GFCI Protection Required At Water Fountains?

[Bruce Breedlove]

This property is zoned R-4 and is used as a church. It has two water coolers. One has a cord that plugs into a wall outlet. The other has an outlet located below. Do these outlets need GFCI protection?

[ken horak]

Article 422.52 in the 2008 NEC :
Electric Drinking fountains shall be protected with ground fault
circuit-interrupter protection.

This requirement was added in the 2008 NEC .

Unless the fountains were installed under the 2008 NEC they were not required.
If they ever need to change the receptacles for those fountains, then they Must install GFCI protection. This is article 406.3 (D) (2) in the 2008 NEC