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Inspecting Electrical Renovations

[ 0 ] By Frederic P. Hartwell | March 1, 2003 |
As buildings age, their electrical systems age with them. Renovating those older systems adds
flexibility through modern wiring practice and increases safety. However, the electrical
contractor and the authority having jurisdiction need to agree on the ground rules that will
apply to the construction. This article has two purposes. First, it looks at some general
principles of responsibility for National Electrical Code compliance in renovation projects,
and then it takes a practical look at construction issues that often result in NEC application
controversies during renovations. The NEC is not, by its own terms, retroactive. The extent to
which it will be applied to an existing condition is left to the enforcing jurisdiction. Space
does not allow this article to cover when existing defects must be corrected simply because
the wiring has deteriorated, and not because a renovation contract has triggered an electrical
permit and subsequent inspection. This is a separate topic involving other standards, such as
NFPA 73, Electrical Inspection Code for Existing Dwellings.

Some Ground Rules

A word of caution is in order here. Do not view the principles that follow as legally binding
or comprehensive, because enforcing jurisdictions can and probably will differ on the details.
Instead, look at this discussion as a starting point for considering the types of issues to sort
out between the inspector and contractor, preferably before the contractor has made a binding
agreement with the owner as to the price and scope of work.
If regulations addressing these issues are not set out in writing ahead of time, the author
strongly recommends enforcing agencies consider engaging in an appropriate rule-making
procedure (hearings, formal vote by regulatory authority, and subsequent publication) to do
so. The financial consequences for a contractor or for an owner can be substantial. If those
consequences have the appearance of being arbitrary or capricious, or simply serving the
special interest of the electrical trade, the potential legal and political ramifications may
inadvertently destroy the technical independence of the inspection authority. Everyone loses
from such an outcome.
Will rules for new buildings apply? There may be a threshold, such as a percentage of the
building involved or a change of use category as covered in the applicable building code,
beyond which the work is considered new construction. If this is the case, all wiring must
meet the current NEC requirements that would apply in the same jurisdiction to new
buildings.
Violations in other areas. If the work qualifies as a renovation, then areas of the building
unaffected by the renovation may be exempt from compliance with current NEC provisions.
For example, if the electrical permit application covers a living room and den, few if any
jurisdictions would attempt to legally compel the provision of GFCI protection for
unprotected bathroom receptacles elsewhere in the occupancy.

The actual work. The renovation work itself must usually comply with all applicable current
NEC requirements. If the contractor (or inspector) believes otherwise, such as when a
contractor seeks permission under 90.4 for an alternate procedure believed to offer equivalent
safety, then the issue must be fully explored as soon as possible. Note that the equivalent
safety provisions of 90.4 now are allowed only by special permission. This means that the
inspectional authority will have to make a formal, written finding of equivalence, for which it
may be held accountable subsequently. Such allowances require careful consideration.
Violations created by renovations. The renovation work usually will not be allowed to
create a violation of the NEC in a supposedly unaffected portion of a building. For example,
suppose a dining room and kitchen renovation changes the location of a doorway into the
adjoining living room such that the receptacle placements in that room no longer comply with
210.52(A). The contractor and inspector would be well advised to discuss whether the
receptacle outlets in the living room must be added or relocated accordingly.
Existing violations in renovated areas. There may be jurisdictional limits on whether an
existing violation in the renovated area must be corrected. Some jurisdictions normally insist
on this, and others do not. Some ask for corrections only if the renovation makes the existing
problem worse. This topic must be fully explored between the inspector and the contractor
ahead of time for two reasons. Considerable judgment may be required on the part of the
inspector, and that judgment may have enormous financial implications. For example,
230.70(A)(2) now excludes service disconnecting means from bathrooms, but that rule is
relatively recent. Many bathrooms, especially in nonresidential occupancies, contain existing
service equipment. If such a bathroom were being reconstructed, the cost of relocating the
service would probably dwarf the cost of all remaining electrical work.
Existing hazards. Most jurisdictions have a mechanism for compelling the correction of
existing code violations that create a clear and present danger. If this is the case, the
contractor needs to know whether this work must be included in the renovation, and upon
whom the financial responsibility for corrections will fall.

