I'm currently finishing my basement. The project includes a bathroom. I know that the outlet near the bathroom wash basin must be on a GFI protected circuit.

Ideally, I would add this outlet to the GFI circuit that supplies the outlets in our other two bathrooms. However, I don't have easy access to that line (it leaves the breaker box and heads straight up to the first floor).

I undertand that I could add a new GFI circuit for the new bathroom and put all the bathroom's electricity on that circuit. However, if the GFI circuit trips then the lights in the bathroom would go out (not a good thing in a dark basement). I could just put the outlet itself on this new circuit, but that seems like an incredible waste.

There is another GFI protected circuit that feeds a single outlet in our (previously unfinished) basement as well as our outdoor outlets. Can I add the basement bathroom outlet to this circuit? Would this satisfy the NEC?

On a related note... I think houses are required to have a GFI protected outlet in unfinished basements. Ours was in the part of the basment that is being finished. Do I need to add another in the part that will remain unfinished?

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Originally Posted by family_man_73

I undertand that I could add a new GFI circuit for the new bathroom and put all the bathroom's electricity on that circuit. However, if the GFI circuit trips then the lights in the bathroom would go out (not a good thing in a dark basement). I could just put the outlet itself on this new circuit, but that seems like an incredible waste.

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Not at all. The lights will only go out if you wire it that way. You can wire the lights on the LINE side of the GFI.

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Originally Posted by family_man_73

There is another GFI protected circuit that feeds a single outlet in our (previously unfinished) basement as well as our outdoor outlets. Can I add the basement bathroom outlet to this circuit? Would this satisfy the NEC?

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Absolutely not on both counts.

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Originally Posted by family_man_73

On a related note ... I think houses are required to have a GFI protected outlet in unfinished basements. Ours was in the part of the basment that is being finished. Do I need to add another in the part that will remain unfinished?

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Yes, you should add another receptacle to the unfinished area, especially if there is equipment there.

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Originally Posted by stanfortyman

Not at all. The lights will only go out if you wire it that way. You can wire the lights on the LINE side of the GFI.

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Good point. A dedicated 20 amp circuit for the bathroom seems the best solution.