Converting Outlet in Laundry Room to Accommodate RO pump

[Gort]

@Woodyman - what a great idea about turbo-charging!

 

[Paul B]

Shut off the circuit breaker for the washer, the one with only 3 holes in it or find someone who knows how to do that. The box behind that outlet is the same for any duplex outlet you want to put in. A duplex is the normal outlets or receptacles you have all over your house. Buy one rated for 20 amps and a plate to match. (any color you like) It will say it on the box and it will have three of the same looking "holes" that are on your existing receptacle.

Again, if you don't know what you are doing, find someone else.

But in short, "After you are sure the power is off" remove the old outlet. Loosen the screws on it and remove it.

You will notice on the new outlet there are 5 screws. 2 ore silver, 2 are brass and one is green or it could be black.

The white wire goes on one of the silver screws. Any one.

The black (it could be blue or red but it won't be white) goes on the brass screw. If your old outlet had a wire on the green screw, use that same wire on the green screw.

Screw in the unused screws. Put it back together and go out todinner.

Turn the breaker on first and test it. If it doesn't work, take a picture of the screws on the new outet.

(electrician 50 years)

 

[Brew12]

I'd recommend NOT modifying the outlet. Those are single outlets as required by the National Electric Code. I would recommend finding the current rating of your washing machine and ensure it is under 15A. Some of them can be as high as 18A. Unless your washing machine pulls under 13A I would make sure whatever device you use to add an extra outlet, such as a power strip, are rated for a full 20 amps.

 

[KStatefan]

It most likely should be a GFCI outlet to meet code. That is probably why there is just a single outlet there. At one time that was an exclusion from the GFCI requirement on past NEC.

 

[Brew12]

It most likely should be a GFCI outlet to meet code. That is probably why there is just a single outlet there. At one time that was an exclusion from the GFCI requirement on past NEC.

I happen to have my 2020 NEC in front of me.... It's based on not overloading the circuit since the water heaters in some washing machines can pull more than 15A so having another load could easily exceed the 80% limit. Built in microwaves have a similar requirement.

2010.11 (C) 2 Laundry Branch Circuits. In addition to the number of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at least one additional 20A branch circuit shall be provided to supply the laundry receptacle outlet(s) required by 210.52(F). This circuit shall have no other outlets.

 

[Brew12]

Shut off the circuit breaker for the washer, the one with only 3 holes in it or find someone who knows how to do that. The box behind that outlet is the same for any duplex outlet you want to put in. A duplex is the normal outlets or receptacles you have all over your house. Buy one rated for 20 amps and a plate to match. (any color you like) It will say it on the box and it will have three of the same looking "holes" that are on your existing receptacle.

Again, if you don't know what you are doing, find someone else.

But in short, "After you are sure the power is off" remove the old outlet. Loosen the screws on it and remove it.

You will notice on the new outlet there are 5 screws. 2 ore silver, 2 are brass and one is green or it could be black.

The white wire goes on one of the silver screws. Any one.

The black (it could be blue or red but it won't be white) goes on the brass screw. If your old outlet had a wire on the green screw, use that same wire on the green screw.

Screw in the unused screws. Put it back together and go out todinner.

Turn the breaker on first and test it. If it doesn't work, take a picture of the screws on the new outet.

(electrician 50 years)

Darn electricians recommending what makes sense to do...

This would obviously work with such a small additional load, but you would probably have to change it back to a simplex outlet if you ever moved or did a renovation that required a permit.

 

[Paul B]

I'd recommend NOT modifying the outlet.

I'd recommend NOT listening to my friend Brew. ;Woot (just kidding)

I would change the outlet. It probably is on a separate circuit and your RO/di pump isn't going to pull anything. Also, and Brew can probably answer this being he has his code book in his lap. (Mine I burned when I retired 15 years ago)

Does the code say it has to be a single receptacle or is a duplex receptacle considered a single outlet?

Your kitchen outlets are on separate circuits, but they are duplex receptacles as is the one behind your refrigerator.
OK, you can have two separate circuits in there but that is neither here nor there

I am asking because I "purposely" forgot the code. (I still would not worry about it and would totally replace that receptacle with a duplex, I did it in my house.

I realize we are supposed to do things by the code but if you did everything exactly by the code you would go crazy.

Do you know that you are not allowed to have a receptacle in your garage? It has to be a "laundry drop" which is like a foot of the female end of an extension cord. That silly law is in case you are working on your car and you drive out with the extension cord still plugged in.

Everybody with an outlet in your garage, raise your hand.

 

[olonmv]

Both receptacles can be replaced with 20a duplex outlets. No problems. That big one is a dryer outlet and is 240v 30a. I’d leave that alone. But you could convert that to 2 20a receptacles as long as you downsize the breaker.

