# Flush mounted floor outlets, do they have to be GFCI?



## openmind415 (May 3, 2015)

So I've looked through the NEC, especially article 210.8, and I do not find them necessary to be GFCI. Unless someone else can tell me otherwise.

So here's the situation, there's quite a few of these floor outlets in a gym that are used for treadmills. One was burnt up pretty bad and my shop had told the customer that it's probably caused from some water when they don't carefully mop the floor around these outlets. Now the customer is requesting that all the outlets to be replaced with GFCIs for "personnel protection". Now keep in mind that I work in government facilities. Our work doesn't generate a bill for the customer so I'm trying to convince him that if it's not code requirements we're not going to do it since it's going to be a waste of time and money for our shop.


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## Mshow1323 (Jun 9, 2012)

openmind10988 said:


> So I've looked through the NEC, especially article 210.8, and I do not find them necessary to be GFCI. Unless someone else can tell me otherwise.
> 
> So here's the situation, there's quite a few of these floor outlets in a gym that are used for treadmills. One was burnt up pretty bad and my shop had told the customer that it's probably caused from some water when they don't carefully mop the floor around these outlets. Now the customer is requesting that all the outlets to be replaced with GFCIs for "personnel protection". Now keep in mind that I work in government facilities. Our work doesn't generate a bill for the customer so I'm trying to convince him that if it's not code requirements we're not going to do it since it's going to be a waste of time and money for our shop.


Just because they aren't mandated does not mean it's a bad idea. I've always thought floor receps. should be, because of all of the mopping and shampooing. And if water ruined them once...better over protective than under.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

If the client wants GFCI protection, then so be it. It can be a different kind of headache for them though. Now they will be dealing with nuisance trips and the gym members complaining or trying to reset the receptacles on their own.

I would look into getting better floor receptacle housings and heavy duty receptacles.

A GFCI receptacle is also going to deteriorate under these conditions.

I would also suggest the client adopt a policy for the cleaning crews: Unplug the exercise equipment, close the boxes, THEN mop!


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Woodhead cord drops would've made more sense.

http://www.woodhead.com/

Alternately, perhaps a tiny pony wall.

It's just not a floor-box friendly environment.


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## openmind415 (May 3, 2015)

As of now we're still not going to do it. Found out the customer wants about 90 of them replaced after the ONE burnt out. It's an overkill of a solution IMO.

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## openmind415 (May 3, 2015)

Mshow1323 said:


> Just because they aren't mandated does not mean it's a bad idea. I've always thought floor receps. should be, because of all of the mopping and shampooing. And if water ruined them once...better over protective than under.


Good points, honestly I would have no problem replacing one, but not doing all 90 of them.

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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

why not gfci the circuits OCDP....?

~CS~


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## openmind415 (May 3, 2015)

Me and a co worker did talk about that. Putting in a gfci breaker would be a better and easier way to do it.

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## nables30 (Mar 29, 2013)

Yes but instead of tripping one, you would trip all of them on that circuit and does the staff have access to reset them?


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## openmind415 (May 3, 2015)

nables30 said:


> Yes but instead of tripping one, you would trip all of them on that circuit and does the staff have access to reset them?


They have a facility manager that's "supposed" to know these thing. They'll have access to the elec room and the panel. Barjack mentioned above the nuisance trip would be a new problem and the real issue isn't really being remedied this way. It comes back down to them having to be more careful moping around these outlets.

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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

There is a scrub exclusion requirement for floor boxes where the floor will be wet mopped (i.e., a gasket).


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## Mshow1323 (Jun 9, 2012)

Barjack said:


> If the client wants GFCI protection, then so be it. It can be a different kind of headache for them though. Now they will be dealing with nuisance trips and the gym members complaining or trying to reset the receptacles on their own.
> 
> I would look into getting better floor receptacle housings and heavy duty receptacles.
> 
> ...


(I'm not pointing fingers at you, but I wanted to point this out because you had brought it up.)
I have never in all my years seen a "nuisance trip." Everytime, and I mean everytime a GFCI has tripped it's either the fault of the device, wiring, or appliance. To me "nuisance trip" always meant, "Sorry for the trip Mr. Homeowner, I couldn't find the reason so I'll blame the universe." This goes for AFCIs as well. Everytime, there is a trip you can find a reason.


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## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

chicken steve said:


> why not gfci the circuits OCDP....?
> 
> ~CS~


I think that would be a better idea then boiling a GFCI receptacle in mop water.
The challenge will be the distance and if they used MWBC to feed those circuits.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

jrannis said:


> I think that would be a better idea then boiling a GFCI receptacle in mop water.
> The challenge will be the distance and if they used MWBC to feed those circuits.


You can put a MWBC on a two pole GFCI breaker.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

Mshow1323 said:


> (I'm not pointing fingers at you, but I wanted to point this out because you had brought it up.)
> I have never in all my years seen a "nuisance trip." Everytime, and I mean everytime a GFCI has tripped it's either the fault of the device, wiring, or appliance. To me "nuisance trip" always meant, "Sorry for the trip Mr. Homeowner, I couldn't find the reason so I'll blame the universe." This goes for AFCIs as well. Everytime, there is a trip you can find a reason.


Sometimes the universe is the reason.

Lightning strikes and power surges can trip a GFCI.

I live and work in the lightning capital of the country.


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## Barjack (Mar 28, 2010)

I also wasn't really referring to myself and my troubleshooting techniques on service calls involving GFCI's. 

What I meant was that poor mopping skills and intermittent/bad cord connections would trip a GFCI but not a regular receptacle. It could create problems for the maintenance staff.

Since it isn't required by code I would question whether it is a good idea.


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## AKStan (Jan 28, 2021)

Barjack said:


> If the client wants GFCI protection, then so be it. It can be a different kind of headache for them though. Now they will be dealing with nuisance trips and the gym members complaining or trying to reset the receptacles on their own.
> 
> I would look into getting better floor receptacle housings and heavy duty receptacles.
> 
> ...


Not an electrician, but why not install a GFCI breaker, or breakers? They will still trip at times, but the reset is then behind a locked door.


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## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Your question brings up another related question. Are the outlets pointed straight up or are they in tombstones, mounted slightly above the floor? Or under the floor level? If under the floor level how could a gfci not be a good idea. With today's crazies out there you might have to change the outlets pointed at the sky because of the bend in the cord. 
Depending on the age of the building the floor outlet manufacture may not even be in business so adding tombstones might be an real headache.


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## Quickservice (Apr 23, 2020)

openmind415 said:


> So I've looked through the NEC, especially article 210.8, and I do not find them necessary to be GFCI. Unless someone else can tell me otherwise.
> 
> So here's the situation, there's quite a few of these floor outlets in a gym that are used for treadmills. One was burnt up pretty bad and my shop had told the customer that it's probably caused from some water when they don't carefully mop the floor around these outlets. Now the customer is requesting that all the outlets to be replaced with GFCIs for "personnel protection". Now keep in mind that I work in government facilities. Our work doesn't generate a bill for the customer so I'm trying to convince him that if *it's not code requirements we're not going to do it since it's going to be a waste of time and money for our shop.*


I would just leave it at that. Mopping is not an issue if they have the right screw-on covers.


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