I was at the electrical inspection of my new house build, and every outlet was checked for wiring with a tester, the plate for the induction oven feed was asked to be removed and neatness of wiring behind viewed, and it was great to see the back/forth between my contractor and the inspector. Inspector kept saying good, and electrician answered every question (such as the remote GFCI in a bathroom for the lights in the shower). No issues found, as the homeowner felt secure knowing good work was done, and the check/balance done by someone who was on my side. Love seeing professionals being professionals!
This video was very helpful. PLEASE DO MORE CODE. I would love to learn the most important sections to memorize and I personally learn best when things are dumbed way down. Maybe next time you could do a video focused on code sections that are more relevant for commercial projects?
Recent subscriber here and I wanted to say thanks for your informative content! I was a licensed apprentice for 16yrs. Started working for my Uncle's company when i was in 8th grade, pulling wire, fetching tools. Went to college for architectural engineering and now design high voltage substations through the country, especially in your state. I have been rewiring my 1980's house and building a new lakeside cabin. I've been brushing up on my code compliance and recently found you on UA-cam. I've stayed away from this because some people don't know how to explain things and never go into why we do things the way we do. So thank you for the code explanations! Being from Maine anyone can "think" they can do their own electrical and only screw things up worse. I wish more content was this in-depth and well thought out! THANKS!
@@Lawlenforcer yes. I never intended to make this a career and I work summers and after school in high school and through college. I worked weekends for my uncle's company after that. Never went for my journeyman license as I was working as a full time engineer. So yes...16 years
You dont know how much I appreciate your channel. The way you teach and your sense of humor makes things super engaging and im always looking forward for a new video so thank you.
As I read the code you had on screen about the hallway receptacle I didn’t read anything about adding extra receptacles if the hallway was more than 20’
@@Kooladethekid But the code does not say EVERY 10ft or every ADDITIONAL 10ft. It specifically and simply states hallways 10ft long, or longer, requires minimum one receptacle.
It super important to have outlets in the attic. When we bought our home they had 0 outlets up there. I’m not up there a lot but I added 2 outlets to each attic and they have been invaluable. I can run corded tools or lights. And more importantly fans.
Had a city inspector out here in Houston area tell me “make sure you isolate the grounds and neutrals” several times when he showed up to inspect a main panel we were replacing. I advised it was a main and must be bonded and he still reiterated the “isolate” comment. I’m guessing he just meant to make it look pretty by having neutrals and grounds on separate bars but using the word “isolate” is problematic.
For those inspectors, an ounce of prevention is worthwhile. Plus it makes it easier to troubleshoot down the road to have the grounds and neutrals on separate terminal strips in the main panel.
8:05 When my North Texas house was built back in 2008 they used one 20A circuit for all 5 full bathrooms, using a single GFCI outlet. We have a 5100 sq ft single story home, and in those 5 bathrooms are 8 sinks. You can only run one hair drier at a time in all the bathrooms! Absolute worst design ever, and don't know why it was installed that way other than to save a buck. Keep in mind at most of the sinks, there are quad outlets at each one. To reset the GFCI its only about 120 feet away from the farthest bath outlet. We have split 400A service into 2 panels, so breaker space wasn't an issue. More of a common sense thing for the electricians. 👍🤠
The wording of the hallway to me means any hallway 10 feet or larger needs a receptacle outlet. Not per 10 feet. So a 20 ft hallway still only needs at least one.
@@dallinbagley4486 It doesn't have to be in the middle. If the hallway is 10 feet or longer it needs at least one outlet. If it's smaller than 10 feet then no outlets are required. It doesn't say anything about spacing. The 10 feet isn't a spacing requirement or detail.
It could technically be 40 feet and still only require one outlet receptacle, though it would be impractical to be so minimalistic. But the code doesn't tell you how many or what the spacing should be. It is just telling you if the hallway is 10 feet or longer then it needs a minimum of 1 outlet.
It always amazed me when a GC would say to me, "Are you sure you need all those circuits in a kitchen?" I don't know how some of these people ever got work.
5:04 you said 20ft hallway needs twice as many receptacle as a 10ft halfway. Code states 10ft or more require at least one receptacle. 20 or 30ft would still require "at least 1 receptacle” just like a 10ft
My attic crawlspace had only one light in it initially. Just 1 above the access point, which is in the middle of the space (about 40' long, 8' wide, and maybe 4' high). And it was an old curlyq fluorescent bulb, so in the winter, turning it on meant waiting 5 minutes for usable light. It was right next to the air handler, so it met code (by accident, not intent, I would say). I added two new fixtures at either end of the attic, and upgraded to LED bulbs, while working on insulating the space.
Having worked in the Trade for more than 55 years , I know more than most City Electrical Inspectors do when it comes to the NEC Codes and I have done proved it on several jobs many times over !
Industrial electrician for 25 years here. I have worked on 4160V switchgear that is 6 feet high, 480V DC, generator bus bars, power grids etc etc. When I built my house, I wired it and found a lot of the code requirements to be simply stupid. There are way better and more efficient ways to do things, but the entire design is tailored to cost more, keep the "inspectors" busy, and protect contractors bottom lines.
This brings to mind an interesting idea for a video. How about a “why?” For some of the codes? I’d like to know why I need a circuit within 6feet so I can explain to my customers why these things are necessary.
I always wonder these things too. Then I realize that the whole and only purpose of NEC is to protect people and property. It seems the code boils down to, in essence, sizing things properly to prevent fire, and bonding and grounding things to prevent electrocution. The 6foot rule for example is largely to prevent people from having to reach around water (in a kitchen) or just generally power things up with extension cords, as they may not know how to size them properly, or plug to many things into a power strip, etc. Most code probably arises from fires or deaths that happened, and so rules change to prevent what happened from happening again. That sort of thing. So at the core, the customers can be told it's to prevent fire and/or electrocution.
To avoid the need for an extension cord for COMMON use (eg table lamps). You should have lived in a house built in the 30's. Some had 1 outlet per room. then it was 1 outlet per wall in the 40's .
