Grounding receptacles the early years in Residential Homes

Wenatchee Home Inspections

I have written about this before on laundry circuits, washing machines and ungrounded receptacles,  but thought I would dive in a little deeper.

It was in the 1947 NEC where we see the first use of grounding type receptacle required for the “Laundry Circuit” that I can find. Now, between 1940 and 1947 the code had updates via supplemental books to save paper during the war years. Starting in 1942 we had our first supplement NEC book.

                                        
                                    1942 supplement book                     1943 supplement book

These supplement book were used so they would not have to reproduce the whole code book. They only printed the sections that changes occured. The 1942s measured 6" tall x 3-3/4" wide and had 38 pages with a "S" after each number.  The 1943 supplement book had 47 pages. These supplement books were printed on thin white paper.

                                                             




So we will start with the 1940 NEC-

From the 1940 NEC

2109. Receptacle Circuits in Dwellings.

In dwelling occupancies, branch circuits which supply receptacle outlets in kitchen, laundry, pantry, dining room, and breakfast room, shall not supply other outlets, and such circuits shall have conductors not smaller than No. 12.

2110. Receptacle Outlets.

Receptacle outlets shall be installed in every kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, living room, parlor, library, den, sun room, recreation room and bedroom. One receptacle outlet shall be provided for every 20 linear feet or major fraction thereof of the total (gross) distance around the room as measured horizontally along the wall at the floor line. The receptacle outlets shall, insofar as practicable, be spaced equal distances apart. At Ieast one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the connection of laundry appliances.

See Example No, 1, Chapter 10.

You can see there is no mention of the need for  grounding till we come to the 1947  

From the 1947 NEC

2115. Branch Circuits Required
(b.) Receptacle Circuits (Dwelling Occupancies).
For the small appliance load in kitchen, laundry, pantry, dining room and breakfast room of dwelling occupancies, one or more branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets (other than outlets for clocks) in these rooms and such circuits shall have no other outlets. The conductors of such circuits shall be not smaller than No. 12.
See section 2123-c-3.

2124 Receptacle Outlets Required.

(b.) In Dwelling Occupancies.
In dwelling occupancies, in every kitchen, dining room, break/aet room, living room, parlor, library, den, sun room, recreation room, and bedroom, one receptacle outlet shall be provided lor every 20 linear ft. or major fraction thereof of the total (gross) distance around the room aa measured horizontally along the wall at the floor line. The receptacle outlets shall, insofar as practicable, be spaced equal distances apart. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the connection of laundry appliances. This receptacle shall be 3-pole, of a type designed for grounding.

Receptacles ins floor outlets shall not be counted as part of the required number of receptacle outlets unless located close to the wall.

So we can see here the sentence “At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the connection of laundry appliances. This receptacle shall be 3-pole, of a type designed for grounding.” has been added to the code section.  But the code was not specific on how the grounding conductor was to be installed here

This changes in the 1953 NEC.

                   



From the 1953 NEC-

2115 (b.)Receptacle Circuits (Dwelling Occupancies).
For the appliance load in kitchen, laundry, pantry, dining-room and breakfast-room of dwelling occupancies, one or more 20 ampere branch circuits shall be provided for all receptacle outlets (other than outlets for clocks) in these rooms, and such circuits shall have no other outlets.

Note: A three wire 115/230 volt branch circuit is the equivalent of two 115 volt receptacle branch circuits.

Where a grounding receptacle is required as in section 2124.b. and 2559 the branch circuit or branch circuit raceway shall include or provide a grounding conductor to which the grounding contacts of the grounding receptacle shall be connected. The metal armor of armored cable or a metallic raceway shall be acceptable as a grounding conductor.

You can see here they are very specific on how to provide a grounding conductor. In prior cycles  this was somewhat implied but not very specific.

Here is the code section that specifies a grounding type of receptacles.

                                                                                             

From the 1953 NEC-

2124 (b.)  Dwelling Type Occupancies.
In every kitchen dining room, breakfast room, living room, parlor, library,den, sun room,recreation room and bedroom, one receptacle outlet shall be provided for every 20 linear feet or major fraction thereof of the total (gross) distance around the room as measured horizontally along the wall at the floor line.

The receptacle outlets shall, insofar as practicable, be spaced equal distances apart. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the connection of laundry appliances. This receptacle shall be of a 3-pole type designed for grounding. Receptacle outlets in floor shall not be counted as part of the required number of receptacle outlets unless located close to the wall.

See Examples 1 and 4, Chapter 10.

As you can see that this requirement for grounding type receptacles  goes back farther than most know about. From observations in the field these provisions were either lack of enforcement, not enforced, not adopted or most likely just overlooked along with lack of enforcement. Grounding was just starting to become the norm in the 1960’s so it does not shock me that these earlier requirements may not have been look for.

Here is a nice link to som receptacle history- http://www.necconnect.org/article210_history/

"There is no exception to the rule that every rule has an exception."

James Thurber

If you find any errors or have additional information that would expand on any code, building standards or manufacturer requirements please let me know.

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If you find any errors or have additional information that would expand on any code, building standards or manufacturer requirements please let me know.