Renovation Code Issues

Although some of the following issues frequently arise in new work, they come up so often in
renovations that they deserve special consideration here.
Shallow boxes. At one time the NEC made distinctions between old and new work regarding
the minimum allowable depth of a box, but no longer. Boxes must have a minimum depth of
1/2 in. Photo 1 shows a 6-cu-in., 4-inch-diameter ceiling pan without cable clamps. This is
the smallest box permitted for Type NM cable because a single 14-2 cable, with its separate
equipment grounding conductor, accounts for all of the volume1 [review 314.16(B)]. These
boxes are very important in renovation work, because they often avoid the necessity of
removing a ceiling (or wall) finish.

Figure 1
Receptacle replacements. Most renovations involve receptacle replacements. In general,
receptacles [per 406.3(D)(1)] must have a grounding configuration, and the grounding
terminal must actually be connected to the circuit equipment grounding conductor. Figure 1
shows a replacement receptacle on a circuit that has no equipment grounding conductor. In
this case, the receptacle could be replaced with a nongrounding configuration, or a grounding
configuration could be used if GFCI protection is arranged for the outlet.
In general, receptacle configurations advertise circuit characteristics, and users are entitled
[per 406.3(A)] to believe that the configuration is truthful. What about 406.3(D)(b) and (c)
where we end up with a grounding configuration without an equipment grounding
connection? The NEC balances the enhanced shock protection rendered by the GFCI
protective device with the absent grounding connection in such cases through the use of
additional marking. A GFCI receptacle, which inherently advertises its function, must be
marked No Equipment Ground and if the protection is upstream the marking must also
include the phrase GFCI Protected.

Photo 1. A 6-cu-in., 4-inch-diameter ceiling pan without cable clamps.

The current NEC requires GFCI protection for many receptacle outlets, including those (125volt, 15- and 20-ampere) in kitchens generally. It also requires [per 406.3(D)(2)] GFCI

protection for all receptacle outlets where a receptacle is replaced in a location where the
current NEC requires such protection. This is an interesting case from a regulatory standpoint
because it may appear to violate the principle that the NEC is not a retroactive document.
However, this requirement only applies when an installer performs an action at the outlet, that
of replacing a receptacle. No NEC rule requires an existing receptacle to be disturbed, and
therefore issues of retroactivity remain with the local jurisdiction.

Photo 2. This is because indoor wet locations frequently involve applications where a
"bubble" cover of the sort shown in photo 2 is not rated for upward-directed hose streams,
and the only possible solution is a screw-on gasketed cover.
Outdoor receptacles. Renovations do not just involve interior alterations. Frequently
receptacles are added for use outdoors. The NEC now requires all 15- and 20-ampere
receptacles (125- and 250-volt) located outdoors to have covers that are weatherproof even if
the receptacle is in use. This is a major change from the 1999 NEC, which only required such
covers if the use would continue on an unattended basis. Note that this requirement does not
apply, however, to indoor wet locations. This is because indoor wet locations frequently
involve applications where a bubble cover of the sort shown in photo 2 is not rated for
upward-directed hose streams, and the only possible solution is a screw-on gasketed cover.
The NEC, so far, is silent with respect to protecting such receptacles located indoors.
Annular space around box openings. Renovations always involve partition openings, and
the author has found that with good communication, 314.21 can be used by the inspection
community to make life easier for electricians. These openings must be repaired so there is no
gap greater than 1/8 in. at the edge of the box. The dimension comes from the measurement
UL uses as the maximum gap that can be left in order to retain the fire-resistance
classification of the box (see 300.21). Although many electricians think this makes them
plasterers, in fact the problem is frequently poor-quality drywall installation.
If the inspection community makes it known that this rule will be enforced, electrical
contractors can offer the general contractors a choice: police their drywall subcontractors, or
pay electricians rates for drywall repairs. The author has seen the quality of drywall
installations improve dramatically in jurisdictions where this has been tried. Remember that

