I think it is about time you read article 210, especially 210.8, 210.12, 210.52 and 210.70(A).

http://freenec.com/T22.html

This one is 2008, but it will get you in the ballpark. AFCIs are required in practically every finished room now. GFCIs are only required in unfinished rooms and around water. Receptacles need to placed by the 6' rule (no more than 12' between receptacles). The smoke detector needs to be tied into the other detectors with a 3 wire +ground cable. Section 314 & 315 of the IRC.

http://premiumaccess.iccsafe.org/document/code/272/4596652

Thanks, Fred. I already meet the 6' rule. You've answered my question about the smoke detectors (I'll have to check if the existing ones are wired with the approved cable you mention. Because this room is currently unfinished, I put all the receptacles on a GFCI circuit, and I plan to put that circuit on an AFCI breaker.

I interpret the 6' rule to mean that any appliance with a 6' cable can reach a receptacle without crossing a doorway. One little nit pick: I have a piece of wall about 6" long between a door and a closet wall; the closet door is about 2' away. Do I have to put a receptacle in that space? There can't be any furniture there (because it would be behind the open door), I see no point.

210.52(A)

(1) Spacing. Receptacles shall be installed such that no point measured horizontally along the floor line in any wall space is more than 1.8 m (6 ft) from a receptacle outlet.

(2) Wall Space. As used in this section, a wall space shall include the following:

. (1) Any space 600 mm (2 ft) or more in width (including

space measured around corners) and unbroken along the

floor line by doorways, fireplaces, and similar openings

. (2) The space occupied by fixed panels in exterior walls,

excluding sliding panels

. (3) The space afforded by fixed room dividers such as free-standing bar-type counters or railings

(3) Floor Receptacles. Receptacle outlets in floors shall not be counted as part of the required number of receptacle outlets unless located within 450 mm (18 in.) of the wall.

http://freenec.com/T29.html

Thanks again, Fred. One consequence of (1) is that no two receptacles can be more than 12' apart, which seems very generous. Regarding (2)(1), I have moved the wall containing the closet door so that requirement is met; I assume that that measurement includes any trim.

In your earlier response, you reminded me that smoke detectors are to be tied together, which I thought might be difficult. However, I found a smoke detector (which I haven't opened up yet) installed in the utility room wired with 3-wire cable. Can I just run a 3-wire cable from there to the new one with the black and white for power and the red for the interconnect? That would be easy.

"Can I just run a 3-wire cable from there to the new one with the black and white for power and the red for the interconnect? "

That is the standard modus operandi. You need a smoke detector both inside and outside the bedroom.

"Regarding (2)(1), I have moved the wall containing the closet door so that requirement is met; I assume that that measurement includes any trim."

I am not sure I follow. You don't need to move the door unless you are trying to avoid putting a receptacle there. You can put a receptacle on a one foot wall, but you don't have to. If the wall is more than 24", it must have a receptacle. The wall includes anything that is not a doorway, or fixed part of a door. (aka - trim, fixed panel of sliding glass doors, or sidelights of a door)

Thanks, I plan for two, as you describe.

I'm sorry I was unclear. When I said "move the door", I meant move the design of the wall containing the door. It doesn't exist yet. This 18" wall will be behind a door so it is completely useless, because there are other receptacles on the other side of this door and also the closet door. Actually, I decided to move the wall for other reasons also.

Regarding the smoke detectors, I guess it would be easiest to wire in all the smokes in the basement I might need. One for this bedroom, one in the hallway outside the bedroom, another for a future bedroom (which will use the same hallway), one for a future media room, and one for my workshop, which is at the other end of the basement.

I assume you are also planning for tamper-resistant receptacles. They are stocked everywhere now, but the old receptacles are very common in many stores.

When you insulate and frame the walls you have some other code requirements to keep in mind. Here are a few that come to mind.

Basement cement walls are seldom completely straight, and as part of adding moisture barriers and insulation it is common to have small gaps between the cement wall and the framing. Exterior wall framing must have fire blocking at the top so there is no path from the framing into the floor joist area above, and it must have vertical blocking every 10 linear feet of wall. You can use drywall, OSB, or spray foam, etc. for fire block material. It will be inspected as part of your framing inspection.

