I need to mount a receptacle on a basement wall. If I can mount it high enough, it can go on the wood cripple wall instead of having to drill into the concrete and risk the excellent watertightness of the basement.
How high can the receptacle be placed and still count for the "within 6' of any point on the wall" requirement? While we're here, since it's related, what's the lowest allowable position?
The NEC doesn't count a receptacle above 5-1/2' to satisfy the requirement -
210.52(4) Located more than 1.7 m (51⁄2 ft) above the floor
The NEC doesn't have a lower limit for height, in fact 210.52(A)(3) allows floor receptacles within 18" of the wall to satisfy the requirement.
(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.
Now if there are any requirements for ADA accessibility, receptacles and switches must be between 15" and 48" and unobstructed.
The answer to your question is 5½', as per NEC 210.52 point 4:
210.52 Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets. This section provides requirements for 125-volt, 15- and 20-ampere receptacle outlets. The receptacles required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is:
(1) Part of a luminaire or appliance, or
(2) Controlled by a wall switch in accordance with 210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1, or
(3) Located within cabinets or cupboards, or
(4) Located more than 1.7 m (5½ ft) above the floor
As to your bonus question, a receptacle can be as low on the wall as you wish; in fact, it can even be a floor receptacle in a floor box and still count for this, as long as it is within 18" of the wall, as per NEC 250.52(A)(3):
(3) Floor Receptacles. Receptacle outlets in or on floors shall not be counted as part of the required number of receptacle outlets unless located within 450 mm (18 in.) of the wall.
