I used the wrong ones. Any Help is appreciated.

Jake

 

[Angelfire]

My inspector required the TP receptacles in my detached garage.

 

[prostreetamx]

My inspector did not require them in my new attached garage since they all are GFCI protected. I asked before I installed them since I had boxes of new but not TP plugs in my shed I wanted to use. I ended up using 20a plugs instead of 15a plugs since I had a few boxes of them. It doesn't hurt to ask the inspector first since they are in different jurisdictions. I did have to buy some weather resistant plugs for outdoor use and they only come on WR/TR as far as I found. With the clear plastic bubble covers, the sun will eat up your old style plastic plugs.

 

[Jakethegriff]

I think I found my answer, after a little more indepth search;

Q. Are outdoor receptacles at a dwelling unit required to be tamper-resistant?

A. Yes. According to 406.12, all non-locking type 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in the following areas of a dwelling unit [210.52] must be listed as tamper-resistant:

Wall space — 210.52(A)
Small-appliance circuit — 210.52(B)
Countertop space — 210.52(C)
Bathroom area — 210.52(D)
Outdoors — 210.52(E)
Laundry area — 210.52(F)
Garage and outbuildings — 210.52(G)
Hallways — 210.52(H)
An Exception to this rule notes that receptacles in the following locations aren’t required to be tamper-resistant:

Receptacles located more than 5½ ft above the floor.
Receptacles that are part of a luminaire or appliance.
A receptacle located within dedicated space for an appliance that in normal use isn’t easily moved from one place to another.
Nongrounding receptacles used for replacements as permitted in 406.4(D)(2)(a).

 

[CJ7VFR]

I hate TR receptacles. I don't mind the added "safety" of having a way to keep someone from sticking something into the receptacle, but because all of the ones I have seen and used are not very good.

The issue I have with them is that I have yet to come across any TR receptacles that are easy to plug something in and out. I have purchased the low grade receptacles and higher cost "Pro" grade ones, and they are all the same.

Sometimes a plug will go in and out fairly easy, but most of the time I have to force the plug in and pull it really hard to get it out, almost like it is stuck. My wife has actually loosened up several receptacles because of this, to the point at which I have to shut the power off to that receptacle, remove the face plate, and re-tighten it back up.

Does anyone know of a TR receptacle that is not so damn hard to use?

Jim

 

[Jakethegriff]

I agree completely^. It ***** because I already purchased all my outlets, and now I'll most likely have to go back and spend another $60-$80 on compliant plugs.

On the bright side, the garage is exempt from AFCI - so that's a bonus.

 

[tyme2par4]

I hate TR receptacles. I don't mind the added "safety" of having a way to keep someone from sticking something into the receptacle, but because all of the ones I have seen and used are not very good.

The issue I have with them is that I have yet to come across any TR receptacles that are easy to plug something in and out. I have purchased the low grade receptacles and higher cost "Pro" grade ones, and they are all the same.

Sometimes a plug will go in and out fairly easy, but most of the time I have to force the plug in and pull it really hard to get it out, almost like it is stuck. My wife has actually loosened up several receptacles because of this, to the point at which I have to shut the power off to that receptacle, remove the face plate, and re-tighten it back up.

Does anyone know of a TR receptacle that is not so damn hard to use?

Jim

I replaced probably about 3 dozen outlets in my house with new TR ones. I bought the 10 packs of Levitons at HD, and have found they are no harder than the old outlets to use. You just have to make sure you are putting the plug in straight.
I also bought a 10 pack of the Legrand TR outlets from Lowe's and they are definitely not as good as the Levitons. My wife complains about the ones in the kitchen. She's never mentioned anything about the Levitons in the rest of the house.

 

[exranger06]

I have also had good luck with Levitons.

 

[Jakethegriff]

Good to know. I usually buy legrand's from Menard's, but may switch.

 

[rharman]

FWiW, I would not put the lights and openers on the same circuit. I wouldn't even put all the lights on one circuit. If it trips, you're in the dark.

