In floor heat

[cbuell]

Paul----or anyone,
Isn't in-floor electric heat prohibited from being on the same circuit as the GFCI protected countertop receptacle?

[Marc D. Shunk]

Any countertop? Or the kitchen countertop?

If the kitchen, you're not permitted to serve anthing other than kitchen, pantry, breakfast room and dining room receptacles. No other outlets are permitted to be served. (An outlet is any place electricity is used, and not necessarily a receptacle)

210.52

(B) Small Appliances

(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry,
breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all wall and floor receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A), all countertop outlets covered by 210.52(C), and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.

(2) No Other Outlets. The two or more small-appliance

branch circuits specified in 210.52(B)(1) shall have no
other outlets.
Exception No. 1: A receptacle installed solely for the electrical
supply to and support of an electric clock in any of
the rooms specified in 210.52(B)(1).
Exception No. 2: Receptacles installed to provide power
for supplemental equipment and lighting on gas-fired
ranges, ovens, or counter-mounted cooking units.

[tdietrich1]

kitchen, bathroom, laundry room?

tom

[cbuell]

Sorry about that----single bathroom in Condo

[Greg Fretwell]

How many watts of floor heat? If it is less than 1200w it might be "hold your nose" legal but certainly troubling. It will preclude using a hair dryer and void the intent of the dedicated bathroom circuit rule.

[cbuell]

Greg---it is under 200 watts. I guess my real concern is that I don't know what else might be on this circuit. It is 1969 so most likely already isn't a dedicated 20amp circuit. There were other issues anyway in the unit so I called for the electrical contractor to figure it out. Greg, by the way I liked your response to the "bathtub-electrocution"----I would like to see them run the experiment with all plastic plumbing.

[Greg Fretwell]

The 200w would not really be an issue but you do bring the real issues up. I suppose it tripped with the GFCI and that is how you figured it out. That is the good part. You do have valid concerns about other loads. In the 60s and 70s it was common to share the bathroom with whatever else was close. In that regard you should be thinking about that anywhere.

[tdietrich1]

My house was built in 93. The 20amp circuit feeding my master bath receptacle, also fed the garage, the front outside receptacle, and the required basement receptacle (since then removed).

tom

[brian winkle]

Originally Posted by tdietrich1

My house was built in 93. The 20amp circuit feeding my master bath receptacle, also fed the garage, the front outside receptacle, and the required basement receptacle (since then removed).

tom

You are lucky. Usually it is only a 15 amp circuit.

[John Allingham]

Electric in-floor heating systems generally come with a thermostat that has a built in GFCI. When I installed mine in the bathroom recently, I was told by the manufacturer that I should not tap into a circuit that already has a GFCI or the two GFCI's could interact adversely. I didn't do it so I don't know if he was full of bull or not.

[Greg Fretwell]

The only problem might be the confusion about which one tripped. There is no hardware reason why they won't work. I have 2 places where I have back to back GFCIs, my underwater pool lights and my boat lift. Both places tend to justify a belt and suspenders approach. Floor heat in a bathroom could be a 3d place. I also bring my own GFCI extension cord when I work around salt water. I know the guy might have a GFCI but I know mine works.