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Island receptacle?

Yikes said:
Is there a definition of the word "provisions"?
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It is an NFPA code so I doubt you can find one :rolleyes:

PROVI'SION, noun s as z. [Latin provisio, provideo. See Provide.]

1. The act of providing or making previous preparation.
PROVI'SION, noun s as z. [Latin provisio, provideo. See Provide.]

PROVI'DE, verb transitive [Latin provideo, literally to see before; pro and video, to see.]

1. To procure beforehand; to get, collect or make ready for future use; to prepare.

Yikes said:
Does the conduit/route have to go all the way back to the panel? Does the panel need a dedicated circuit?
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I would say yes to both questions
 
You are right, they should have specified at least that provisions had to be made so that you don't have to damage finishes to install the outlets later.

In my opinion, you could accomplish the same thing by running a wire to the island from a nearby countertop circuit, and terminating in a box or outlet on the interior of the island cabinet. If you have a wood floor to run the circuit in, that will certainly be the cheapest way to go. If it's a slab, it's probably still cheaper because you will likely use less conduit to pay for the wire and the box.

We are planning to amend this code out when we adopt the 2023 NEC. We are not eager to return to the day of the extension cord, we do not want to force people to use the $200 pop-up outlet if they decide they want an outlet, and I also don't want to get whipsawed back the other way if the code writers decide we do actually need an outlet at each island in the 2026 or 2029... they increased island receptacle requirements in the 2020 and now they want to go completely the other way?!? Can you imagine what the contractors will say when we let them put no outlet in for a code cycle or two and then change it back so they have to start doing it again?

If the requirement stays in the code a cycle or two, we will look at adopting it locally.

Lew makes an outlet that claims to be listed for countertop use, but we have not been able to verify. The ones on Home Depot's website don't claim to be listed for anything, much less countertops. Hubbell is the only one I know of that is properly listed for countertop use.
 
ICE said:
2020n NEC The situation is a 1000 ft2 covered ptio. There is a BBQ and a sink. There is an island. The inspector wrote a correction to add receptacles to the island. The contractor stated that there is already two receptacles mounted on posts that are attached to the island. I am not sure of the exact details and pictures might be forthcoming.

So my question is this: Does the section that governs receptacles spacing for kitchens apply to this outdoor installation. Would you stretch the wording: and similar areas of dwelling units to include the island in the back yard?


210,52(C) Countertops and Work Surfaces. In kitchens, pantries,breakfast rooms, dining rooms, and similar areas of dwelling units, receptacle outlets for countertop and work surfaces that are 12 in.or wider shall be installed in accordance with 210.52(C) (l )through (C) (3) and shall not be considered as the receptacle outlets required by 210.52(A).

(2) Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Surfaces.Receptacle outlets shall be installed in accordance with210.52(C) (2) (a) and (C) (2) (b).

(a) At least one receptacle outlet shall be provided for the first 9 ft2, or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface. A receptacle outlet shall be provided for every additional 18 ft2, or fraction thereof, of the counter-top or work surface.
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The initial conception of the post was no more required. After viewing pics I would require outlets, plenty of prep area, and is attached to house.
Same as an additional dwelling kitchen.
 
mtlogcabin said:
www.nfpa.org

Kitchen Island Outlets and the NEC

A look at how the past three editions of the NEC deal with kitchen island and peninsula receptacle requirements
www.nfpa.org www.nfpa.org

2023 NEC

(2) Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Surfaces
Receptacle outlets, if installed to serve an island or peninsular countertop or work surface, shall be installed in accordance with 210.52(C)(3). If a receptacle outlet is not provided to serve an island or peninsular countertop or work surface, provisions shall be provided at the island or peninsula for future addition of a receptacle outlet to serve the island or peninsular countertop or work surface.
(3) Receptacle Outlet Location
Receptacle outlets shall be located in one or more of the following:
  1. On or above, but not more than 500 mm (20 in.) above, a countertop or work surface
  2. In a countertop using receptacle outlet assemblies listed for use in countertops
  3. In a work surface using receptacle outlet assemblies listed for use in work surfaces or listed for use in countertops
Receptacle outlets rendered not readily accessible by appliances fastened in place, appliance garages, sinks, or rangetops as covered in 210.52(C)(1), Exception No. 1, or appliances occupying assigned spaces shall not be considered as these required outlets.

My understanding this section does not require a receptacle to be installed anymore.
Provisions for a future receptable have to be provided.
This section also prohibits the receptable from being installed below the countertop or work surface. They would no longer be allowed at the end of the island which is a pretty common installation practice
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yep
 
Mr. Inspector said:
Is it allowed per code to have a 20 amp general purpose receptacle on a kitchen island or peninsula as long as it's more than 12" below the counter top?
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First, for the 2023 NEC there is nothing special about more or less than 12" below the countertop. I read 210.52(C)(3) as limiting the location of receptacles installed to comply with 210.52(C), that is receptacles serving the countertop. So you can install a receptacle anywhere below the countertop for some other purpose. E.g. because you want to hang a TV on the cabinetry supporting the island countertop. Or maybe you're you have a shelf on the side of the cabinetry and want to use it for charging phones and the like, so you install a receptacle to serve the shelf.

