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dave_mn_gw

Peninsula outlet....required by code?

dave_mn
11 years ago

There is one in the adjoining wall. Do I still need one in the end of the cabinet? I assume it needs a GFCI.
Thannks.

Comments (17)

  • bus_driver
    11 years ago

    One possible interpretation of the various provisions of 210.52(C)(1) would be that the receptacle would need to be within 24" of the entire back edge of the countertop. But based on 210.52(C)(3), it appears to be code complaint. I suspect that most inspectors would accept things as shown in the photo.

  • Ron Natalie
    11 years ago

    I agree with Bus. This peninsula requires an outlet and the one shown in the photo meets the requirement provided you're not putting a cooktop or sink in that peninsula.

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    Put one in the end of the peninsula if the wall ones are more than 48 inches away.

  • Ron Natalie
    11 years ago

    There's no distance requirement on islands and peninsulas, only wall countertops. Just that the island or peninsula has one. The only reason (code wise) to put more than one on an island or peninsula is if the space is broken into two by "range, counter-mounted cooking unit, or sink."

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    "There's no distance requirement on islands and peninsulas, "

    See 210 (B)(c)(3) Peninsular Countertop Spaces. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed at each peninsular countertop space with a long dimension of 600 mm (24 in.) or greater and a short dimension of 300 mm (12 in.) or greater. A peninsular countertop is measured fro the connecting edge.

    I the peninsulas sticks out from the wall more than 24 inches it needs a receptacle on the end.

  • bus_driver
    11 years ago

    "At least one receptacle outlet shall---"

    All things are subject to interpretation. I think the one receptacle that is there satisfies this requirement. If one is added, then the total is two.

  • Ron Natalie
    11 years ago

    I was addressing your assertion on the 48". There's no "distance between receptacle requirement" on peninsulas and islands. Yes, there is an "minimum size" for something to be considered a peninsula.

    The peninsula does NOT need to be "on the end". It just needs a receptacle somewhere along it.

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    The intent is (and has been for many years) to make sure no place on the counter is more than is more than 24 inches from a receptacle.

    You are correct, it is not 48 inches but 24 inches of peninsula length.

    You are free to argue with your AHJ about placement.

    The ones i work with all seem to want the 24 inch distance rule, or no more than 48 inches between receptacles.
    The single receptacle rule is actually sort of stupid for large peninsulas.

    It leaves the possibility of counter areas with no receptacle withing 24 inches.

    At some point you have to keep in mind the code is the MINIMUM that is required.

  • Ron Natalie
    11 years ago

    There is no "space along the countertop" rule EXCEPT for wall countertop.

    You could have an aircraft carrier sized island and you're only required to install ONE receptacle on it unless the countertop is broken up with sinks or cooktops. The TEXT of the code is EXPLICIT as are the examples in the handbook (non-normative, but reinforce my point).

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    Still stuck on giving your customers the code prescribed minimum?

    You end up with huge island without any reachable receptacle.

    The "required" is sadly a minimum that is not all that useful here.

    Ever noticed how short kitchen appliance cords are?

    I even tell my customers to put regular wall receptacles 6 ft apart instead of the MINIMUM 12 ft.
    And even extra receptacles under windows.

    MORE than the minimum.

    In 30+ years no one has opted for 12 ft.

  • Ron Natalie
    11 years ago

    Listen BRICK, I gave the code answers because that's what the poster needed to know. You made either an mistatement or vague statement TWICE with regard to outlet placement on islands and penninsulas. Yes, you can put as many receptacle as you feel is necessary or the customer would would like, but we were talking about WHAT THE CODE REQUIRES.

    The code REQUIRES one receptacle on any penninsula that doesn't have a sink or cooktop in it. To say otherwise is wrong and it misleads the people here who are NOT professionals and no not have the liberty of a copy of the code to refer to.

  • btharmy
    11 years ago

    He did ask if he "needed" another receptacle. According to the NEC, no, he does not. In the interest of convenience, I would want to put one at the end of the peninsula. I am not, however, going to install it for free. All of my prices are bid to minimum code. That is all anybody wants to pay for. Start throwing in extras and you start getting less and less jobs because your price is higher than the other 3 contractors that bid the job. Customers don't care about the extras when they are picking a contractor, they just care about price. The extras are what they want at the end of the job. As a result they end up paying more for them in the end, but they feel good about the cheap price on the bid up front.

  • elltwo
    11 years ago

    The OP never said if this is a picture of a kitchen or DR, or another room. No one has advised him on whether he needs a 15A or 20 A circuit. If that is a kitchen or dining room, and the peninsula gets a receptacle someplace, it must be supplied from one of the small appliance branch circuits.

  • Ron Natalie
    11 years ago

    Correct. If this is not the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area, then there's no requirement to put receptacles on the countertop at all. Only the wall rules apply.

  • brickeyee
    11 years ago

    His picture shows a peninsula that appears more than 24 inches long and 12 inches wide. and needs another receptacle as the MINIMUM.

  • dave_mn
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    It divides the kitchen from the dining.living room. It is a total of 54inches long and 24 inches wide. I didnt mean to start a big argument. I think I will put in the outlet. I could have done it in the time it took to post and read all these messages. Thanks guys, always fun listening to the spirited discussion.

  • btharmy
    11 years ago

    "His picture shows a peninsula that appears more than 24 inches long and 12 inches wide. and needs another receptacle as the MINIMUM."

    Actually there is NO requirement for a peninsula to have more than one receptacle, no matter how long it is. It could be 16ft long and have only one receptacle where it meets the wall and be code compliant. The 24" only applies to wall space behind a counter, not to the length of a peninsula. If it is divided by a cooktop or sink, it would require another receptacle on the opposite side of that.