Thread: Switched Outlet w/out GFCI under sink

New construction. Island in kitchen. Single bowl sink with a garbage disposal installed. The switch for the garbage disposal is inside the cabinet. The switch is in a two gang box and operates the outlet in the same box. The garbage disposal is plugged into the outlet. The only time the outlet is hot, is when the switch is operated. There is no GFCI protection.

The outlet is within 6 feet (much less) of a water source. The switch will likey be operated by people who are chopping veggies, rinsing hands and then turning on disposal. Seems like it would require a GFCI.

Looks like NEC 210.8A7 would cover this defect. Just trying to cover my anatomy if get resistence from the builder.

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No dishwashers and disposals are not required to be gfci'ed I get your point but thats the way it is.

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey

The outlet is within 6 feet (much less) of a water source.

Forget the 6 foot rule, that has not been in effect for over 10 years.

Looks like NEC 210.8A7 would cover this defect.

No - go to NEC 210.8 (A) (6) Kitchens — where the receptacles are installed to serve the countertop surfaces .

The NEC does not require GFCI protection for receptacles *in* the cabinet.

I don't have current copy of NEC. Was using Code Check as a short cut until 2008 becomes official here in North Carolina on June 1.

The receptacle does not serve the countertop so I am not sure how that reference applies. Maybe you can help me to understand your reasoning?

Originally Posted by Bruce Ramsey

The receptacle does not serve the countertop so I am not sure how that reference applies.

Bruce,

That reference states which receptacles are required to be GFCI protected by the code.

It states: NEC 210.8 (A) (6) Kitchens — where the receptacles are installed to serve the countertop surfaces.

That means that the only receptacles required to be GFCI protected in Kitchens are receptacles installed to serve the countertop surfaces. Which means that any receptacle installed to serve other-than the countertop surfaces does not require GFCI protection.

In Kitchens, it really does not have to do with the water in the kitchen sink, it has to do with using 'portable' appliances one would be plugging into those receptacles.

Many (most?) kitchens have receptacles to serve the countertop which are far beyond the old "6 foot rule", those require GFCI protect, not because they are near any water, but because they will be used for those appliances.

Not sure if that helps or not.

Since the new improved GFCIs are no longer subject to nuisance tripping I would not be surprised to see every RO located within a kitchen requiring GFCI protection by the 2011 NEC?

Bruce,
If I am not mistaken, at the Chapter meeting Tuesday, Ron Chilton (State Electrical Inspector for North Carolina, for the rest of this message board) said switched outlets were excluded from kitchen GFCI requirement. I guess that is because they are likely to be used for disposals and dishwashers. As Jerry M. said, that may change when the next code revision come about.

Originally Posted by Fred Herndon

If I am not mistaken, at the Chapter meeting Tuesday, Ron Chilton (State Electrical Inspector for North Carolina, for the rest of this message board) said switched outlets were excluded from kitchen GFCI requirement.

Fred,

"Practically speaking" he would be correct in that I don't recall ever seeing a receptacle which was to serve the countertop which was also switched, however, ...

"Technically speaking" there is no such exclusion, and, if you did find a switched receptacle which was there to serve the countertop, it too would be required to have GFCI protection.

I would not be surprised to, in maybe 2-3 code cycles (2011, 2014 or 2017) see more an more receptacles covered under required GFCI protection (it has already made a major leap with the 2008 code) and then shortly after that (2020?) maybe going to where *every* circuit in a dwelling unit was GFCI protected ... as well as AFCI protected.
I know that "2020" seems like a long way away, but that is less than 12 years from now.