Electrical Code for Kitchen Island?
I am doing a kitchen renovation. I have a long island- 7 feet by 30″. I want to put outlets on the BACK of the island (where I won’t see them.) I keep hearing that for the electrical inspection I need to have them on the ENDS of the island. When I look at the…
I am doing a kitchen renovation. I have a long island- 7 feet by 30″. I want to put outlets on the BACK of the island (where I won’t see them.) I keep hearing that for the electrical inspection I need to have them on the ENDS of the island. When I look at the NEC code (210.52) – it reads like I can put them on the back. However, my builder keeps telling me that the inspectors are picky about this and won’t pass it. Anyone had experience with this? Thanks!
All kitchen islands or peninsulas require at least one receptacle. The receptacle cannot be installed on the side of the cabinet if the overhang of the counter is greater than 6″. This is most likely the reason they need to be at the end. And as Ray posted previously, if a cook top or sink is installed in/near the center you theoretically have 2 counter spaces, which requires at least one receptacle for each counter.
Hahahahahaha! Sorry Everyone! When you get here, you’ll know. Eyes (and mind) are not what they used to be.
Save my diatribe on overly huge kitchen islands for another day. 🙂
Yes, 7 feet by 30 inches makes a lot more sense! Ours is about 6 by 3 feet.
It’s just that we went to some apartment open houses recently that featured kitchen islands that were nearly 30 feet long…at least almost 20 feet. it was a little ridiculous considering the only thing breaking up the counter surface was one lone sink.
Enjoy!
You can always add/change the outlet location on your kitchen island after later. Just call an electrician and have them do the work. No inspection necessary, if the electrician is willing to break code. (If there ever was a fire, he could be held responsible for property damage, or manslaughter if anybody dies & your insurance policy would be voided.) Not worth it for me for an outlet placement.
BG – …”I have a long island- 7 feet by 30″…”
(7 feet by 30 inches) – Not that big of a deal.
BrooklynGreeene,
your new name is brooklygreenelongwind.
fyi ” = inches. ‘ = feet.
Am I the ONLY person who was surprised by a you stating the kitchen island is 7 feet by 30 feet?!
That is 210 square feet and larger than some studio apartments! It’s longer than our front parlor. I would guess you have one of those mod apartments or are redoing a parlor floor.
Now, I know the fad for huge islands is still in, especially with that “waterfall” edge (which, I’m sorry to have to be the one to tell you, simply will relegate it to a not-too-distant kitchen redo down the road…so plan wisely!–old lady here giving free advice so you’ll have to excuse me–but honestly, the voice of reason has to chime in somewhere in all this.
The waterfall sides are going to get gloriously dinged up and the whole moderne construction will, as happens with things in the moderne style, be liable to early shabbiness since they rely on a certain high level of consistency and even pristine condition to relay their original design intent.
Let me ask, are you incorporating a dining area to seat 8-12 at one end of the island? I hope so. At 7 x 30 (and I’m joking, sort of) you could probably fit a murphy bed and every other appliance you have ever dreamed of…maybe even one of those sensory chambers one floats in. Or how about a tanning bed?
Okay. I AM joking. But maybe think about a smaller island with the look you want and then perfectly matched rolling tables/counters that match the exact height of the island. They could or might not have to have storage underneath. If you can break up the island and roll non-stove/non-sink sections around, it will offer you a lot of versatility for parties, buffets, dinners, bartenders if you have a fancier party, even separate work areas for different projects. You could use the same surfacing material or something else.
To be honest, I think seven feet wide is too wide. It will be awkward. There are a lot of petite people out there for whom it will prove impossible to shift a dish across that seven-foot span. Like me…but maybe “tall” runs in your household. I would even suggest multiple rolling tables that are only 3 1/2 feet wide so they can line up back to back and match this extra-wide counter. Three and a half feet is a a good width is good for a generous dining table. Just use those slightly higher chairs with the footrest.
Okay, skip my negativity. But think of the issues and possibilities, not just today’s “look” and a desire to blow your friends’ and siblings’ socks off.
I don’t want to tell you how to live, but have a look at this Barcelona apartment: http://faircompanies.com/videos/view/house-in-a-suitcase-tiny-home-2-trunks-furniture/
My understanding is this: if you have a sink or a stovetop in the island you are going to need at least 2 outlets, on both sides of the sink/stovetop. If your island doesn’t have any of those, one outlet is enough.
The sink/cooktop kind of “break” the island into two different spaces and you need an outlet in each of them. If you have (say) one sink and one cooktop in the same island, you are going to need 3 outlets, one in each stretch of countertop.
I think the idea behind is this: imagine you are going to use a small appliances (let’s say a toaster) on the island countertop. If you have a single outlet on one end and you “want” to use your toaster on the other end, when you plug the toaster the wire is going to have to go through the cooktop/stove or the sink. That is potentially dangerous and the code is there to prevent that potential accident.
I run into this issue a couple of years ago… if you need the actual reference in the code I may be able to find it, let me know. According to the code I needed a single one, my architect agreed but told me sometimes inspectors rule the other (wrong) way and my electrician insisted I got another outlet, but I didn’t want to for aesthetic reasons. I didn’t get the additional one and we passed the inspection without problem.
We didn’t want them on our island at all, so we ran a wire and left it coiled underneath the cabinet where it could be accessed and installed if required, however it was not noticed on electrical inspection and to this day remains there. Just an idea.
The electrical inspection makes no sense to me. We have the specific NEC code that does not specify that it has to be on the ends, and yet it seems that it has to be on the ends! Does anyone know why? Our stone countertop is “waterfalling” here (wrapping over the end to the floor) so a giant outlet here is going to look awful.
Does the counter overhang on the back of the counter? If so then the outlets (GFCIs) need to be on the ends of the island. Two outlets on two separate circuits is code in NYC. I don’t know why, but this is like the first thing electrical inspectors look for.