In above ground framed walls you have most of the moisture coming from the inside (people, cooking, etc.) so the vapor barrier is usually on the inside next to the drywall. However, below ground basement walls usually need a vapor/moisture barrier on the outside, facing the cement. You want your moisture barrier on the the "moist side", and in a basement you always have a moderate amount of moisture coming through the cement. Closed cell foam is probably the best vapor barrier, but its also common to use heavy plastic sheeting.

Some floor coverings do not work well in a basement. For example, high quality epoxy works well on an above ground patio, but the below-grade moisture may be too much for it to adhere well in a basement if there is no moisture barrier under the concrete.

Basement bedrooms require an egress window or a door in the bedroom that leads directly outside. You cannot substitute a walk-out door in a common area to meet this requirement.

In most areas the habitable space in a basement must have 80" of headroom to the finished ceiling. They give you some leeway for shorter areas that will allow you to box beams and HVAC vents, but you need to ensure you know what the inspector will allow.

Bruce

Bruce: Thanks for your comments. I answer them here:

All receptacles are tamper resistant

The original builder framed and insulated the basement foundation walls. There is insulation and a vapor barrier on the outside, and spray foam on the inside. Can I assume the foam insulation is sufficient fire blocking?

There is also a vapor barrier and insulation below the concrete floor, which has radiant heating tubes embedded in it.

I'm not sure what you mean by a "walk-out door in a common area". This basement has two walk-out doors, one in the common area and one in the bedroom being addressed here. I am planning to create another guest room from the common area which will not include the walk-out door, but there are egress windows there. Outside this part of the basement, the ground level is below the floor level.

All floor joists are 9' above the floor. There are two 12" support beams which clear the floor by 8'.

The plans provided by the architect were drawn assuming that the basement would eventually be finished, and those drawings were approved (and stamped) by the appropriate parties.

I am now addressing other electrical issues, including interconnected smoke detectors and switched lights inside the closets.

What I was saying is that a single walk-out basement door (very common) is not sufficient for bedroom egress unless the door is in the bedroom. If you have a walk-out door or an egress window in each bedroom, you have what is required.

The requirement for fire blocking is not complicated, but my inspector said it is a common failure when they inspect DIY basement framing. If your framing was put in by the builder I'm sure they understood the requirement.

Smoke detector requirements for new construction are different than for renovation, and it sounds like your house was already wired correctly. I didn't have any requirement to add interconnected smoke detectors during renovation, since they were not part of the original wiring, but I did use them anyway.

I don't know of any special requirements for closet lights, except that they cannot have exposed bulbs. I used some inexpensive integrated LED lights from Home Depot that look a lot like the old ceiling dome lights. The lights are cheaply made (plastic dome), but the "bulbs" are completely covered and there is no heat from the fixture.

Bruce

There are clearance limits for incandescent lighting fixtures in clothes closets. Fixtures that can only accept LED or fluorescent bulbs escape these.

410.16(C)

(5) Surface-mounted fluorescent or LED luminaries are permitted within the closet storage space if identified for this use.

Definition

Identified (as applied to equipment). Recognizable as suitable for the specific purpose, function, use, environment, application, and so forth, where described in a particular Code requirement.

FPN: Some examples of ways to determine suitability of equipment for a specific purpose, environment, or application include investigations by a qualified testing laboratory (listing and labeling), an inspection agency, or other organizations concerned with product evaluation.

.

410.16 Listing Required. Luminaries, lampholders, and retrofit kits must be listed.

Definition

Listed. Equipment, materials, or services included in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evaluation of services, and whose listing states that either the equipment, material, or service meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.

FPN: The means for identifying listed equipment may vary for each organization concerned with product evaluation, some of which do not recognize equipment as listed unless it is also labeled. Use of the system employed by the listing organization allows the authority having jurisdiction to identify a listed product.

Bruce -

Fire blocking for exterior or interior walls? Exterior walls all have foam insulation and I assume that qualified foam is fireproof. To interior walls have to have fire blocking? In addition to the 2x4 pair which goes across the entire wall?

Fred -

I am installing a surface mount fluorescent fixture, using T5 bulbs. It doesn't say anything on the package where this is listed for closet use. It is a 4 foot, two tube fixture made by Lithonia. Each tube (included in the package) is rated at 28 Watts. How can I determine if this is OK