On Feb 7, 8:13*am, RBM wrote:
Another issue which I pointed out earlier is that most furnaces
are in basements or garages, at least here in the USA. *To be
code compliant that new receptacle would then have to be on
a GFCI. *Don't know what the cord advocates think about that
one, but I would not want my furnace on a GFCI.

Interesting observation, certainly escaped me. Unless your heating
system is in a finished part of your basement, the code has no exeptions
for such things. Having replaced countless defective GFCI outlets over
the years, I certainly wouldn't want my heating system dependent on one.

Another thing regarding code legality, and I'm curious to hear from you
in NJ, Pawlowski in Conn, gfretwell in Fla, and others about the world.
Often people on this NG say to go to your local code office, or ask your
local electrical inspector. The OP is located just outside of NYC in a
small city, not in some rural farmland. There is no "code office", and
there are no electrical inspectors available to teach electrical code to
anyone including licensed electricians. In this part of the world, it's
technically illegal to do your own wiring, and licensed electricians are
supposed to know their business. If something is done wrong, the
inspector makes you correct your errors.

Here in central NJ I've had experience with inspectors in two
different municipalities. One was 25 years ago where I used
to live. That municipality contracted out their inspection work
to a private company. That inspector wanted nothing to do
with answering questions and was abrupt and rude. So, he
was an example of what you are referring to. I don't know
what they are doing over there now, but with the pressure
on budgets, I don't think it would be unusual to find towns
here that are contracting out their inspection work.

Where I live now, which is only 10 mins from the other
place, the municipality has it's own full time
inspectors for electric, plumbing, fire, etc. These guys
are located at the municipal complex and are willing
to answer questions. For example, I've gone over with
spec sheets on a piece of eqpt and they are willing to
look at it. If it's something they haven't seen before,
they make a copy of it and put it in the permit file.
In my experiences with them, they have been helpful
and reasonable.

So, I think the answer is that it can vary greatly, even
between municipalities that are nearby.