@@steveurbach3093 I am in a house built in 1890. I was lucky, each room had 2 outlets. Usually on opposite walls. Which doesn't work too well in a 12 x 12 living room with no ceiling fixture. Also, the whole 2000 sq ft house was run on 6 fuses. One of which was dedicated for the furnace. I had no idea about the code requirements when I figured out where I wanted all my new receptacles when the 40 breaker panel went in. But looking around, seems like I met and exceeded code just by having them where it made the most sense. And the kitchen has 8 circuits, counting the 4 dedicated ones for the fridge, freezer, dishwasher, and microwave.
If you don't make things convenient for the resident, they will start doing sketchy things to make it convenient for them. Most homeowners and Tennants doing things more than just simply plugging in a charger to a receptical leads to fire.
I've never failed an inspection but I have had inspectors, more than one, say my work is very good but will pick something they want to say that they would like to see done differently not a code issue but just so they have something to show that they are better and in control.
I'm a DIYer, Third Class, which means I know something about what I am doing, but not everything. You, and other video producers, are helping me get to second class. One topic I would like to see covered is Grandfathering. Precisely what it is and how it would affect me when I take on a new electrical project. It seems to me that when the house was built may determine which code rules, old or current, would apply or not apply to the house.
Reference to the grandfather clause....depends when the structure was built. Like replacing a distribution panel....pre 1999 when Arc Faults were required on home runs....say even last year in 2021 you replaced a panel, you do not need to install an AFCI breaker UNLESS you put in a new circuit. But some areas they require installing AFCI's in that replaced panel! My thoughts are....If you replace a panel...throw in AFCI's!
Pretty much, if you touch the circuit you own it. You need to get a permit for the work your going to perform. Even replacing a light fixture requires a permit. Otherwise, if there is a fire inside the house related to the work you performed, the insurance company will not pay up. Getting a permit puts the responsibility on the electrical inspector plus the inspector will make sure the work performed meets the NEC code requirements.
I have been doing similar over the years and what I do is upgrade as I go along. At this point I now have GFIC for garage, baths, and all outdoor stuff. Eventually the basement and kitchen will get upgraded. BTW, house was built in 1910 but all wiring has been replaced and panels too. What was once the main panel on a 1975 remodel is now the gen subpanel. A new 200 amp main was installed in the mid 90s. Since there are few home runs there will likely never be any AFCI breakers unless a new owner wants to change everything again.
What about apartment complex’s?? My boyfriend lives in one where the electric is sketchy to say the least!! It’s subsidized housing and we just a couple of weeks ago had an outlet that almost burned down our apartment complex (THANK GOD FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS) all we had plugged into that particular outlet was a couple of phone chargers and when the “maintenance” guy pulled out the outlet I just about fainted because it was well and truly melted… AND BURNED🔥!! The complex was built in the mid 1960s and I am wondering if they have to update to any of the more recent code… especially if they are receiving federal section 8 voucher funds??? After the “maintenance guy” who claimed through Google translate that he was a licensed electrician changed the outlet and restored power… it shot sparks and almost started ANOTHER 🔥!! Then later that day … after he supposedly fixed the outlet (in the bedroom) we discovered that the outlet on the opposite side of the wall that controls his refrigerator was DEAD and so we almost lost ALL the food in the refrigerator and freezer… fortunately we have a small mini-fridge that made it possible to salvage our (now crazy expensive) chicken 🍗!! How is this even legal???
@@kathrynarchuleta1776 oh wow that was a close call and it sounds like the are more caged wild animals waiting to escape from the electrical equipment. That's what electricity does when there is a fault in an electrical circuit. Maybe the "licenced electrician" was qualified where he was from originally , I can't imagine that an I.B.E.W. trained electrician would not be able to speak English. What to do??? This is tricky because if you do what I'm about to tell you to do you will be the bad guy/girl. Contact your local city building inspector and tell them what happened. They will write down your name and address and if they are not real busy the inspector will show up in a day or two. In the mean time try not to use the duplex receptacles that have a problem. The inspector could "red tag" your apartment until the problem is corrected which means that you will have to move out to a hotel paid for by the owner. Like I said this could open up a big can of worms. But the last thing the city wants is an apartment fire after they were out on notice that a dangerous condition existed with the power distribution equipment. Good luck, let us know what you decided to do.
My Master told me that if I install an arc-fault on a room with an installed GFCI outlet, that it would constantly trip. From what you said around 13:45 that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Is what my Master said true or not?
@@Burn3r10 oh i plan on trying it... For I think my Master is wrong. Wouldn't be first or 50th time. Then after i prove him wrong, I know he wont acknowledge it and still say the same thing.
It will not trip. Here in Canada we're required to put an AFCI on new receptacle circuits, if the circuit feeds new outlets outside we need to GFI protect them as well. I've done it.
I really enjoyed this one. Code time is my favorite. Maybe consider threading all your code time segments from each video into one long one and also maybe a bunch of shorts. Code time is essential!
Are you sure about the receptacles required beside that large sliding door? In Canada it says "usable wall space" and I think you could make a case that is not usable?
Kitchens in NH we used 2 run 3 multibtanch one for the left gfci and pig and or the dishwasher with the right side picking up the other appliance and than the microwave and fridge wld share a multibranch circuit. The electricians I worked for used to love multibranch circuits lol
The AFCI/GFCI updates are confusing. I think you’re right, eventually it will become code that EVERYTHING needs dual protection. A $150 panel will be filled with $1,500 worth of breakers!!! 🤦🏻♂️
406.9 c as we interpreted could be seen as only outlet receptacles. So switches? Etc? Just no plugs of any type. Obviously even if it's only a switch it should absolutely be GFCI'd. Example would be a single pole switch near shower for stall light fixtures
Wall space 24" and greater needs an outlet also (think about column in large rooms or finished basement) an 8x8 column is 32" when measured around corners
not sure if anyone asked this yet. in regards to the patio door at 4:30 with the window next to it. does the 6 feet count across the open door? if you put a receptacle to the left of the door, right next to the door frame, you'd be past the open door when you hit the 6 foot limit. then your current one to the far right might be within 6 feet of that point. Does the door cancel the distance across the door face?
if you measure that door from the opening, then add the trim, it's probably 7 ft and change.... that's the sticking point. A standard 6 or 8 ft door would be ok, but this one has two stationary panels so it's a 9 ft door.