 

[Jakethegriff]

I apologize as I said that wrong. They're not on the all same circuit. I have 12 lights going on one 15a circuit that's being added.

Then I'm adding 5 more lights are going on the existing 15a circuit that the current openers, and lights (2 standard bulbs, which are being replaced) and outlets are on. When I moved in, everything in the garage was on one 15A circuit, so I'm adding 3 more, to distribute evenly. I'm also getting rid of the current 15a outlets, so it will only be 5 lights, garage door openers, and a radon fan.

The lights are 3300 lumens at 41 Watts - I don't recall the Amperage off the top of my head, but it's not much. I've been living here for over a year now, with everything on the 15a circuit (Fridge, lights, 1980's garage openers, radon fan, and my radio + power tools) and I've only trip the breaker, if I try to kick my compressor on or run my table saw, with everything else plugged in.

 

[sberry]

Is this in 2017? Would it be retro active for those still under older codes?

 

[Norcal]

Is this in 2017? Would it be retro active for those still under older codes?

If replacing receptacles then the requirements of whatever code is adopted would have to be complied with, if left alone then the existing devices are fine.

 

[b-dog]

I just went through the same thing in my garage. I absolutely refuse to install TR's. For such a small issue, I think they're a huge PITA. I installed regular outlets and if my inspector dinged me then I was going to say they are all reserved for dedicated appliances. If he/she didn't buy that, I was going to put in TRs and then replace them afterwards.
Luckily, the inspector never said anything.

Good luck!

 

[Jakethegriff]

Is this in 2017? Would it be retro active for those still under older codes?

If replacing receptacles then the requirements of whatever code is adopted would have to be complied with, if left alone then the existing devices are fine.

Pardon my naivety... Are you speaking in regards to adding 5 lights to the current circuit?

 

[grantw]

I just went through the same thing in my garage. I absolutely refuse to install TR's. For such a small issue, I think they're a huge PITA. I installed regular outlets and if my inspector dinged me then I was going to say they are all reserved for dedicated appliances. If he/she didn't buy that, I was going to put in TRs and then replace them afterwards.
Luckily, the inspector never said anything.

Good luck!

I'm going to be dealing with this soon enough... I installed new 200A service panels and dropped a few 20A circuits for my builders. The inspector had nothing to say about the outlets not being TR. My only ding was forgetting to strap my new ground line to the gas line, and he had a good feeling I would do it when he left, as I had the parts on me. That was the 2011 NEC when that happened, and now we are under the 2014 NEC.

I mean, I get there are "some" advantages to using TR in the garage, meaning sawdust and whatnot are less likely to get in there. But that doesn't out weigh the fact that I have ALWAYS had to wiggle a plug in to a TR outlet. 2 pole polarized cords are the worst, where the neutral is slightly longer than the hot lead...

I replaced the TRs in my kitchen with normal outlets shortly after the contractor left on my last project. A- to remove the back-stabbed wire nut disasters. B- to replace TR outlets with something decent.

Maybe it's worth while to install a few L5-30Rs in my new garage and just use a few extra APC PDUs I have laying around (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0007KPM88/?tag=atomicindus08-20) and not deal with the TR outlets.

I'm going to have a conversation with my electrician, and feel him out as far as codes and inspections go. Maybe he has a stash or TRs he can use to pass inspection so I don't have to buy outlets twice.

 

[Jakethegriff]

I went ahead yesterday and ordered the Leviton TR's from Home Depot just to get in front of a potential issue. Luckily Menards has an extremely liberal return policy so getting credit should be a non issue, then I'll use that $$ towards the 4 TR/GFCI's i need.... grumble

 

[CJ7VFR]

...But that doesn't out weigh the fact that I have ALWAYS had to wiggle a plug in to a TR outlet. 2 pole polarized cords are the worst, where the neutral is slightly longer than the hot lead.....

This is exactly the problem I have with most of the TR's. And, all the TR's that I have installed in my house are made by Leviton.