when the drywall fits close to the box, the plaster ears on the device will seat securely to the
drywall. This avoids the labor required to apply spacers under the yoke in order for it to be
held rigidly at the surface of the wall [per 406.4(A)].
Boxes in combustible material. Renovations often involve changing wall finishes, such as
adding paneling over existing drywall. Boxes must not be recessed in combustible walls (per
314.20), and this means bringing the box forward. If that is not practicable, rings such as the
one shown in photo 3 can be used. Although most electricians are aware of this rule, it has a
frequently misunderstood companion. NEC 314.25(B) and 410.13 require that when
luminaires are installed on combustible surfaces, the surface behind the canopy is to be
covered with noncombustible material. This covering need not be metallic; the fiberglass
batting often packed in luminaire canopies can serve the function. Be sure the installer has
routed the fixture wires behind the fiberglass and out near the center of the canopy. That way
they will not rest against the combustible surface, defeating the purpose of the rule.

Photo 3. Renovations often involve changing wall finishes, such as adding paneling over
existing drywall. Boxes must not be recessed in combustible walls (per 314.20), and this
means bringing the box forward. If that is not practicable, rings such as the
Ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans. Paddle fans are popular and the ones with lighting fixtures
attached below them frequently substitute for traditional overhead lights. Safely supporting
paddle fans has been a major issue in the industry. Traditional boxes and their product
standards have generally assumed a static load held in a particular direction. Paddle fans,
especially when rotating fast and with some blade imbalance, impose a load that traditional
boxes were not designed to support. In addition to causing box support failures, paddle fan
loading overstresses conventional box support methods. In fact, most fan support failures

probably have more to do with inadequacies in the way the box was secured to framing than
with the integrity of the box itself. Although this is time consuming, inspectors should
periodically review fan-box installations for the use of robust support hardware and strict
compliance [per 110.3(B)] with the manufacturers mounting instructions.
The NEC recognizes boxes specifically listed for the support of paddle fans (see photo 4).
They can generally support 35-lb fans, and heavier ones if so listed. They undergo a rigorous
testing protocol involving a very heavy fan run for a long period at very high speeds with a
severe blade imbalance, and with one of the screws that secure the fan to the box deliberately
loosened in some cases. Contractors should discuss this carefully with their customers,
because it is much easier to rough in paddle fan support boxes at the likely locations than it is
to install them at existing outlets later, especially if there isnt framing in place that would
allow independent fan support at the outlet location.

Photo 4. The NEC recognizes boxes specifically listed for the support of paddle fans
With respect to framing support, the NEC allows paddle fans of any weight to be supported
directly from structural elements of the building even at a traditional outlet box, because the
building structure and not the box will be the primary support of the fan. This procedure has
the additional virtue of allowing a fan to be mounted on any size or configuration of boxes,
extension boxes, and plaster rings, some or all of which may not be available in a form listed
for direct fan support.2
Connections to concealed knob-and-tube wiring. In cases where the existing wiring is
concealed knob-and-tube, the NEC does allow it to be extended from an existing application.
But that is seldom practical because the hardware is no longer readily available, and the
existing knobs salvaged from old jobs have internal spacings for old Type R conductor
insulation that will not work on todays thinner insulated conductors. Concealed knob-andtube, as a wiring method, has no equipment grounding conductor carried with it. Over the
generations, NEC provisions have changed to the point that it is almost impossible legally to
wire anything without grounding it. For example, until the 1984 NEC, what is now 314.4
only required the grounding of metal boxes used with concealed knob-and-tube wiring if in
contact with metal lath or metallic surfaces. Now all metal boxes must be grounded without
exception.