10:35 What about those "open" bathrooms where it's literally alllllllll the shower? Like, the whole room is tiled floor to 3/4 high and the whole floor is sloped from wall to wall into a central drain. The toilet and sink and everything are located away, but they can still get wet. This is more common in Europe I think. Wtf do you do with THAT?! 😸 There is no tub rim or shower pan threshold to reference!
It depends on the location of the sink that’s directly specified to be used in conjunction of your whole room shower. If there is a vanity outside of that whole room shower that’s where it would go. If there’s no vanity or toilet anywhere near the whole room shower you can 100% make an argument that by code you don’t need an outlet.
If the area is only showers then you wouldn’t put one in there. The only receptacles you have to put in a bathroom are within 3ft of a sink and no other place. You don’t even have to put one in a isolated toilet room.
That was an interesting bathroom. The lavatory shares a pony wall with the shower. Is it going to have glass for the shower that’s also the mirror. Either that or it won’t have a mirror which I doubt. That’s not exactly how I’d design it but who knows without seeing the finished product
Need your great advice! I am building a new home. Currently I have a garage built where the service comes in. I need to feed the garage, the house, another building, and I want to plan for solar, wind, a standby generator, an EV station, and possibly another building for storage (boat house). What is the best way of doing this? I see lots of rules coming into play on this. I know... sounds nuts but this is the dilemma. Thanks. Love your clear explanations.
Funny thing with kitchen circuit.. left and right is not practicall. Leapfrog would be a better choice. Good chance appliances are used next to each other plugged into nearest outlet. Not one at left of sink and other at right. Not cheapest though.
I like your residential advice but can you do commercial to because I like wiring homes but I feel like I can make more money wiring commercial buildings and amenity centers
Hello, I have a question on Hallways. So in short where do i power it from? can i piggy back off the livingroom to power the hall plugs and lighting? or do we have to dedicate a hallway circuit to power the hall and light in the hall?
They now make outside disconnects for the outside AC Condenser Unit that has a GFCI Duplex Receptacle within the same weatherproof enclosure so the electrician doesn't have to install a separate receptacle outlet as required by Code .
@@bahopik ; WRONG ! They only came on the market a few years ago and in regards to Yellow Jacket Wasps building nests inside of electrical boxes put some moth balls inside ! They deter Bees, Wasps, and Fire Ants from building their nests or hives inside of Electrical Panels and Boxes !!
@@BearStar1 I'm the HVAC guy that uses them. I've been in the field for 13 years and remember seeing those in college lab. As far as moth balls that up to electricians, when I'm out there try to disconnect power to a unit, it's already too late
for many years one of my local sparkies has been using what he calls a spa panel. It's usually 4-6 breaker slots in an R rated box and only a few inches wider than the usual disconnect. This way you have room for two AC units and a service outlet connected by an offset. Makes a nice, neat installation.
Another GREAT video! I'm getting set to install a new 200A service in my older house and I'm learning more every one of your vids...Is there a book you can recommend that lists and explains the latest national code AND what old work is still acceptable.I'm not an electrician but am confident in my own work methods.
How deep does the trench in the concrete have to be to run wire and does it need to be in conduit pvc or can it be underground wiring for your receptacles at the glass windows?
Loving your videos. Did you consider decritive conduit coming down the steel supports instead of jackhammering the floors which compromised the engineering of the floors
Love the video Dustin do you have one or can you make one on circuits and what needs there own like can the bathroom share the same circuit with another bathroom dose a fridge realy need a dedicated circuit and go over microwave garbage disposal dishwasher laundry room garage and hvac blower thanks
Isolate the fridge on it's own circuit. Most fridges will never meet the load, but it protects the fridge from going out because something else tripped the breaker.
I have a toilet that’s 15inches from a shower with glass panels. I would like to add a receptacle for a plug in bidet. Where would be an acceptable place to add it “per code”?
The problem in Nova Scotia is you could be the guy who wrote the electrical code and you still can’t do your own wiring. Crooked politicians and crooked industry leaders made it where only a licensed electrician can wire a home. Logic dictates that if the inspector says you did everything right then it’s safe but code compliance is secondary to the industry making the money.
? In my dining room at the end of short wall (rectangular room) there are 6 cooking appliances such as coffee,iced ,tea makers and so on . How high from floor should I install new outlets thank
so does this still fall under City and State code allowances, or does it matter with older homes built before codes where changed or updated? 1969 residential.
In Europe you remove the bond and use a Megger to verify your neutral & hots are not connected to earth anywhere, and also you use a continuity tester to verify continuity of the earth without the neutral bond, otherwisr you will not know if you have something grounded to neutral. Good luck doing any of this without "making it look pretty" and not mixing the wires.
Those arc fault breakers fill up panels really fast! I'm an electrician in New Orleans and I like to put a lot of circuits because like you said people are using way more equipment at home nowadays and I absolutely HATE extension cords. But now its tough correctly wiring my circuit panels because the only available ones (125 amp) are only for 12 circuits.. I appreciate the vids, nevertheless!
If you are adding to an existing panel it can get out of hand really quickly. OTOH, if you are installing new panels, I would strongly suggest plug-on neutral panels. They really help with wire management. Good luck!
Arc fault breakers tend to be incredibly annoying. They very commonly trip when you turn on a vacuum cleaner or some other high-inrush motor, even on new construction when there's clearly no fault. I think they have less to do with safety and more to do with profitability, but what do I know.
Can I ask you a question? The receptacle in the hallway that is 10 feet. I have a central vacuum system. Would that hallway be exempt from the receptacle requirement if I have a central vacuum valve in the hallway? Or do I still need to install a receptacle in the hallway even if I have a central vacuum?
In regards to the double bowl vanity with two mirrors. If the GFCI outlet is installed in the middle of the mirrors within a 2 gang box along with the vanity light switch. Is there code requirements that the light switch needs to be protected on the GFCI outlet circuit. We had a back in forth on this situation, I have wired the light with the GFCI outlet circuit as a result of the being close (arms reach of touching the water and outlet at the same time) proximity to water for quite a long time. I was told on a recent job with this exact scenario was wired with no GFCI protection within the bathroom even though the light switch was in between a double bowl sink(the lighting has a GFCI breaker within the panel) and they said that was fine. Any input would be great. Thanks.
With the receptacle zone by the tub, is the 8 ft vertical mean from the rim up or both directions? If just up, does that mean you can place it below the rim?