 

[Paul B]

This would obviously work with such a small additional load, but you would probably have to change it back to a simplex outlet if you ever moved or did a renovation that required a permit.

I guarantee that no one is going to make you change that outlet back. Not going to happen. ;Woot

Brew, if you ever come to my house (and you are always welcome) keep that code book home.
Remember inspectors are not electricians and they never have had to be an electrician. They are code book readers and most of them have no idea how to wire anything safely or otherwise.

You are also not allowed to have more than 10 outlets on a circuit. As I look at my fish tank I probably have 25.

And anyone who owns a house for quite a few years adds outlets all over the place without counting anything.

Circuit breakers and wire insulation are designed very good so Jibonies don't burn down their house by adding a RO/DI pump on their washing machine outlet.

 

[Paul B]

But you could convert that to 2 20a receptacles as long as you downsize the breaker.

Yes, but don't do that or your drier won't work.

 

[olonmv]

I guarantee that no one is going to make you change that outlet back. Not going to happen. ;Woot

Brew, if you ever come to my house (and you are always welcome) keep that code book home.
Remember inspectors are not electricians and they never have had to be an electrician. They are code book readers and most of them have no idea how to wire anything safely or otherwise.

You are also not allowed to have more than 10 outlets on a circuit. As I look at my fish tank I probably have 25.

And anyone who owns a house for quite a few years adds outlets all over the place without counting anything.

Circuit breakers and wire insulation are designed very good so Jibonies don't burn down their house by adding a RO/DI pump on their washing machine outlet.

Actually, inspection is where electricians go to take it easy. After 20 years of doin electrical, inspection is my next stop.

 

[KrisReef]

Need a little guidance if you please. I'm transferring my RO/DI with electric pump to the laundry room but just discovered that I have a single outlet behind the washer and a single behind the dryer. Can I convert one of those into a double and if so which one preferably? Also noticed that outlet appears to be 20 AMP.

Do you have a wall switch for lighting? Those typically have 120v inside.

 

[olonmv]

Yes, but don't do that or your drier won't work.

Looks like he’s running a gas dryer.

 

[Paul B]

I agree and if I was still working and thankfully I am not, this would be my 50th year as an A Journeyman electrician.

We built buildings all over Manhattan and all of them cost many millions of dollars and took years to build. The inspector would come in at the end of the job and count the number of service switches because you are only allowed 7.

Then they would leave in 4 or 5 minutes. That was the inspection and I was the foreman for most of my career so I was the guy who walked the inspector around.

 

[Paul B]

Looks like he’s running a gas dryer.

I don't know. He has a 220 outlet in there for something. Maybe he had a big controller or doser on his tank?

 

[Brew12]

I would change the outlet. It probably is on a separate circuit and your RO/di pump isn't going to pull anything. Also, and Brew can probably answer this being he has his code book in his lap. (Mine I burned when I retired 15 years ago)

Honestly, if this were my house, I would do it too. Just hate to have someone make a modification to their house they may need to undo later.

Does the code say it has to be a single receptacle or is a duplex receptacle considered a single outlet?

It needs to be a simplex receptacle for both the laundry and for the microwave.

Do you know that you are not allowed to have a receptacle in your garage? It has to be a "laundry drop" which is like a foot of the female end of an extension cord. That silly law is in case you are working on your car and you drive out with the extension cord still plugged in.

Believe it or not, they did get smart and change this! You can now have normal receptacles in your garage as long as they are GFCI protected. Some common sense changes come slowly, but they do happen!

Brew can probably answer this being he has his code book in his lap. (Mine I burned when I retired 15 years ago)

I started keeping my NEC's going back to 2005 just in case I question when something changed.... I'm a nerd that way.

 

[Brew12]

To be clear.... the one thing I absolutely would not do (unless you verify your washing machine draws under 13A) is use a 15A circuit splitter or power strip.

 

[Paul B]

Brew, here in New York, in the City we had our own code that was stricter than the NEC. I think they eliminated the City code years ago.

Glad they changed that stupid garage outlet thing.

 

[olonmv]

I agree and if I was still working and thankfully I am not, this would be my 50th year as an A Journeyman electrician.

We built buildings all over Manhattan and all of them cost many millions of dollars and took years to build. The inspector would come in at the end of the job and count the number of service switches because you are only allowed 7.

Then they would leave in 4 or 5 minutes. That was the inspection and I was the foreman for most of my career so I was the guy who walked the inspector around.

I’m goin on year 22 myself, I’m in-house at a 72 story in downtown Houston. Do the random commercial remodel and service call but only in dire times. They like us there because of promptness and we handle all their crazy “projects”. Im ready for that pointing job lol. But, got a ton more kids to put through college.

 

[flyfisher2]

Junk drawer never fails!