On Feb 17, 1:34*pm, J Burns wrote:
On 2/17/12 11:11 AM, wrote:





On Feb 17, 8:45 am, J *wrote:
On 2/17/12 7:36 AM, HeyBub wrote: *J Burns wrote:

I'm glad the government stepped in.

Explain why you're glad the government stepped in. And no, it is not
self-evident.

I'm sure I explained in my post. *You must have overlooked it.

Many houses do not have GFI
outlets. *Some could not have them added without rewiring. *A person
could get a hair dryer wet while plugged in somewhere besides the
bathroom.

As he could with an electric drill, vacuum cleaner, weed-whacker, TV set,
trouble light, computer, clock, microwave, lamp, or thousands of other
electrical implements.

They aren't often left on bathtubs where children bathe. *Hundreds have
been electrocuted. *Wherever a hair dryer is used, it will probably
contact a wet head. *The NEC and the UL have required GFI in hair dryers
more than 20 years.

UL or some other authority may require it, but it's not
the NEC, which has nothing to do with hair dryers

According to the Federal Register, NEC Article 422-24 (1990 Edition)
requires hair dryers to have protection against electrocution from
immersion with the switch on or off. *It surprised me to read it.

It's described in the Jan-Feb 2004 issue of the International
Association of Electrical Inspectors Magazine.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

You're right. I just looked at the 2008 NEC and it
says hand-held hair dryers need to provide protection
from electrocution when immersed whether the switch is on or off. For
all practical puposes that means they
need a GFCI.