Can or should the bathroom lights be wired on the same GFCI circuit as the bathroom receptacles? Some people say you don't want your lights going out if the GFCI trips.
i have a question, need an answer. my floor trusses are ladder type, do I have to secure my wiring with staples like is needed within walls or can it just lay inside the floor trusses? Im doing my new house. thank you.
I can’t stand arc faults. Using my chop saw, shop vac, compressor etc at a clients house, 9 times out of 10 if it trips it’s on an arc fault circuit and just keeps tripping. So now I’m running extension cords out bathroom windows. I get why they’re code but from a usability standpoint I think they’re just too sensitive.
AFCI's are POS arent they. till they figure out how to make them not freak out nuisance trip from homeowner running their $600 Dyson vacuum, AFCI should be removed from required
I'm a project engineer, not an electrician (although I work with them regularly). I understand that electricians need to know the code, and construct per code, that's part of their responsibility. However, in my side of the field, I produce plans and specs for design-bid-build projects. If we're laying out receptacles, gfcis, sizing conductors, sizing conduits, specing all the materiald, etc. Our architects, engineers, and designers will put that to the plans. Part of my job is to design and perform the inspections. All that to say, responsibility for being to code is shared by the electricians doing the install, but also the architect/engineer stamping the plans. And building "per code" may not be the intent of the job, it's to build to plans/spec--building to code is just the minimum. Again, all that to say, I'm wondering if electricians go all self-code-police on themselves when installing, or if they tune-out and just install per plans. I guess it ultimately depends who the inspector is. Since I am the one performing the final inspection for our projects, they have to build what I accept as being in accordance to what was in the plans and specs. That may be unique because I am the AHJ at a public utility.
I do not know any jurisdiction where the project engineer or any other member of the design & build team is the FINAL inspector*. Certainly, the designer can use more stringent requirements than the Code, but not less. At the end of the day, the AHJ which is the city/municipal inspector has the final approval. If there are discrepancies between the plans and what the build team understands of the Code, we have a responsibility to get clarification both from the design team AND the AHJ. If the design team says, "do it this way" and the AHJ/inspector says "No, do not do it that way" you only really have three choices - refuse to do the work, do it the way the AHJ says to do it, or do it the way the plans say, and then submit a change order ($$$) when the inspector fails the job. Most of us are not a fan of the latter because it creates problems for everyone and creates rework, often for multiple trades. *the only exception being an industrial facility where outside inspectors do not routinely come in and check ongoing work. However, we are generally talking about commercial & residential work which is subjected to inspections by the AHJ.
my gf recently bought a house and the breaker box has 19 of the 20 breakers in use but trying to trace the wiring i find junction boxes into junction boxes into junction boxes... whoever wired this house up should never be aloud to do wiring again. ill be working for weeks or months getting this fixed depending on how crappy they did....
I installed a dual function Arc Fault and Ground Fault receptacle in for my Bosch 800 series dishwasher and I keep getting nuisance trips requiring me to empty out under the sink to push a reset button very frequently. My solution is that my local code doesn't require arc fault for dishwashers and just replace it with a simpler GFCI.
How should I separate my existing gfci circuit in my kitchen to 2 separate gfci runs as you quoted in the code book. Im in unincorporated area of town in Natalia Tx. My BIL did the wiring and has it as one run across the whole counter of receptacles . Thanks Victoria
I was at the electrical inspection of my new house build, and every outlet was checked for wiring with a tester, the plate for the induction oven feed was asked to be removed and neatness of wiring behind viewed, and it was great to see the back/forth between my contractor and the inspector. Inspector kept saying good, and electrician answered every question (such as the remote GFCI in a bathroom for the lights in the shower). No issues found, as the homeowner felt secure knowing good work was done, and the check/balance done by someone who was on my side. Love seeing professionals being professionals!
This video was very helpful. PLEASE DO MORE CODE. I would love to learn the most important sections to memorize and I personally learn best when things are dumbed way down. Maybe next time you could do a video focused on code sections that are more relevant for commercial projects?
All 730 of them :)
@@Merescat true. But for pea brains like myself I think maybe like “top 100” would be a good place to start 😂
This. I'm mostly commercial and industrial, you're an excellent source of learning all the stuff I don't get to do while working my normal job.
I'd like this, too 👍
Recent subscriber here and I wanted to say thanks for your informative content! I was a licensed apprentice for 16yrs. Started working for my Uncle's company when i was in 8th grade, pulling wire, fetching tools. Went to college for architectural engineering and now design high voltage substations through the country, especially in your state. I have been rewiring my 1980's house and building a new lakeside cabin. I've been brushing up on my code compliance and recently found you on UA-cam. I've stayed away from this because some people don't know how to explain things and never go into why we do things the way we do. So thank you for the code explanations! Being from Maine anyone can "think" they can do their own electrical and only screw things up worse. I wish more content was this in-depth and well thought out! THANKS!
Apprentice for 16 years?
@@Lawlenforcer yes. I never intended to make this a career and I work summers and after school in high school and through college. I worked weekends for my uncle's company after that. Never went for my journeyman license as I was working as a full time engineer. So yes...16 years
You dont know how much I appreciate your channel. The way you teach and your sense of humor makes things super engaging and im always looking forward for a new video so thank you.
5:00 I disagree… 210.52H says 10’ or more in length must have one receptacle. It does NOT say every 10’…
Curious which interpretation is more accurate
I agree it says hallways 10’ or more shall have at least one receptacle.
I does not say one receptacle for every 10’ of hallway.
Facts.
And if it's shorter than 10ft have zero?
Correct 10’ or longer requires at least 1, so under 10’ wouldn’t require any receptacles.
As I read the code you had on screen about the hallway receptacle I didn’t read anything about adding extra receptacles if the hallway was more than 20’
Code explains the minimum required. So, the minimum is every 10’ thus, anything more then 10’ another outlet out be the minimum required. 😊
@@Kooladethekid But the code does not say EVERY 10ft or every ADDITIONAL 10ft. It specifically and simply states hallways 10ft long, or longer, requires minimum one receptacle.
@@Kooladethekid It says if it is 10 ft or larger it needs at least 1. Not every 10 feet.
I agree code states a receptacle if hallway is 10' or more. Now I don't know anyone with a 50' long hallway but then I would add more outlets.
