National Electrical Installation Standards

Standards as High as Your Own

 
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Thursday, August 1, 2019

Question:

I went on a call about a residential kitchen gas/convention oven unit (12.2 amps) tripping a 15 amp breaker. The 120v oven cord passed through the floor into the cellar and was plugged into a non-dedicated circuit receptacle mounted to a joist. So I have a couple of questions. 1. Can the cord pass through the floor and plug into the receptacle like that? 2. If I run a new 120v 20 amp receptacle up behind the stove does it have to be GFCI protected if it's within 6 feet of the kitchen sink, yet hidden behind the stove? 3. Can the receptacle be behind the stove or would it have to go in an adjacent cabinet for easy access like with a dishwasher?

Thank you. Richard Cressotti
A

Answer:

Hey Richard thanks for your questions.

1) No. Flexible cords are not allowed to be run through floors as stated in 400.12(2).

2) Yes, 15 and 20 ampere 125 volt receptacles installed within 6 ft of the top inside sink bowel edge must have GFCI protection as stated in 210.8(A)(7)

3) No. GFCI's must be readily accessible as stated in the last sentence of 210.8. See the definition of Accessible, Readily in Article 100 for more information.

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