DIYbanter - View Single Post - MIN DISTANCE FROM EDGE OF SINK TO NEAREST ELECTRIC OUTLET

aemeijers

hr(bob) wrote:
On May 13, 8:12 pm, Metspitzer wrote:
On Thu, 13 May 2010 19:32:49 -0400, aemeijers
wrote:

hr(bob) wrote:
On May 13, 5:15 pm, "RBM" wrote:
"hr(bob) " wrote in message
...
I am helping an elderly lady get her house ready to sell. There is an
electrical outlet in the wall about 26 inches from the nearest point
of the sink. I know it has been mentioned here many many times, but
I'm too tired to go scratching around. What is the minimum distance
from the sink to an outlet that is not Ground Fault protected?
Thanks,
The more interesting thing is that by current code, if that outlet is 26"
from the sink, you'd need another one 2" from the sink.
The current outlets are nowhere near as dense as current code, but the
house is80+ years old. I know any home inspector will want GFCI's
near the sink, but you did not say what that minimum safe distance is.
Is there a ground available in the box? If so, stick a GFCI in there,
and I don't think the inspector will even check the distance to the
sink. He'll just stick his little checker in there, and when it glows
green, move on to the next one.
I am not so quick to give the same advice. If the wiring in the house
is 80 years old, then the insulation on the wiring could be brittle.
It is better not to disturb wiring that old unless you plan on
changing it.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Exactly! I opened the cover of a junction box in the basement
ceiling, the joints were wrapped with tape rather than wire nuts, and
the wireinsulation was so stiff I feared moving it for fear the
insulation would crack off the wires. As long as they were not
disturbed, everything should be fine. I put the cover back on and
tightened down the screws and went upstairs.

There are probably soldered connections under that tape. Wire nuts did
not become common practice until late 50s - early 60s, at least in my
part of the country. My grandmother's 1961 house in Indiana still had
some soldered connections, while this 1960 house in Michigan I am
sitting in is wire nuts or screw terminals throughout.

--
aem sends...