@@fastxsam Yeah you'd add more for practical purposes but as far as code, one is the requirement.
It super important to have outlets in the attic. When we bought our home they had 0 outlets up there. I’m not up there a lot but I added 2 outlets to each attic and they have been invaluable. I can run corded tools or lights. And more importantly fans.
Had a city inspector out here in Houston area tell me “make sure you isolate the grounds and neutrals” several times when he showed up to inspect a main panel we were replacing. I advised it was a main and must be bonded and he still reiterated the “isolate” comment. I’m guessing he just meant to make it look pretty by having neutrals and grounds on separate bars but using the word “isolate” is problematic.
For those inspectors, an ounce of prevention is worthwhile. Plus it makes it easier to troubleshoot down the road to have the grounds and neutrals on separate terminal strips in the main panel.
@@dracula3811 think it was more the terminology he used. Shouldn’t have been saying isolate.
@@dracula3811 and we do put on their own bar but just that word. Feel like some of them just have to say something even if it’s dumb.
@@dracula3811 and we do put on their own bar but just that word. Feel like some of them just have to say something even if it’s dumb.
@@dracula3811 idiotic… zero reason other than aesthetics to do this on a main panel… unless there is a primary disconnect before the main panel.
8:05 When my North Texas house was built back in 2008 they used one 20A circuit for all 5 full bathrooms, using a single GFCI outlet. We have a 5100 sq ft single story home, and in those 5 bathrooms are 8 sinks. You can only run one hair drier at a time in all the bathrooms! Absolute worst design ever, and don't know why it was installed that way other than to save a buck. Keep in mind at most of the sinks, there are quad outlets at each one. To reset the GFCI its only about 120 feet away from the farthest bath outlet. We have split 400A service into 2 panels, so breaker space wasn't an issue. More of a common sense thing for the electricians. 👍🤠
The wording of the hallway to me means any hallway 10 feet or larger needs a receptacle outlet. Not per 10 feet. So a 20 ft hallway still only needs at least one.
I understand that as a 20’ hall would need an outlet in the middle so an outlet is 10’ from either end.
@@dallinbagley4486 It doesn't have to be in the middle. If the hallway is 10 feet or longer it needs at least one outlet. If it's smaller than 10 feet then no outlets are required. It doesn't say anything about spacing. The 10 feet isn't a spacing requirement or detail.
It could technically be 40 feet and still only require one outlet receptacle, though it would be impractical to be so minimalistic. But the code doesn't tell you how many or what the spacing should be. It is just telling you if the hallway is 10 feet or longer then it needs a minimum of 1 outlet.
@@illestofdemall13 gotcha, thanks for taking the time to reply
@@dallinbagley4486 No problem.
It always amazed me when a GC would say to me, "Are you sure you need all those circuits in a kitchen?" I don't know how some of these people ever got work.
Love your chanel!! We have an electrical contracting company and ive been sending our apprentices your videos.
5:04 you said 20ft hallway needs twice as many receptacle as a 10ft halfway. Code states 10ft or more require at least one receptacle. 20 or 30ft would still require "at least 1 receptacle” just like a 10ft
Pops tossed me under the house at five. I could fit in the foundation vents for quick access;)
My attic crawlspace had only one light in it initially. Just 1 above the access point, which is in the middle of the space (about 40' long, 8' wide, and maybe 4' high). And it was an old curlyq fluorescent bulb, so in the winter, turning it on meant waiting 5 minutes for usable light. It was right next to the air handler, so it met code (by accident, not intent, I would say). I added two new fixtures at either end of the attic, and upgraded to LED bulbs, while working on insulating the space.
Having worked in the Trade for more than 55 years , I know more than most City Electrical Inspectors do when it comes to the NEC Codes and I have done proved it on several jobs many times over !
Just shopped for GFCI breakers and they are more expensive than dual function breakers.
Industrial electrician for 25 years here. I have worked on 4160V switchgear that is 6 feet high, 480V DC, generator bus bars, power grids etc etc. When I built my house, I wired it and found a lot of the code requirements to be simply stupid. There are way better and more efficient ways to do things, but the entire design is tailored to cost more, keep the "inspectors" busy, and protect contractors bottom lines.
Very helpful! Thanks for this! Always good to get a refresher on stuff like this through residential
"Light Puck" for Ceilings, I love those!!!
This brings to mind an interesting idea for a video. How about a “why?” For some of the codes? I’d like to know why I need a circuit within 6feet so I can explain to my customers why these things are necessary.
Most powered device’s have cords 6 feet long
I always wonder these things too. Then I realize that the whole and only purpose of NEC is to protect people and property. It seems the code boils down to, in essence, sizing things properly to prevent fire, and bonding and grounding things to prevent electrocution. The 6foot rule for example is largely to prevent people from having to reach around water (in a kitchen) or just generally power things up with extension cords, as they may not know how to size them properly, or plug to many things into a power strip, etc. Most code probably arises from fires or deaths that happened, and so rules change to prevent what happened from happening again. That sort of thing. So at the core, the customers can be told it's to prevent fire and/or electrocution.
To avoid the need for an extension cord for COMMON use (eg table lamps).
You should have lived in a house built in the 30's. Some had 1 outlet per room. then it was 1 outlet per wall in the 40's .
@@steveurbach3093 I am in a house built in 1890. I was lucky, each room had 2 outlets. Usually on opposite walls. Which doesn't work too well in a 12 x 12 living room with no ceiling fixture.
Also, the whole 2000 sq ft house was run on 6 fuses. One of which was dedicated for the furnace.
I had no idea about the code requirements when I figured out where I wanted all my new receptacles when the 40 breaker panel went in. But looking around, seems like I met and exceeded code just by having them where it made the most sense. And the kitchen has 8 circuits, counting the 4 dedicated ones for the fridge, freezer, dishwasher, and microwave.
If you don't make things convenient for the resident, they will start doing sketchy things to make it convenient for them. Most homeowners and Tennants doing things more than just simply plugging in a charger to a receptical leads to fire.
They got a laborer cutting the concrete for the conduits I did that last month for electricians
Title: "Will your inspection fail?"
Depends on the inspector 😆
I don't why you started doing these videos but man are they helpful! You are doing God's work my guy haha
Subscribed simply due to the books on the bookshelf lol. Good content too.
thank you for sharing the knowledge
I've never failed an inspection but I have had inspectors, more than one, say my work is very good but will pick something they want to say that they would like to see done differently not a code issue but just so they have something to show that they are better and in control.
