ppainterjl
Member
What are the requirements, if any, for installing 120v. outlets in a residential dwelling in wall area above hydronic baseboard radiators ( commonly known as hot water baseboard radiators)?
receptacle locations
- Thread starter ppainterjl
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
There are no restrictions in the NEC.
Welcome to the Forum.
Welcome to the Forum.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
The restrictions on placement for outlets over baseboards applies to electric heaters only. I have yet to see it apply to the others
I thought that might be the case although the IN (FPN) does not specify which type of heater.
Ive never read the instructions on a hydronic heater ( HECK Ive never actually seen one) but I don't think I would want my cords draped over one.
- Location
- Massachusetts
They don't get very hot at all, you can leave drapes or bed sheets against them.
mjf
Senior Member
Agreed
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I did a job where I installed a receptacle over a hot water baseboard heater. I said to the home owner that the inspector is going to turn it down but don't worry it is compliant. For some reason the receptacle had to go in this particular spot.
Inspector turned it down - called him- and showed him there was nothing about water baseboards that made this non compliant... He passed it reluctantly. We get baseboard in our minds and we assume it means all of them
Inspector turned it down - called him- and showed him there was nothing about water baseboards that made this non compliant... He passed it reluctantly. We get baseboard in our minds and we assume it means all of them
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
I lived in a house that had hydronic baseboard heaters. Boiler temp was set at 180F. That would be max possible temp at the heaters assuming you never lost any heat between the boiler and heater. 180F is less then 90C.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Around here where hot water baseboard heat is the norm an inspector wouldn't look twice at receptacles above the baseboard.
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Or, like this ignorant inspector, he may have never seen one. Dennis' State borders mine and
those critters are rare in this area. Perhaps a Code change to the IN (FPN) is warranted to clarify "electric baseboard heaters" to those of us uniformed.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Sorry Gus, but I think it is fine as is, it alerts you to the fact there may be an issue and you then need to go elsewhere to verify whether that issue does apply to you. I don't know if there is, but imagine there could be electric baseboard heaters that do not reach high enough temperature for this to be a problem, but you would need to see their instructions to verify that. If a heater would happen to use true "steam" - it also may get too hot for cords to be placed over it, though that is likely to be limited to the old cast iron radiators.
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