Meanwhile, grounding has been getting more difficult to arrange to remote extensions of
concealed knob-and-tube outlets. Until the 1993 NEC, you could go to a local bonded water
pipe to pick up an equipment grounding connection, and then extend from there with modern
wiring methods. Now 250.130(C), which governs this work, requires that the equipment
grounding connection be made on the equipment grounding terminal bar of the supply
panelboard, or directly to the grounding electrode system or grounding electrode conductor.
You will not be inspecting grounding connections associated with concealed knob-and-tube
wiring in a steel-frame building. Rather you will see this in old wood-frame buildings,
probably residential. In such occupancies, even if the water supply lateral is metallic, the
water piping system ceases to be considered as an electrode beyond 5 feet from the point of
entry. This usually means fishing into the basement. If the contractor can fish a ground wire
down to this point, he or she can fish a modern circuit up in the reverse direction and avoid
the entire problem.
It is true that some geographical areas have more extensive use of slab-on-grade construction,
and here interior water piping is sometimes permitted to qualify as electrodes because the
pipes extend to grade for the minimum threshold distance of 10 feet, and thereby allow
interior connections. But in almost every case, extensions of concealed knob-and-tube wiring
do not do well upon close inspection.
In addition to the grounding issue, beginning with the 1987 NEC this wiring method cannot
be used in wall or ceiling cavities that have loose, filled, or foamed-in-place insulating
material that envelops the conductors. This effectively means that such cavities cannot be
insulated, because the only method of compliance involves opening all the walls to install
board insulation products, and no contractor is going to keep this wiring method with the
walls open. This rule is particularly controversial because, to the extent enforced in existing
construction, it is a powerful economic disincentive for owners to retrofit thermal insulation.3

Communication: Making the Process Work

Renovations offer a unique opportunity to bring parts of a building into compliance with
current code requirements, increasing safety. However, if the requirements are too onerous,
the owner may decide to forego the effort. The inspection community has the delicate
responsibility of weighing how to apply the principles at the beginning of this article to the
various code issues involved, such as those addressed in the second half of the article.
How well we succeed in making this process work will usually turn on how well we
communicate among ourselves and with the owners and other stakeholders. The contractor
has to take the time to be clear with the owner as to code issues in the owners design
preferences. The contractor also needs to build into this discussion an awareness of what
issues need to be interpreted by the inspector, and to then provide plans for the inspector on a
timely basis. The inspector needs to set aside enough time to review the plans so the
contractor and owner are not surprised after they have settled on a contract. If that time is not
available, and with todays economic trends that is too often the case, there should at least be
a detailed telephone conversation. In addition, both contractors and inspectors need to be
involved with organizations like IAEI, through which collective efforts, such as the
Inspection Initiative, can be focused on the political authorities who often make the final
decisions based on fees and staffing levels.

1Herbert P. Richter and Frederic P. Hartwell, Practical Electrical Wiring, 18th ed., Park
Publishing, Minneapolis, Minn., 2001, p. 394
2Ibid, pp. 356-357
3Ibid, pp. 392-393
The information in this article is excerpted from Practical Electrical Wiring, 18th edition,
and Wiring Simplified, 40th edition. These books may be purchased from IAEI 800-7864234.
You are here: Home Features Electrical Installation Requirements for Dwelling Units

Electrical Installation Requirements for

Dwelling Units
[ 0 ] By Michael Johnston | March 1, 2003 |

Photo 1. This fairly large one-family dwelling is served by a 400-ampere service and includes
approximately 3800 square feet
Since 1897 the National Electrical Code (NEC), the worlds most widely used and adopted
code for the built environment, has been the source for electrical installation requirements in
all types of occupancies and applications, including dwelling units. The NEC was originally
developed as a result of united efforts of various insurance, architectural and allied interests,
and in 1911 the NFPA assumed stewardship of the NEC. As stewards of the Code, NFPA is
responsible for its development and publishing and promotes its use and adoption as the sole
source of comprehensive electrical installation requirements for all occupancies in
accordance with its scope as stated in Section 90.2. Within the NEC there are numerous
electrical installation requirements that apply specifically to one-, two-, and multi-family
dwellings. These dwelling-unit-specific requirements reflect the fact that in most cases,
particularly with one- and two- family dwellings the layout and design of the electrical
system is the responsibility of the installer. Although Section 90.1(C) specifies that the Code
is not intended to be a design document, the fact of the matter is that in all dwelling units, an

electrical system that complies with the NEC will be safe and in most cases will be adequate
for good service. When one looks at the membership of the NEC code-making panels
responsible for the article in which the dwelling unit requirements reside, there are technical
expertise and balanced representation that enable the Code to stay current with a dynamic and
ever progressing electrical industry.