Would love to see a video on smoke and carbon alarm codes
I'm a DIYer, Third Class, which means I know something about what I am doing, but not everything. You, and other video producers, are helping me get to second class. One topic I would like to see covered is Grandfathering. Precisely what it is and how it would affect me when I take on a new electrical project. It seems to me that when the house was built may determine which code rules, old or current, would apply or not apply to the house.
Reference to the grandfather clause....depends when the structure was built. Like replacing a distribution panel....pre 1999 when Arc Faults were required on home runs....say even last year in 2021 you replaced a panel, you do not need to install an AFCI breaker UNLESS you put in a new circuit. But some areas they require installing AFCI's in that replaced panel! My thoughts are....If you replace a panel...throw in AFCI's!
Pretty much, if you touch the circuit you own it. You need to get a permit for the work your going to perform. Even replacing a light fixture requires a permit. Otherwise, if there is a fire inside the house related to the work you performed, the insurance company will not pay up. Getting a permit puts the responsibility on the electrical inspector plus the inspector will make sure the work performed meets the NEC code requirements.
I have been doing similar over the years and what I do is upgrade as I go along. At this point I now have GFIC for garage, baths, and all outdoor stuff. Eventually the basement and kitchen will get upgraded. BTW, house was built in 1910 but all wiring has been replaced and panels too. What was once the main panel on a 1975 remodel is now the gen subpanel. A new 200 amp main was installed in the mid 90s. Since there are few home runs there will likely never be any AFCI breakers unless a new owner wants to change everything again.
What about apartment complex’s?? My boyfriend lives in one where the electric is sketchy to say the least!! It’s subsidized housing and we just a couple of weeks ago had an outlet that almost burned down our apartment complex (THANK GOD FOR CIRCUIT BREAKERS) all we had plugged into that particular outlet was a couple of phone chargers and when the “maintenance” guy pulled out the outlet I just about fainted because it was well and truly melted… AND BURNED🔥!! The complex was built in the mid 1960s and I am wondering if they have to update to any of the more recent code… especially if they are receiving federal section 8 voucher funds??? After the “maintenance guy” who claimed through Google translate that he was a licensed electrician changed the outlet and restored power… it shot sparks and almost started ANOTHER 🔥!! Then later that day … after he supposedly fixed the outlet (in the bedroom) we discovered that the outlet on the opposite side of the wall that controls his refrigerator was DEAD and so we almost lost ALL the food in the refrigerator and freezer… fortunately we have a small mini-fridge that made it possible to salvage our (now crazy expensive) chicken 🍗!! How is this even legal???
@@kathrynarchuleta1776 oh wow that was a close call and it sounds like the are more caged wild animals waiting to escape from the electrical equipment. That's what electricity does when there is a fault in an electrical circuit. Maybe the "licenced electrician" was qualified where he was from originally , I can't imagine that an I.B.E.W. trained electrician would not be able to speak English. What to do??? This is tricky because if you do what I'm about to tell you to do you will be the bad guy/girl. Contact your local city building inspector and tell them what happened. They will write down your name and address and if they are not real busy the inspector will show up in a day or two. In the mean time try not to use the duplex receptacles that have a problem. The inspector could "red tag" your apartment until the problem is corrected which means that you will have to move out to a hotel paid for by the owner. Like I said this could open up a big can of worms. But the last thing the city wants is an apartment fire after they were out on notice that a dangerous condition existed with the power distribution equipment. Good luck, let us know what you decided to do.
My Master told me that if I install an arc-fault on a room with an installed GFCI outlet, that it would constantly trip. From what you said around 13:45 that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Is what my Master said true or not?
There's one way to know for sure. Lol.
@@Burn3r10 oh i plan on trying it... For I think my Master is wrong. Wouldn't be first or 50th time. Then after i prove him wrong, I know he wont acknowledge it and still say the same thing.
It will not trip. Here in Canada we're required to put an AFCI on new receptacle circuits, if the circuit feeds new outlets outside we need to GFI protect them as well. I've done it.
@@mikerosoft1009 Thanks
This might be a case of old best practices becoming obsolete with better technology.
I really enjoyed this one. Code time is my favorite. Maybe consider threading all your code time segments from each video into one long one and also maybe a bunch of shorts. Code time is essential!
10:34 Can you have a ceiling mounted light or exhaust fan inside the bathtub or shower stall or within the 3'x8' forbidden zone outside the shower?
Yes, but must be rated for damp/wet locations and certain types of fixtures/fans are not allowed.
great information thank you for sharing
Are you sure about the receptacles required beside that large sliding door? In Canada it says "usable wall space" and I think you could make a case that is not usable?
Kitchens in NH we used 2 run 3 multibtanch one for the left gfci and pig and or the dishwasher with the right side picking up the other appliance and than the microwave and fridge wld share a multibranch circuit. The electricians I worked for used to love multibranch circuits lol
Next time you are in LA lunch is on me. Thank you for doing these videos.
The AFCI/GFCI updates are confusing. I think you’re right, eventually it will become code that EVERYTHING needs dual protection. A $150 panel will be filled with $1,500 worth of breakers!!! 🤦🏻♂️
406.9 c as we interpreted could be seen as only outlet receptacles. So switches? Etc? Just no plugs of any type. Obviously even if it's only a switch it should absolutely be GFCI'd. Example would be a single pole switch near shower for stall light fixtures
Another informative video! Keep'em coming! I live in New York State. Do you have courses for my state?
Wall space 24" and greater needs an outlet also (think about column in large rooms or finished basement) an 8x8 column is 32" when measured around corners
You have to also be aware of what code cycle the jurisdiction has adopted or currently enforcing.
not sure if anyone asked this yet. in regards to the patio door at 4:30 with the window next to it. does the 6 feet count across the open door? if you put a receptacle to the left of the door, right next to the door frame, you'd be past the open door when you hit the 6 foot limit. then your current one to the far right might be within 6 feet of that point. Does the door cancel the distance across the door face?
if you measure that door from the opening, then add the trim, it's probably 7 ft and change.... that's the sticking point. A standard 6 or 8 ft door would be ok, but this one has two stationary panels so it's a 9 ft door.
