Journeyman Electrician Exam (NEC)Equipment and DevicesMedium
A client requests a new 120-volt, 15-ampere duplex receptacle to be installed in a dwelling unit basement, which is not a habitable room. What type of overcurrent protection, if any, is specifically required for this receptacle by the NEC?
- AArc-Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI) protection
- BBoth AFCI and GFCI protection
- CStandard overcurrent protection only
- DGround-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI) protection
According to NEC Section 210.8(A)(5), all 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles installed in dwelling unit basements (excluding habitable rooms) are required to have ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. AFCI protection is generally required for most dwelling unit areas but not specifically for non-habitable basement receptacles by 210.8(A).
- B. While AFCI might apply to some circuits in a basement, GFCI is the specific and mandatory protection for receptacles in non-habitable basement areas.
- C. Standard overcurrent protection is always required, but GFCI is an additional specific requirement for this location.
GFCI Protection for Basements
The requirement by the NEC for ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) protection for all 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacles in dwelling unit basements, regardless of whether the area is a habitable room.
- Protects against electric shock in damp or potentially wet locations.
- Applies to all receptacles in dwelling unit basements.
- NEC 210.8(A)(5) specifies this requirement.
Memory trick: Basement outlets, wet or dry, GFCI's the guard, don't ask why!