Can some one tell me where TR rated outlets are required today? I'm finishing my basement and have a mix of TR and regular outlets in my stockpile of stuff. Are the non-TR ones OK to use? The circuits are all Arc Fault / GFCI protected. I'm fairly certain they are required in bedrooms, but not sure where else.
Tamper Resistant Outlets - Where are they required?
- Thread starter Sparky617
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This is what my Google search came up with from Family Handyman. So it looks like all in a home.
Tamper-Resistant Receptacles (TR): All 15- and 20-ampere receptacles in a home are now required to be tamper-resistant. Tamper-resistant receptacles have built-in shutters that prevent children from inserting foreign objects in the receptacle slots. The vast majority of electrical burns and shocks occurred among children 6 years of age or less. Tamper-resistant receptacles are also now required in hotel rooms, child care facilities, preschools, elementary education facilities, waiting areas in medical and dental clinics, dormitories, and waiting areas in any place of assembly, anywhere children may not be closely supervised.
Tamper-Resistant Receptacles (TR): All 15- and 20-ampere receptacles in a home are now required to be tamper-resistant. Tamper-resistant receptacles have built-in shutters that prevent children from inserting foreign objects in the receptacle slots. The vast majority of electrical burns and shocks occurred among children 6 years of age or less. Tamper-resistant receptacles are also now required in hotel rooms, child care facilities, preschools, elementary education facilities, waiting areas in medical and dental clinics, dormitories, and waiting areas in any place of assembly, anywhere children may not be closely supervised.
This is what I found. This is news to me as well and Not sure I will follow it.
Q. Where are tamper-resistant receptacles required?
A. All nonlocking type 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in the following areas of a dwelling unit [210.52] must be listed as tamper-resistant [406.12].
Wall space — 210.52(A)
Small-appliance circuit — 210.52(B)
Countertop space — 210.52(C)
Bathroom area — 210.52(D)
Outdoors — 210.52(E)
Laundry area — 210.52(F)
Garage and outbuildings — 210.52(G)
Hallways — 210.52(H)
Exception: Receptacles in the following locations aren’t required to be tamper-resistant:
Q. Where are tamper-resistant receptacles required?
A. All nonlocking type 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in the following areas of a dwelling unit [210.52] must be listed as tamper-resistant [406.12].
Wall space — 210.52(A)
Small-appliance circuit — 210.52(B)
Countertop space — 210.52(C)
Bathroom area — 210.52(D)
Outdoors — 210.52(E)
Laundry area — 210.52(F)
Garage and outbuildings — 210.52(G)
Hallways — 210.52(H)
Exception: Receptacles in the following locations aren’t required to be tamper-resistant:
- Receptacles located more than 5½ ft above the floor.
- Receptacles that are part of a luminaire or appliance.
- A receptacle located within dedicated space for an appliance that in normal use isn’t easily moved from one place to another.
- Nongrounding receptacles used for replacements as permitted in 406.4(D)(2)(a).
You don't need to go back and retrofit your house with new TR rated outlets. I need to only worry about it in my basement because the basement is getting inspected as part of the permitting process. Thankfully, we don't have to upgrade everything to the current code. If we did, I need to replace my 22 year sub panel because it is full and all lighting and outlet circuits now require a Arc Fault/GFCI breaker, those breakers take up a full space meaning and I have a number of thin breakers with 2 circuits per slot. Additionally, my main panel under my meter socket (part of the same enclosure) doesn't have a main shut off, so it would have to go. I had to upgrade the panel in my basement to handle the extra breakers there.
They are tougher to plug into. I have them on my kitchen counter outlets and cuss them out frequently.
Makes you wonder how many people get shocked trying to jimmy one open with a steak knife so they can plug in the coffee maker. I really see no reason for this and GFCI both on a kitchen counter. The safety caps work good if you have little kids. But if it is code it is code and you have to follow it.
They are specifically designed NOT to allow you to jimmy them open. The US outlet / plug design isn't great as on many plugs you could easily touch the hot blade if you weren't careful. That said, I don't recall ever getting shocked in this manner. UK and European plugs over better protection against this. They also have 240V in their standard outlets, so probably a good thing their plugs are designed with more protection.
Yep, that's what I'm finding with the 2020 code update.