Thank you so much. More code please
Dustin, I would like your input, what is the best lighting to use in a bathroom for brightness. Also keep putting out your awesome videos...
10:35 What about those "open" bathrooms where it's literally alllllllll the shower? Like, the whole room is tiled floor to 3/4 high and the whole floor is sloped from wall to wall into a central drain. The toilet and sink and everything are located away, but they can still get wet. This is more common in Europe I think. Wtf do you do with THAT?! 😸 There is no tub rim or shower pan threshold to reference!
Great question! I am commenting to follow when an answer comes.
It depends on the location of the sink that’s directly specified to be used in conjunction of your whole room shower. If there is a vanity outside of that whole room shower that’s where it would go. If there’s no vanity or toilet anywhere near the whole room shower you can 100% make an argument that by code you don’t need an outlet.
I seen a water proof outlet cover like for outdoors in a bath area, it was from a England post.
If the area is only showers then you wouldn’t put one in there. The only receptacles you have to put in a bathroom are within 3ft of a sink and no other place. You don’t even have to put one in a isolated toilet room.
That was an interesting bathroom. The lavatory shares a pony wall with the shower. Is it going to have glass for the shower that’s also the mirror. Either that or it won’t have a mirror which I doubt. That’s not exactly how I’d design it but who knows without seeing the finished product
I like the channel. I am a red seal carpenter. I watch for entertainment value.
Need your great advice! I am building a new home. Currently I have a garage built where the service comes in. I need to feed the garage, the house, another building, and I want to plan for solar, wind, a standby generator, an EV station, and possibly another building for storage (boat house). What is the best way of doing this? I see lots of rules coming into play on this. I know... sounds nuts but this is the dilemma. Thanks. Love your clear explanations.
Funny thing with kitchen circuit.. left and right is not practicall. Leapfrog would be a better choice. Good chance appliances are used next to each other plugged into nearest outlet. Not one at left of sink and other at right.
Not cheapest though.
Will you be installing PVC coated MC cable for the floor receptacles?
Thank you for this video
I which you had a diagram of what is needed and where by code.. love your explanations
On those floor plugs. To be counted as a wall plug it can't be any farther away from wall than 18"inches to be counted as a required wall plug.
Do a video like this for commercial electrician please brother!!
At 4:50, it clearly reads "hallways of ten feet OR MORE shall have at least one receptacle," hence NOT one every ten feet.
I like your residential advice but can you do commercial to because I like wiring homes but I feel like I can make more money wiring commercial buildings and amenity centers
great vid Dustin.... thc🤗😎
Awesomeness!!! Another great video keep them coming lol 😂!!!
Hello, I have a question on Hallways. So in short where do i power it from? can i piggy back off the livingroom to power the hall plugs and lighting? or do we have to dedicate a hallway circuit to power the hall and light in the hall?
Awesome thanks for sharing
They now make outside disconnects for the outside AC Condenser Unit that has a GFCI Duplex Receptacle within the same weatherproof enclosure so the electrician doesn't have to install a separate receptacle outlet as required by Code .
It was out there for a long time. Perfect home for yellow jackets
@@bahopik ; WRONG ! They only came on the market a few years ago and in regards to Yellow Jacket Wasps building nests inside of electrical boxes put some moth balls inside ! They deter Bees, Wasps, and Fire Ants from building their nests or hives inside of Electrical Panels and Boxes !!
@@BearStar1 I'm the HVAC guy that uses them. I've been in the field for 13 years and remember seeing those in college lab. As far as moth balls that up to electricians, when I'm out there try to disconnect power to a unit, it's already too late
I stand by with what I stated before !!
for many years one of my local sparkies has been using what he calls a spa panel. It's usually 4-6 breaker slots in an R rated box and only a few inches wider than the usual disconnect. This way you have room for two AC units and a service outlet connected by an offset. Makes a nice, neat installation.
Another GREAT video! I'm getting set to install a new 200A service in my older house and I'm learning more every one of your vids...Is there a book you can recommend that lists and explains the latest national code AND what old work is still acceptable.I'm not an electrician but am confident in my own work methods.
How deep does the trench in the concrete have to be to run wire and does it need to be in conduit pvc or can it be underground wiring for your receptacles at the glass windows?
Loving your videos. Did you consider decritive conduit coming down the steel supports instead of jackhammering the floors which compromised the engineering of the floors
Can you do a video on installing floor plugs as a retrofit. As in chipping concrete and roughing in after concrete is poured
Hire a professional
Can I use extended plastic with metal box thank you
And some people confuse GFCI, arc fault and not even needing them in new builds, see the home inspector who's in hot water.
This spacing is to eliminate use of extension cords..I have installed double duplex outlets because of device chargers.
If I ever move to the states. Can I be your apprentice please?
Love the video Dustin do you have one or can you make one on circuits and what needs there own like can the bathroom share the same circuit with another bathroom dose a fridge realy need a dedicated circuit and go over microwave garbage disposal dishwasher laundry room garage and hvac blower thanks
Isolate the fridge on it's own circuit. Most fridges will never meet the load, but it protects the fridge from going out because something else tripped the breaker.
250.52(H) does not require 1 receptacle per 10 feet of hallway; only 1 receptacle is required in a hallway of 10 or more feet.
I'm glad I'm not the only one that caught that
I have a toilet that’s 15inches from a shower with glass panels. I would like to add a receptacle for a plug in bidet. Where would be an acceptable place to add it “per code”?
I'm not an electrician. I built a workshop on my property and wired it up. I passed my electrical inspection.
The problem in Nova Scotia is you could be the guy who wrote the electrical code and you still can’t do your own wiring. Crooked politicians and crooked industry leaders made it where only a licensed electrician can wire a home. Logic dictates that if the inspector says you did everything right then it’s safe but code compliance is secondary to the industry making the money.
I like the multi trade inspectors 💯
? In my dining room at the end of short wall (rectangular room) there are 6 cooking appliances such as coffee,iced ,tea makers and so on . How high from floor should I install new outlets thank
so does this still fall under City and State code allowances, or does it matter with older homes built before codes where changed or updated? 1969 residential.
Thanks !!!!!!