Second, as to the "general purpose" part of your question, you have to determine what room the receptacle is serving. With open concept floor plans, one or more of the boundary lines of the kitchen could be imaginary lines through a larger space, rather than actual walls. So that could include one face of the cabinetry supporting the island, and a receptacle in that cabinetry could be serving another room, like a living room. As 210.52(A)(2)(3) would consider such cabinetry a "fixed room divider", if the face of the cabinetry is at least 2' wide, such a receptacle would in fact be required by 210.52(A).

Then if your receptacle is serving the kitchen, it must be on an SABC, as the SABC supplies both countertop and "wall" receptacles in the kitchen, dining room, pantry, breakfast room, etc. Conversely, if the receptacle is not serving one of those rooms, it may not be on an SABC, but can be on a "general purpose" branch circuit, which can serve other receptacles, lighting loads in any room, etc.

Cheers, Wayne
 
I sent an email to the city where the patio cover was constructed:

Hello Planning Dept.
I Want to know if more than one kitchen is permitted in a single family dwelling. Secondly, is a BBQ island with a sink in a rear yard considered a "kitchen".

This is the reply:
Hello,
A single Family Dwelling Unit may only have 1 kitchen within the residence. A BBQ island with a sink would not be considered a kitchen facility per our definitions under City Code

Not a kitchen. No NEC kitchen code applies. The contractor is staying silent as far as dealing with the inspector. The plan is to leave the receptacles under the 18" overhang until the work passes a final inspection and then remove the receptacles.

That's how inspectors never learn or improve but the contractor is worried that if he angers the inspector the inspector will try to hurt him in the future.

IMG_0181.JPG
 
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The city provided a definition for a kitchen. At first glance one is led to believe that there shall be a cooking appliance, a refrigeration facility and at least one sink. But an element of confusion is injected with the words, "which contains any combination of facilities of sufficient size."


KITCHEN. Any room, all or part of which is designed and/or used for cooking, refrigeration, storage, and the preparation of food and which contains any combination of facilities of sufficient size for the preparation of meals:

(1) A cooking appliance;

(2) A refrigeration facility; and

(3) One (1) or more sinks
 
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Yikes asked if the BBQ was permanent. The BBQ and the stove tops slide out. I assume that is for cleaning however, the contractor tells me that there is a disconnect tor the gas and electricity which makes them somewhat less than permanent.


IMG_0170.JPG


IMG_0158.JPG
 
ICE said:
There is a receptacle on each side of the BBQ and the sink. There were none on the rest of the counter, The inspector required a receptacle as is shown in the pictures. They are located on the outside because there is cabinets on the inside, They are 10" below the surface of the countertop that has an 18" overhang.

You are correct about affording receptacles. Obviously that is not the issue. The issue is forcing them to install them where they are now a code violation. So some will call this a kitchen. Where does that kitchen end? On the right is the exterior wall of the house. If all of that counter and cabinetry on the left is kitchen then I must assume that the wall on the right is also "kitchen". Now there needs to be receptacles on that wall.
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View attachment 15279
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As I understand, the code requirements for outlet locations is primarily to avoid appliance cords running where a hazard is created or the use of an extension cord is likely and also a hazard. How does installing plugs below the overhang countertop achieve this?
 
N210.52(C)(3)
Receptacle Outlet Location. Receptacle outlets shall be located in one or more of the following:

(1) On or above countertop or work surfaces: On or above,but not more than 20 in. above, the countertop or work surface.
(2) In countertop or work surfaces: Receptacle outlet assemblies listed for use in countertops or work surfaces shall be permitted to be installed in countertops or work surfaces.
(3) Below countertop or works surfaces: Not more than 12 in. below the countertop or work surface. Receptacles installed below a countertop or work surface shall not be located where the countertop or work surface extends more than 6 in. beyond its support base.

This project fell under the 2020 CEC and the inspector erroneously applied the CEC as if this project is a kitchen. The inspector on this project instructed the contractor to place the receptacles below the overhang.

I have known the contractor for twenty-seven years. He is a craftsman and has a conscience. He consults me on various topics and corrections. He gets bogus corrections and wrong advice too often. He, his engineer and his architect as well as subcontractors are all of the opinion that appeasing an inspector is safer that pissing off an inspector. The best result that he can hope for is cleaning up the mess at some point. That's where I come in.

In the case of the receptacles, that required cutting into the tile wall finish and placing two ugly outdoor receptacles where the lady did not want them. She is upset because her guests will be seated at that counter and bump their knees on a hard use bubble cover. I would have prevented that. There were other goofy corrections such as submitting a revised set of plans to the planning dept because the configuration of the non-kitchen changed up. But as I say a $1000 hit to the owner because of an inexperienced inspector goes unresolved rather than upset the inexperienced inspector.

Believe it or not, I encountered this same phenomena with many of the inspectors that I worked alongside of. It can give one a feeling of impotence when you know what is wrong but can't fix it.
 
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ICE said:
Yikes asked if the BBQ was permanent. The BBQ and the stove tops slide out. I assume that is for cleaning however, the contractor tells me that there is a disconnect tor the gas and electricity which makes them somewhat less than permanent.
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To me, that is just as permanent as my kitchen setup. My cooktop can be disconnected and slid out, and replaced with a new unit.
 
ICE said:
The city provided a definition for a kitchen. At first glance one is led to believe that there shall be a cooking appliance, a refrigeration facility and at least one sink. But an element of confusion is injected with the words, "which contains any combination of facilities of sufficient size."
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Since when does the city get to decide what a kitchen is?
 
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