My toaster oven in the kitchen is used every single day, by everyone in the house. When I had to replace the original receptacle due to it becoming way too loose, I replaced it with a new TR by Leviton. Holy **** does that thing ****! No matter what I plug into it, any plug that has the larger neutral male portion of the plug on it will be hard to push it in, and nearly impossible to get it out unless you yank that *****.

I have even gone as far as replacing it with different grades of TR receptacles from both HD and Lowes. There is no difference. For reference, all of the TR receptacles I have had issues with are either white or ivory.

Now, on the other hand, I have replaced a few of the brown colored receptacles in my garage with brown TR receptacles by Leviton, and I have had no issues with those. I can plug in and remove any type of plug, and they go in and come out smooth. The same holds true for all the black colored receptacles I have in my shed. Those are all Leviton TR's, but they are black, and they all work as smooth as the non TR's.

I wouldn't think there would be a difference as to why the brown and black ones work and the white and ivory ones don't, but that has been my experience.

Oh, and I did say to the wife how about if I put the brown or black ones in the kitchen, and she said absolutely not. So that is not an option.

Jim

 

[Angelfire]

My Leviton TR's work pretty well. Doesn't take much more pressure to plug into than a non-TR plug. A very small inconvenience perhaps but not enough for me to run out and buy all new receptacles and replace.

 

[kwschumm]

After all these years I wondered why tamper resistant outlets were only now mandated by the NEC. Then I discovered that Google has a patent on it.

https://www.google.com/patents/US6674003

 

[sberry]

How much are the cheap ones in the bulk pack from the box stores?

 

[xyster101]

Called my inspector here in upstate NY and he said don't worry about it. I hate them.

Are you getting it inspected? If so call them first. If not, put regulars in.

I would run the lights on 20 amp. You will have the wire anyway. One less roll to buy and have extra on hand after.

 

[CJ7VFR]

How much are the cheap ones in the bulk pack from the box stores?

A buck or so around here at HD and Lowes.

Jim

 

[Jakethegriff]

The 15a contractor packs were $9.99 for a 10-pack
The 20a were only available individually for $3.29 each

As opposed to $3.39 for a 10 pack of Standards / $0.39 each

I am getting it inspected, the township I live in, and the hoops I had to jump through with regards to my inside renovation, proved to be an uphill battle for any work going forward, as the inspectors, were both well aware of the house, prior to my ownership. So in an effort to reduce problems, should I decide to sell, I'll just keep it code compliant, and be done with it.


I used up all the 12/2 for running the 20a outlets (my garage is 40foot wide, and of course I needed it ran to the opposite side, so alot was eaten up) - but I had extra 14/2 already from a previous house garage project, so it was a non issue.

 

[manwithtools]

After all these years I wondered why tamper resistant outlets were only now mandated by the NEC. Then I discovered that Google has a patent on it.

https://www.google.com/patents/US6674003

That's not Google's patent, it's Googles "Patent Search" that returned that search result.....

Also, it appears to be for a tamper proof cover, not a tamper proof outlet.

 

[sberry]

A dollar a piece doesn't make it a deal breaker, here the regular are 50 cents.

 

[barnee]

I get a headache trying to figure out GFCI/AFCI/Tamper proof requirements. I'm building a detached garage that has a portion on each floor that's living space with a kitchen and bathroom. Seems like the best way is to set up an inspection and review it with the building inspector.

Don't know how you electricians can keep sane.

 

[sberry]

Its really not that big of deal, the same questions are asked here in so many different forms it sounds more confusing than it is.

 

[kwschumm]

That's not Google's patent, it's Googles "Patent Search" that returned that search result.....

Also, it appears to be for a tamper proof cover, not a tamper proof outlet.

Mea Culpa! You are right. My very bad.

 

[TinkerUntilBroken]

Ummmm, no. Google is just displaying the information from the USPTO in an easier to read style. The Patent is held by:

Inventors Armando Torres
Original Assignee Fannie Mae

 

[kwschumm]

See the post right above yours.

 

[markushofer27]

Pass semour new tr receps with black shutters are 100% improvement compared to when they first came out with white shutters.