In Europe you remove the bond and use a Megger to verify your neutral & hots are not connected to earth anywhere, and also you use a continuity tester to verify continuity of the earth without the neutral bond, otherwisr you will not know if you have something grounded to neutral.
Good luck doing any of this without "making it look pretty" and not mixing the wires.
Those arc fault breakers fill up panels really fast! I'm an electrician in New Orleans and I like to put a lot of circuits because like you said people are using way more equipment at home nowadays and I absolutely HATE extension cords. But now its tough correctly wiring my circuit panels because the only available ones (125 amp) are only for 12 circuits.. I appreciate the vids, nevertheless!
If you are adding to an existing panel it can get out of hand really quickly. OTOH, if you are installing new panels, I would strongly suggest plug-on neutral panels. They really help with wire management. Good luck!
@@TwilightxKnight13 most definitely, those PON panel are clutch! thanks man
Awesome !!!
Arc fault breakers tend to be incredibly annoying. They very commonly trip when you turn on a vacuum cleaner or some other high-inrush motor, even on new construction when there's clearly no fault. I think they have less to do with safety and more to do with profitability, but what do I know.
I agree, and I would never install them again. 100% a money grab.
You are 100 % correct. People got some big payouts to force those on everyone.
Your channel is awesome! Do does anyone know any channels similar to this one but for mechanical (HVAC)?
Can we do more of those
Can you use ceiling receptacles (thinking of your glass space you showed with the chipped out floor) to meet code?
Can I ask you a question? The receptacle in the hallway that is 10 feet. I have a central vacuum system. Would that hallway be exempt from the receptacle requirement if I have a central vacuum valve in the hallway? Or do I still need to install a receptacle in the hallway even if I have a central vacuum?
Hi bud is it possible you can make a video for a smoke detectors specially the wireless ones we’re having problems with the fire Marshall/inspector.
In regards to the double bowl vanity with two mirrors. If the GFCI outlet is installed in the middle of the mirrors within a 2 gang box along with the vanity light switch. Is there code requirements that the light switch needs to be protected on the GFCI outlet circuit. We had a back in forth on this situation, I have wired the light with the GFCI outlet circuit as a result of the being close (arms reach of touching the water and outlet at the same time) proximity to water for quite a long time. I was told on a recent job with this exact scenario was wired with no GFCI protection within the bathroom even though the light switch was in between a double bowl sink(the lighting has a GFCI breaker within the panel) and they said that was fine. Any input would be great. Thanks.
600 foot bury, what's a better solution than 3x or 4x parallels. $$$
With the receptacle zone by the tub, is the 8 ft vertical mean from the rim up or both directions? If just up, does that mean you can place it below the rim?
Do I need GFCI on the outlets in the kitchen? Or does the GFCI breaker alone, work?
Do you have any journeyman test prep courses available ?
Can or should the bathroom lights be wired on the same GFCI circuit as the bathroom receptacles? Some people say you don't want your lights going out if the GFCI trips.
i have a question, need an answer. my floor trusses are ladder type, do I have to secure my wiring with staples like is needed within walls or can it just lay inside the floor trusses? Im doing my new house. thank you.
I can’t stand arc faults. Using my chop saw, shop vac, compressor etc at a clients house, 9 times out of 10 if it trips it’s on an arc fault circuit and just keeps tripping. So now I’m running extension cords out bathroom windows. I get why they’re code but from a usability standpoint I think they’re just too sensitive.
AFCI's are POS arent they. till they figure out how to make them not freak out nuisance trip from homeowner running their $600 Dyson vacuum, AFCI should be removed from required
I'm a project engineer, not an electrician (although I work with them regularly). I understand that electricians need to know the code, and construct per code, that's part of their responsibility. However, in my side of the field, I produce plans and specs for design-bid-build projects. If we're laying out receptacles, gfcis, sizing conductors, sizing conduits, specing all the materiald, etc. Our architects, engineers, and designers will put that to the plans. Part of my job is to design and perform the inspections. All that to say, responsibility for being to code is shared by the electricians doing the install, but also the architect/engineer stamping the plans. And building "per code" may not be the intent of the job, it's to build to plans/spec--building to code is just the minimum. Again, all that to say, I'm wondering if electricians go all self-code-police on themselves when installing, or if they tune-out and just install per plans. I guess it ultimately depends who the inspector is. Since I am the one performing the final inspection for our projects, they have to build what I accept as being in accordance to what was in the plans and specs. That may be unique because I am the AHJ at a public utility.
If it is on a blueprint we stick to the blueprint as closely as possible
I do not know any jurisdiction where the project engineer or any other member of the design & build team is the FINAL inspector*. Certainly, the designer can use more stringent requirements than the Code, but not less. At the end of the day, the AHJ which is the city/municipal inspector has the final approval. If there are discrepancies between the plans and what the build team understands of the Code, we have a responsibility to get clarification both from the design team AND the AHJ. If the design team says, "do it this way" and the AHJ/inspector says "No, do not do it that way" you only really have three choices - refuse to do the work, do it the way the AHJ says to do it, or do it the way the plans say, and then submit a change order ($$$) when the inspector fails the job. Most of us are not a fan of the latter because it creates problems for everyone and creates rework, often for multiple trades.
*the only exception being an industrial facility where outside inspectors do not routinely come in and check ongoing work. However, we are generally talking about commercial & residential work which is subjected to inspections by the AHJ.
@@montgomeryfortenberrywrong! Code always trumps plans
This is what UA-cam needs.
my gf recently bought a house and the breaker box has 19 of the 20 breakers in use but trying to trace the wiring i find junction boxes into junction boxes into junction boxes... whoever wired this house up should never be aloud to do wiring again. ill be working for weeks or months getting this fixed depending on how crappy they did....
I installed a dual function Arc Fault and Ground Fault receptacle in for my Bosch 800 series dishwasher and I keep getting nuisance trips requiring me to empty out under the sink to push a reset button very frequently. My solution is that my local code doesn't require arc fault for dishwashers and just replace it with a simpler GFCI.
Some brands of arc fault are really bad for nuisance trips when it comes to appliance motors. Ive had many problems with seimens for example
How should I separate my existing gfci circuit in my kitchen to 2 separate gfci runs as you quoted in the code book. Im in unincorporated area of town in Natalia Tx. My BIL did the wiring and has it as one run across the whole counter of receptacles . Thanks
Victoria