A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.

"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message
...
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



My house built in 1980 is this way. I like it. No light in the bathroom I
know it has been tripped.

"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message
...
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.

I think it's with in code. But if it's a problem just move the GFI to one
of the inside outlets.

On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:52 -0400, Taylor Hughes
wrote:

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.


I dont know about the code in this matter, but that is about the
stupidest wiring I've ever heard of......

As for safety, I dont see any problem, but it's very stupid! What
happens if a snow drift covers that outdoor box in the winter and you
lose power in the bathrooms?
(Was the electrician a drug user or alcoholic?)

It would appear that the outdoor recep is the source. If so, remove the
wires to the bathrooms from the GFI, connect them directly to the source
(feed) wires in that box. Then install a separate GFI's in each
bathroom. Problem solved for the cost or 2 GFI outlets and a hours
work.

On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:52 -0400, Taylor Hughes
wrote:

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



Both the electrician and the inspector were drinking a case of beer
that day. My house is grouped that way, but the opposite. The
bathroom has the GFCI and controls the outdoor receptacle.

I cannot imaging going out in the snow to reset it. I'd put in a GFCI
breaker.

On 8/9/2012 11:45 PM, Taylor Hughes wrote:
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.


Yes, it was perfectly legal back then. As the Nec requirements for
ground fault protection evolved, electricians, cheap ones at least,
found the least expensive ways to accomplish the task and meet code. In
those situations you will typically find the one ground fault used, is
at the closest gfci required location to the service panel.
At that time, the only required GFCI locations that "should" be on that
circuit a unfinished basement, outside, garage,not including ceiling
receptacle, and bathrooms, so it's not a big deal to do as gfretwell
said and replace all of them with gfci receptacles. You have to relocate
the load wires on the outside, existing gfci unit, as he specified, to
the line side of the device.

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



*I see that quite often except that the GFI is usually located in one of the
bathrooms. Sometimes the garage receptacle is also connected to the same
GFI. It was code compliant in 1980 and safe as long as the GFI is working
properly. The current electrical code does not permit such an arrangement.

On 8/10/2012 2:22 AM, wrote:
On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 00:21:41 -0500, "NotMe" wrote:


"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message
...
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.

I think it's with in code. But if it's a problem just move the GFI to one
of the inside outlets.


BTW the fix?

Move the wires going out of the GFCI outside from LOAD to LINE, then
install a GFCI in each of the bathrooms

Good point. "Back in the day" when GFIs (note old name mnemonic ) were
expensive, it was "smart" to do it that way. But now their so cheap
(can you say China?), it's stupid not to put multiple GCFIs.

"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message
...

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset. Does this meet
codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)?

What did your municipal building code office tell you when
you inquired? (In most places, your taxes pay for this office
and its information is free.)

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)

On 8/9/2012 11:45 PM, Taylor Hughes wrote:
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



The usual arrangement at least in new construction I saw back then was
to put the GFI in the bathroom and then daisy chain to another bathroom
and then outside. Its a lot easier to see and reset a GFI at a higher
location on an inside wall.

Definitely meets code. They did it that way because GFI outlets were ~
$50 in 1980 dollars.

On 8/10/2012 5:52 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:52 -0400, Taylor Hughes
wrote:

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



Both the electrician and the inspector were drinking a case of beer
that day. My house is grouped that way, but the opposite. The
bathroom has the GFCI and controls the outdoor receptacle.

Everyone I have ever seen was done as you described. Who wants to go
outside and crouch down in the rain or snow to reset a GFI?


I cannot imaging going out in the snow to reset it. I'd put in a GFCI
breaker.

On Thu, 9 Aug 2012 20:55:30 -0700, "Pat" wrote:


"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message
...
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



My house built in 1980 is this way. I like it. No light in the bathroom I
know it has been tripped.

You like trudging outside, after you just took a shower, to reset the GFCI?
You're weird.

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 05:52:04 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:52 -0400, Taylor Hughes
wrote:

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.



Both the electrician and the inspector were drinking a case of beer
that day. My house is grouped that way, but the opposite. The
bathroom has the GFCI and controls the outdoor receptacle.

Why? It was legal. The inspector had no reason to fail it. Dumb but not
illegal.

I cannot imaging going out in the snow to reset it. I'd put in a GFCI
breaker.

gfretwell has a better plan; put a GFCI outlet in each location (with the load
side unconnected on each). I had a GFCI breaker in a situation just like
that. It was a PITA to go outside to reset the breaker. If the panel had
been in the basement, it wouldn't have been much less of a pain.

On Aug 10, 1:21*am, "NotMe" wrote:
"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message

...

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. *The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? *It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.

I think it's with in code. *But if it's a problem just move the GFI to one
of the inside outlets.

May not be possible depending on how the circuit is run. I'm guessing
it was done that way because the cable goes from the panel to the
outside recep and then hits the bathrooms. OP could replace the GFCI
recep with a standard recep, then replace the breaker with a GFCI
breaker. Or rewire...

nate

On Aug 10, 3:06*am, wrote:
On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:52 -0400, Taylor Hughes

wrote:
A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. *The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? *It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.

