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NEC Question (Washing machine circuit or "laundry") - pprobus - 10-24-2015
NEC experts, I need your help. I am making my basement storage room into a laundry room (the dryer has been there for 15 years already, time to move the washer there, too). Because of where the waste piping is, I need to run one of those sink sump pumps to pump the discharge from my washer back to the waste line. I'd like to put the pump on the same circuit as the washing machine, this way I don't have an issue that I am running the washer and the pump's circuit trips and I have a mess in the basement. Having the washer on the same circuit as the pump would mean that should the pump fail and trip the breaker, the washer would shut off too, potentially avoiding a mess and should the pump's GFCI fail, it would also shut off the washer, again avoiding a potential mess later on. I am also putting in a utility sink, although for a clean install look, I am not discharging the washer into the sink but instead to its own drain, but I am using the cabinet for the utility sink to house the sink sump pump, and to keep things neat, I'd like to put an outlet within the cabinet's back cut out instead of having a cord come out the cabinet to plug into the same receptacle as the washer.
I don't have the NEC code at home with me now, but I read it before I left for work and essentially, my interpretation of it says that it needs to be a 20 amp circuit with only one "outlet", which is supposed to be for the washing machine. My quick reading of the definition of "outlet" essentially means to the NEC a connection point to an electrical using device/appliance. Which I read to mean that I cannot have two receptacles on that circuit, one for the washer and one for the pump, nor can I have one receptacle for the washer and hardwire in the pump (i.e. even hardwiring according to my reading of the NEC is considered an "outlet"). Searching the web, I see various interpretations of the NEC to mean that "outlet" means you can have any number of receptacles in the "laundry" room but that circuit can only serve the "laundry" room. What say you, those who are more familiar with the NEC than I? Is my more restrictive reading correct or am I being too restrictive in my interpretation?
It's not a big deal either way, but it would be nice to only need one GFCI and not have to use another breaker space.
Thanks,
Paul
Re: NEC Question (Washing machine circuit or "laundry") - GHR - 10-24-2015
210.11©(2).
One or more outlets must be installed on a 20A circuit for the laundry.
That seems to allow both the washer and pump on one circuit. Even on one duplex receptacle.