The load from the GFCI could go to another bathroom.
adding bathroom outlet - confused by what I'm seeing
My goal is to simply add an additional outlet to a bathroom. It's starting to look like the simplest way is going to be a new run from the breaker box. Anyway while checking my options, I found a couple things I can't wrap my head around. This ground level bathroom has one GFCI outlet on the wall above the vanity. The only fixtures are an exhaust fan and light fixture above the vanity with three light bulbs. As expected these each have a switch in a double gang box in the wall - one stud to the right of the gfci outlet. My first thought was to simply extend the gfci outlet. When I examined the outlet, the box had two yellow-jacketed cables coming in, connected to either side of the outlet and the grounds wire-nutted with a pigtail going to the ground lug on the outlet. This is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, execept that I have no clue what the next device in the daisy chain might be? There is an outlet on the opposite side of the wall in the bedroom just a few feet below the gfci outlet, but this one has no yellow-jacketed cables coming in. However it has three white-jacketed cables coming in and all of these are wire-nutted together (black to black, white to white) with pigtails going to the outlet itself. Question 2: Is it kosher to have wire nuts in an outlet box (other than the ground)? [I did find another example of this in a basement GFCI outlet - 3 yellow jacketed cables coming in]. Finally, I was expecting to see four cables coming in to the switch box, but in fact there were six, all white-jacketed. What might the extra two cables be for?
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Not out of the ordinary. The GFCI is feeding something else. The only thing allowed is receptacles in another bathroom.This is certainly nothing out of the ordinary, execept that I have no clue what the next device in the daisy chain might be?
Not a problem and sometimes it is required.Question 2: Is it kosher to have wire nuts in an outlet box (other than the ground)?
Feeding other stuff on the same circuit. Find the breaker for the lights and fan and turn it off. Whatever else goes off is what those other cables are connected to.Finally, I was expecting to see four cables coming in to the switch box, but in fact there were six, all white-jacketed. What might the extra two cables be for?
Bathroom across the hall has one outlet and is not GFCI, however when I put the outlet in question on test, the outlet in the second bathroom quits working, so that definitively answers that question. Can the GFCI outlet box have a third wire run from it to another outlet in the same bathroom? I'd have to do the spice and pigtail thing, and fishing the wire up from the basement could be difficult. While you've said the splices in an outlet box are OK, does that apply to boxes with GFCI outlets?
As long as the gfi only feeds receptacles you can extend the circuit. Adding a new cable may require a larger box.
GFCI receptacles usually have clamp style screw connections that allow two wires under the clamp; one on each side of the screw. You may not require wire nuts and pigtails.
I looked a little closer at the GFCI outlet and it has the little holes in the back as well as the screws on the sides and all the existing wires are pushed into the holes. Nothing is under the screws.
Actually the wires probably are under the screws. On the clamp style the wires go into the hole and then the screw tightens the clamp.
Trip the GFCI and see what goes off
Could be another bathroom or even an outside receptacle.
Could be another bathroom or even an outside receptacle.
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