I dont know about the code in this matter, but that is about the
stupidest wiring I've ever heard of......

As for safety, I dont see any problem, but it's very stupid! *What
happens if a snow drift covers that outdoor box in the winter and you
lose power in the bathrooms?
(Was the electrician a drug user or alcoholic?)

It would appear that the outdoor recep is the source. *If so, remove the
wires to the bathrooms from the GFI, connect them directly to the source
(feed) wires in that box. *Then install a separate GFI's in each
bathroom. *Problem solved for the cost or 2 GFI outlets and a hours
work.

Outside recep is required to be GFCI protected as well. A previous
poster suggested moving the wires on that GFCI from "load" to "line"
that would be acceptable. Now that I think about it, buying two more
GFCIs is probably cheaper than buying a single GFCI breaker, depending
on OP's breaker box.

nate

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 07:51:18 -0700 (PDT), N8N wrote:

On Aug 10, 1:21*am, "NotMe" wrote:
"Taylor Hughes" wrote in message

...

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. *The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so if
you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? *It seems a
bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.

I think it's with in code. *But if it's a problem just move the GFI to one
of the inside outlets.

May not be possible depending on how the circuit is run. I'm guessing
it was done that way because the cable goes from the panel to the
outside recep and then hits the bathrooms. OP could replace the GFCI
recep with a standard recep, then replace the breaker with a GFCI
breaker. Or rewire...

No, just do as gfretwell suggested; put a GFCI outlet in each location. You
really don't want to have to traipse back to the breaker panel to reset a
GFCI.

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 02:06:56 -0500, wrote:

On Thu, 09 Aug 2012 23:45:52 -0400, Taylor Hughes
wrote:

A townhouse built in 1980 has outlets in two bathrooms sharing a circuit
with an outdoor receptacle. The GFCI is in the outdoor receptacle, so
if you trip it in the bathroom you have to go outside to reset.

Does this meet codes, either in 1980 or currently (2008 NEC)? It seems
a bit ridiculous to have to go outside, but am interested in the
legal/safety standpoint.


I dont know about the code in this matter, but that is about the
stupidest wiring I've ever heard of......

As for safety, I dont see any problem, but it's very stupid! What
happens if a snow drift covers that outdoor box in the winter and you
lose power in the bathrooms?
(Was the electrician a drug user or alcoholic?)

It would appear that the outdoor recep is the source. If so, remove the
wires to the bathrooms from the GFI, connect them directly to the source
(feed) wires in that box. Then install a separate GFI's in each
bathroom. Problem solved for the cost or 2 GFI outlets and a hours
work.
My guess, with the age of the house, is there was no GFCI originally
installed and someone decided they needed protection when usin g a
hedge trimmer or whatever - and added the GFCI outlet.

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 09:33:43 -0400, "
wrote:




Both the electrician and the inspector were drinking a case of beer
that day. My house is grouped that way, but the opposite. The
bathroom has the GFCI and controls the outdoor receptacle.

Why? It was legal. The inspector had no reason to fail it. Dumb but not
illegal.

I cannot imaging going out in the snow to reset it. I'd put in a GFCI
breaker.

Legal does not make it right. The inspector has the ability to lean
on someone that is stupid and he should have. Tradesman want happy
inspectors because they have to deal with them all the time.



gfretwell has a better plan; put a GFCI outlet in each location (with the load
side unconnected on each). I had a GFCI breaker in a situation just like
that. It was a PITA to go outside to reset the breaker. If the panel had
been in the basement, it wouldn't have been much less of a pain.

Best way is to do it right the first time.

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 23:34:52 -0400, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 09:33:43 -0400, "
wrote:




Both the electrician and the inspector were drinking a case of beer
that day. My house is grouped that way, but the opposite. The
bathroom has the GFCI and controls the outdoor receptacle.

Why? It was legal. The inspector had no reason to fail it. Dumb but not
illegal.

I cannot imaging going out in the snow to reset it. I'd put in a GFCI
breaker.

Legal does not make it right. The inspector has the ability to lean
on someone that is stupid and he should have. Tradesman want happy
inspectors because they have to deal with them all the time.



gfretwell has a better plan; put a GFCI outlet in each location (with the load
side unconnected on each). I had a GFCI breaker in a situation just like
that. It was a PITA to go outside to reset the breaker. If the panel had
been in the basement, it wouldn't have been much less of a pain.

Best way is to do it right the first time.

That's not usually a choice.

On Fri, 10 Aug 2012 07:52:43 -0700 (PDT), N8N
wrote:

It would appear that the outdoor recep is the source. *If so, remove the
wires to the bathrooms from the GFI, connect them directly to the source
(feed) wires in that box. *Then install a separate GFI's in each
bathroom. *Problem solved for the cost or 2 GFI outlets and a hours
work.

Outside recep is required to be GFCI protected as well. A previous
poster suggested moving the wires on that GFCI from "load" to "line"
that would be acceptable. Now that I think about it, buying two more
GFCIs is probably cheaper than buying a single GFCI breaker, depending
on OP's breaker box.

nate

That's exactly what I said. I did not say to remove the outdoor GFI.