| Kitchen GFCI receptacles are required by the | | | | maintained so close. However, no electrical outlets |
| 2008 NEC (National Electrical Code) to be installed | | | | are required on the wall directly above the kitchen |
| along the countertop surfaces. | | | | range, cook-top or sink. |
| GFCI - (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter) | | | | - Kitchen refrigerator power supply does not |
| Actually, this requirement has been in place since | | | | require GFCI protection, just an individual (15amp |
| 1996 NEC, and an important thing to remember: | | | | rating or more) branch circuit (if you have a |
| If you have an older kitchen, and for any reason | | | | refrigerator in the garage or an unfinished |
| decided to replace a regular electrical outlet - you | | | | basement, 2008 NEC decided to put it on a GFCI |
| should have a GFCI receptacle installed as a | | | | protected circuit). You can use one of the two |
| replacement. | | | | small appliance GFCI protected circuits, but an |
| Kitchen Electrical Requirements | | | | individual circuit makes more sense for this |
| - Kitchen electrical outlets installed above the | | | | purpose. |
| countertops require at least 2 small appliance | | | | - Kitchen GFCI requirement also applies to an |
| branch circuits. | | | | island and peninsula countertop - if it has a |
| - Kitchen electrical circuits serving countertop | | | | minimum dimensions of 12" x 24" it requires at |
| outlets must be rated for 20 ampers (#12 wire) | | | | least one GFCI protected electrical outlet. In case |
| - Kitchen GFCI receptacles installed on those 20 | | | | you have a larger island (or any) countertop, |
| amp circuits must be also 20 amp rated | | | | divided by the sink, or a cook-top, range, etc., and |
| Example: for 5 kitchen GFCI receptacles serving | | | | there is less than 12" of counter-space behind that |
| countertops there should be a minimum of 2 | | | | dividing sink or appliance - each of the sections |
| circuit breakers (or two fuses) in your electrical | | | | would require a GFCI protected receptacle. |
| panel - one protecting 3 of those outlets, and | | | | Kitchen GFCI outlet locations above and below the |
| second responsible for other 2 (or 4 & 1 - it | | | | countertops |
| doesn't matter). | | | | - Not more than 20" above |
| Those two or more electrical circuits supplying | | | | - Not more than 12" below (island and peninsula |
| power to the kitchen GFCI receptacles (above | | | | with no backsplashes, dividers, etc.) if the |
| the countertop) must also serve remaining kitchen | | | | countertop overhang is 6" or smaller. Those side |
| open walls, pantry and dinning room receptacles. | | | | wall receptacles create a safety hazard for |
| However, they can not be used for the kitchen | | | | children reaching them or anyone accidentally |
| lighting or outlets located within the cabinets or | | | | brushing the hanging cord, but often this is the |
| cupboards (sometimes used to for a under the | | | | only choice. I would highly recommend to use that |
| cabinet lights low voltage transformer or regular | | | | kitchen GFCI protected receptacle under |
| voltage light fixtures, microwave or other | | | | supervision (if you have small children), and |
| permanently installed appliances). GFCI protection | | | | remove the plug as soon as you're finished. |
| is not required for those extra receptacles, but | | | | Garbage disposer, dishwasher, microwave do not |
| since installed on a 20 amp rated circuits, they | | | | require GFCI protection, and can not be supplied |
| must be also 20 amp rated. | | | | by the small appliance circuits. Depending on the |
| There are two exceptions; the two (or more) | | | | amount of power they need (check the |
| electrical circuits providing power to the kitchen | | | | nameplate or installation instructions), you can |
| GFCI receptacles can be also used to: | | | | either use 1, 2 or 3 circuits (if nothing else will be |
| | | | on those electrical circuits). |
| 1. support operation of an electric clock | | | | Below are typical ratings of those appliances - |
| 2. provide power to supplemental equipment and | | | | they should not use more than 80% of the circuit |
| lighting on gas ranges, ovens or cook-tops | | | | breaker rating protecting it if on dedicated circuit, |
| (electronic display, control panels, etc.) What is the | | | | or 50% if sharing the circuit with something else: |
| number of required kitchen GFCI protected | | | | - 1/2 HP garbage disposal - 2.5 amp (WasteMade |
| receptacles above the countertop - it all depends | | | | garbage disposer is the only one I could find with |
| on how long is your countertop... | | | | such a small amperage ) |
| - Every 12" wide section of the kitchen wall | | | | - dishwasher - 9 to 12 amp |
| countertop space requires a GFCI protected | | | | - microwave - 4.5 to 12 amp |
| receptacle | | | | Example: small microwave + garbage disposer = 6 |
| - There must be no point along the kitchen | | | | amp + 2 amp = 8 amp - you can install both of |
| countertop wall line located further than 24? from | | | | them on a single, dedicated circuit protected by a |
| the GFCI outlet receptacle (horizontally). Most of | | | | 20 amp breaker because they will use less than |
| the new appliances are equipped with very short | | | | 50% of the breakers' rating (15 amp breaker |
| electrical cords to prevent them from | | | | would be too small) |
| overheating, tangling, etc. Because of those short | | | | - No face-up kitchen GFCI receptacles (and no |
| appliance cords, electrical outlets spacing should be | | | | unprotected devices of course) are permitted! |