Bath Room Electrical?

[dieselscout80]

Do the lights need to be on a ground fault circuit like the outlets have to be?

I'm thinking that I'd want to outlets and the lights on seperate circuits so it the GFI pops you can still see cause the lights are still working.

THe bath room has no windows because its in the basement.

 

[Grayson Klassen]

In Canada the lights and or fan do not have to be on a GFI circuit, but it could be different in the states. You want to search the NEC or national electrical code. Quite often there are layman term sites for questions like that.

 

[simonds]

Only the outlets to be on a 20 amp GFCI circut, by itself. A light/fan unit will trip the GFCI breaker if it is connected to it. Keep them seperate. That is the way it was, unless it changed in the new codes this year.
General Contractor for 42 years.

 

[KennyG]

You need a 20 amp GFCI outlet circuit in a bathroom because of heating applicances. Keep in mind that the 20 amp circuit needs to be no. 12 wire, not 14. If you are doing a remodel on an older bathroom, you may have 14 installed now.

 

[grsthegreat]

You need a 20 amp GFCI outlet circuit in a bathroom because of heating applicances. Keep in mind that the 20 amp circuit needs to be no. 12 wire, not 14. If you are doing a remodel on an older bathroom, you may have 14 installed now.

correct, #12 for outlets #14(minimum) for lights. the only time lights should be gfci controlled is if a ceiling light is directly above a shower or tub, with less than 8 foot of clearance between the ceiling and bath water. this only applies to surface mounted lighting above a tub. A recessed light will have moisture proof lens that allow it use above a tub or shower.

a bathroom outlet isnt even supposed to connect to a light fixture. it can go to another bath outlet only. I usually wire bathroom lighting to hall lighting circuits.

electrical contractor over 30 years

 

[not2old]

When I wired my new house myself in 1996, the electrical inspector allowed me to leave the light switch too close to the tub because I had taken the power from the GFI receptacle. I really didn't want the switch behind the door or outside the ensuite.

 

[grsthegreat]

When I wired my new house myself in 1996, the electrical inspector allowed me to leave the light switch too close to the tub because I had taken the power from the GFI receptacle. I really didn't want the switch behind the door or outside the ensuite.

you homeowners get away with alot hehe

i never can get away with that. and believe me ive tried.

 

[RadarTech]

I ran 12 awg to all fixtures in the kitchen, bath, outside gfis and laundry. However, we have a light/fan combo in the master and in the kids bathroom and guest bathroom we have the combo fan, light, and heater.

One switch in the master was above the garden tub, it goes to a ground fault breaker in the box.

The electrician that guided us told to use 12 on everything that would have any kind of load.
It mattered little to me, as it was cheap.

The inspector saw stuff like that and didn't look too close at some stuff...

 

[Iplayfarmer]

I ran 12 awg to all fixtures in the kitchen, bath, outside gfis and laundry. However, we have a light/fan combo in the master and in the kids bathroom and guest bathroom we have the combo fan, light, and heater.

One switch in the master was above the garden tub, it goes to a ground fault breaker in the box.

The electrician that guided us told to use 12 on everything that would have any kind of load.
It mattered little to me, as it was cheap.

The inspector saw stuff like that and didn't look too close at some stuff...

I did my whole house in 12 AWG with the exception of two light circuits downstairs that I wired with some 14 AWG that I got free from another guy who had it left over after his remodel.

 

[KennyG]

Using 12 for everything is certainly conservative. However, I prefer 14 with 15 amp breakers for lighting circuits primarily because the wire is so much easier to work with. It routes easier and terminates easier.

I hesitate to mention it because it's a code violation, but many electricians used to pigtail 20 amp circuits out with a short piece of 14 because it was easier to terminate. I've done it years ago but won't do it now.