Laundry Circuits - Am I close?

[Michael P Reilly]

Hello all. Quite simply, Ignoring windows, doors, stud bays and whatnot...wiring paths to be determined...am I on the right path as far as what is connected to what, per laundry receptacle code?
I know I need at least 1 20A dedicated for laundry equipment. I have my water softener and irrigation controller in the laundry so does that count?
Is that circuit allowed to also have the outlet over the sink for a hair dryer? (small dog wash)
I believe I am OK having the foreign area outlet (game room) on the additional circuit in the laundry which has an outlet and the lights for laundry and garage.
Any thoughts or opinions are welcome, thank you.

 

[wwhitney]

The circuit that supplies the laundry receptacle(s) must be dedicated and supply no other equipment. Typically that would be just the receptacle for the washer; why do you have a receptacle labeled "laundry" on the opposite wall? I could see saying that the receptacle next to the laundry sink is also for "laundry equipment" and supplying it from the same circuit as the washer receptacle. Everything else must be on a different circuit.

As for the softener and the irrigation equipment, what are the nameplate loads for those two pieces of equipment? Depending on their combined amp draws, you may or may not be able to put other receptacles or lights on the circuit supplying them.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Michael P Reilly]

The circuit that supplies the laundry receptacle(s) must be dedicated and supply no other equipment. Typically that would be just the receptacle for the washer; why do you have a receptacle labeled "laundry" on the opposite wall? I could see saying that the receptacle next to the laundry sink is also for "laundry equipment" and supplying it from the same circuit as the washer receptacle. Everything else must be on a different circuit.

As for the softener and the irrigation equipment, what are the nameplate loads for those two pieces of equipment? Depending on their combined amp draws, you may or may not be able to put other receptacles or lights on the circuit supplying them.

Cheers, Wayne

OK so the washer needs to be all by itself you are saying? Not sure a hair dryer would be laundry equipment but theoretically there would be no control over what gets plugged in there.

The receptacle labeled laundry is just to show that it is on the laundry side of that wall as opposed to the one next to it which is on the other side of that wall facing the game room. They are both just general use floor level receptacle duplexes.

I have not looked at the nameplate loads yet. I kind of assumed they would just be typical 15A equipment. I will have a look tonight.

Thanks for having a look...I will provide more info tonight.

 

[wwhitney]

OK so the washer needs to be all by itself you are saying?

What you need to do is designate one or more receptacles as for "laundry equipment." That should include the washer receptacle, but could plausibly include other receptacles, e.g. for the use of an iron. Then one (or more) 20A branch circuit has to supply those receptacles, and nothing else.

But yes, typically the result is that the washer ends up on a dedicated circuit with no other receptacles.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Michael P Reilly]

What you need to do is designate one or more receptacles as for "laundry equipment." That should include the washer receptacle, but could plausibly include other receptacles, e.g. for the use of an iron. Then one (or more) 20A branch circuit has to supply those receptacles, and nothing else.

But yes, typically the result is that the washer ends up on a dedicated circuit with no other receptacles.

Cheers, Wayne

Ok, so both of them combined is just barely over 1 Amp and the lights will all be LED So I should be fine on the load right?
I am glad you made me look, I just realized both transformer plugs will not fit on the same duplex so I will need two boxes over there.

 

[wwhitney]

Yes, at 1A the water softener and irrigation controller are non-issues. I think there's a rule about fixed equipment being limited to 50% of the rating of a circuit that also supplies general purpose receptacles.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Michael P Reilly]

So with advise followed I am here...look about right?

 

[wwhitney]

You can't put 20A receptacles on a 15A circuit. But 20A receptacles are basically never required anyway, so you can just use 15A receptacles throughout.

I'd suggest using a 20A circuit, though, for the mixed lighting/receptacles circuit. Otherwise looks good. I'd be inclined to use the GFCI receptacle next to the game receptacle to protect the 3 downstream receptacles.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Michael P Reilly]

You can't put 20A receptacles on a 15A circuit. But 20A receptacles are basically never required anyway, so you can just use 15A receptacles throughout.

I'd suggest using a 20A circuit, though, for the mixed lighting/receptacles circuit. Otherwise looks good. I'd be inclined to use the GFCI receptacle next to the game receptacle to protect the 3 downstream receptacles.

Cheers, Wayne

Oh, yeah the 20A receptacles were an accidental carry over...meant to be 15A.
Good call on the GFCI covering downstream.

 

[WorthFlorida]

GFCI is required for "laundry area" and with NEC 2020, just about the entire home must be GF protected. A GFCI receptacle cannot be blocked (behind) by the washing machine. It must be accessible.

210.8(A) GFCI Protection. Dwelling Units.

Which receptacles in the laundry room require GFCI protection?

www.electricallicenserenewal.com

 

[wwhitney]

GFCI is required for "laundry area"

Yes, and all the receptacles in the laundry room are shown as GFCI. In a large enough room one could argue that the laundry area isn't the whole room, but with all of them GFCI it's moot.

A GFCI receptacle cannot be blocked (behind) by the washing machine. It must be accessible.

Good point. But if the washer is unstacked, and the receptacle is above the height of the washer so you can access it, I see that as sufficient to be "readily accessible" as the NEC requires for the GFCI controls. Otherwise you'd need to use a blank face GFCI not behind the washer, or a GFCI breaker.

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Michael P Reilly]

Yes, and all the receptacles in the laundry room are shown as GFCI. In a large enough room one could argue that the laundry area isn't the whole room, but with all of them GFCI it's moot.


Good point. But if the washer is unstacked, and the receptacle is above the height of the washer so you can access it, I see that as sufficient to be "readily accessible" as the NEC requires for the GFCI controls. Otherwise you'd need to use a blank face GFCI not behind the washer, or a GFCI breaker.

Cheers, Wayne

Room isn't that large. I was planning on doing an AFCI breaker with the GFCI outlets. The one behind the Washer is going to be right at the top edge of (but behind) the machine...is that not considered accessible?

I have heard there are breakers that do both AFCI and GFCI but have been somewhat confused when trying to find one. I know "Combination AFCI" is not it. That would just be AFCI of different types. Got any links to siemens version of this?

 

[wwhitney]

The one behind the washer should be just above the washer so you can reach the buttons.

They're called "Dual Function" breakers, since "Combination AFCI" was already taken, it means 2nd generation AFCI and supposedly detects both parallel and series arcing.

Cheers, wayne

 

[Michael P Reilly]

The one behind the washer should be just above the washer so you can reach the buttons.

They're called "Dual Function" breakers, since "Combination AFCI" was already taken, it means 2nd generation AFCI and supposedly detects both parallel and series arcing.

Cheers, wayne

I will not be able to do the receptacle above the machine due to a vent pipe being there just under a window sill (you were in that thread as well) so I guess it is confirmed I need to order a Dual function breaker.
Thanks for all your help and advise.

 

[wwhitney]

That would be the most straightforward route.

If you have a counter next to the sink, I think you could call the sink receptacle a receptacle for laundry equipment (e.g. ironing), and put it on the washer circuit, and put the GFCI receptacle at the sink where it's readily accessible. The downstream washer receptacle would be protected by it.

Cheers, Wayne