Thread: Floor box in passage way

1) Is there any specific code prohibition against the patently idiotic placement of this floor box?

2) Would you consider it to be "in the kitchen", and requiring GFCI protection?

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Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

1) Is there any specific code prohibition against the patently idiotic placement of this floor box?

No, but there is a code which requires it to be there, or someplace within 6 feet of that door to the balcony.

I would have installed that floor receptacle at the 6 foot mark to the center of the receptacle instead of what looks to be about 3 feet from the door (that is, not knowing what in the next 3 feet, but it looks like just a duplicate window to the window shown).

2) Would you consider it to be "in the kitchen", and requiring GFCI protection?

Being a "kitchen" receptacle does not make it required GFCI protection. Only those receptacles which are to serve the countertop require GFCI protection.

Jerry,

There is a wing wall just out of sight to the right in the original picture... why they did not tuck it into that corner I can't imagine.

I understand that the outlet must meet the 6' requirement if it can be there at all, and I frequently see floor boxes that present trip hazards... my question is if there is any prohibition on placing floor boxes in a space that function (as does this one) as a "passage way" or "hallway" - for example can you put a floor box 12" out from the wall in a 36" wide hallway?


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"Not adjacent to a counter" is more the case than not for this box, I guess... you would have to see the whole setup, and I don't have a picture from that angle.

I would being willing to say that there is some structural item underneath that prevented installing the floor box closer to the wall. If they are to counted as part of the required outlets they need to be located within 18" of the wall.
Prohibition for passage ways - no

Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

I understand that the outlet must meet the 6' requirement if it can be there at all, and I frequently see floor boxes that present trip hazards... my question is if there is any prohibition on placing floor boxes in a space that function (as does this one) as a "passage way" or "hallway" - for example can you put a floor box 12" out from the wall in a 36" wide hallway?

No, there is nothing which prohibits that being there.

However, that is just 'part of the kitchen' so they put it within 6 feet of the door as required. Why they did not move it to 6 feet is unknown, unless, as Ken said, there may have been a structural member where we are talking about and that was the only place they could put it.

Concrete building or steel framed? If concrete, and if post tension, there may have been tendons there which were in the way. The box would need to stay 18" back from the anchorage and out of the 45 degree compression force area behind the anchorage for that 18 inches.

OK... no prohibition, that's what I wanted to know. That's a concrete floor, don't know its exact structural nature, quite likely there is some structural reason why that box could not be moved.

Still, it's an idiotic place for a floor box ... but I don't think the developers going to be persuaded to move it just cause' I think so .

Originally Posted by Michael Thomas

Still, it's an idiotic place for a floor box ... but I don't think the developers going to be persuaded to move it just cause' I think so .

Even if you could persuade the developers to move it, where you would yo move it to within code and within the confines of the structure - which is quite possibly why it is where is it.

If the developers said "Okay, Michael, we will move it, where do you want it where it will meet code, and ... oh, by the way, there is ... (structural element) ... from here to here that we cannot do anything with.'

What would you do or say?

I look at your picture of this floor receptacle. The contractor who did this
job doesn't care what you think, (please note: this only my opinion). I bet
he was made that code inspector, (not you), require one. As to what is
underneath the flooring, if concert, etc. he could have give more thought
and ran conduit over next to the fix glass window, (which makes a wall)
and installed a surface receptacle, given no other chose.

Jerry Peck gave a great answer, but get over it. if it stupid, it stupid, but
let the customer make the chose.

And from what I saw in your picture, I don't believe that location, is the
location were they would enter and leave this unit.

Unless your their at the time the plans are past out, have we are not, sometimes we have to live with stupid. Good Luck! Robert