Photo 2. Another typical one-family dwelling has roughly 3000 square feet of habitable floor
space and is supplied by a 200-ampere service
Some codes and standards are occupancy-based or, in some cases, they are occupancy
specific. An example of an occupancy-based code is NFPA 101. The first ten chapters of this
document are dedicated to general and specific requirements on subjects ranging from means
of egress to features of fire protection. The remaining chapters (11-42) cover various
occupancy types and how to apply the requirements of Chapters 1-10 to these occupancies.
There are codes and standards, the scopes of which focus exclusively on one specific type of
occupancy. NFPA 99, Standard for Health Care Facilities is an example of a sole occupancy
set of requirements. In general, Chapters 1-4 of the NEC are not considered to be occupancy
specific unless otherwise indicated by a requirement. In other words the majority of the
requirements in these chapters apply to electrical installations regardless of where they are
installed. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 do provide more focused requirements for special occupancies,
special equipment and special conditions and, according to the hierarchal arrangement of the
Code specified in Section 90.3, these requirements may amend or modify the general
requirements contained in Chapters 1-4.

Photo 3. This typical wiring rough-in using non-metallic sheathed cable has supports
provided at outlet box and also at required intervals
There are numerous requirements in the NEC, particularly in Chapter 2 that are only
applicable to dwellings. Examples of such requirements include the GFCI requirements in
210.8(A), the receptacle spacing rules in 210.52 and the lighting outlet requirements of
210.70(A). The text of these requirements clearly indicates that their application is to
dwelling units only. In some cases there are requirements that apply to one- and two-family
dwellings or to multi-family dwellings, but the fact of the matter is that for the most part the
requirements in the NEC are not occupancy limited (see photos 1 and 2).

Photo 4. A close view of the device outlet box shows the rough-in stages in a typical dwelling
unit
In 1968 under the direction of the NEC Correlating Committee, an ad-hoc committee
developed NFPA 70A, Electrical Code for One- and Two-Family Dwellings. This code was
developed as a convenience to those members of the electrical industry whose primary focus
was electrical installations in one- and two-family dwellings. The requirements in this code
covered the most typical wiring methods and materials used in the construction of one- and
two-family dwellings. In those cases where a wiring method or piece of equipment was not
covered in NFPA 70A, the rules of the NEC were to be applied. The first edition of NFPA
70A was based on the 1968 NEC and revised for each subsequent Code cycle until 1993. The
requirements in NFPA 70A were directly excerpted from the NEC with only editorial changes

to reflect the limited scope of the document. In addition, the chapter arrangement and section
numbering sequence of the NEC was retained for 70A so that the Code had the same look and
feel as the parent document. This approach ensured that inspectors and installers were on the
same page in respect to technical content, presentation and arrangement.
NFPA 70A was not revised for the 1996 and 1999 NEC cycles. However, for the 2002 cycle
NFPA 70A has been revised and like its predecessors is a document containing excerpted text
from the current edition of the NEC. The requirements are arranged in the same sequence as
they appear in the NEC, an important concept that ensures inspectors and contractors are
speaking the same language." There has been an expansion of the topics covered in this
edition of 70A that reflects the changing electrical needs of todays homeowner. As with the
past editions, the default position is to refer to the NEC for those specific installation
requirements not contained in NFPA 70A.

Photo 5. In this typical two-family dwelling underground service, two utility meters are
shown as well as other utilities supplying each dwelling
The International Codes Council (ICC) has also developed a series of codes that are available
for adoption and use in the construction industry. One of the codes included in this family of
codes is the International Residential Code (IRC), which was developed in 1996 and is
actually referred to as the International Residential Code for One- and Two-Family
Dwellings." The International Residential Code includes the requirements for construction,
alterations, repairs, movement, enlargement, replacement, use and occupancy, locations, and
removal or demolition of one- and two-family dwellings, and multiple single-family
dwellings (townhouses) not more than three stories in height with separate means of egress
and associated accessory structures [IRC 2000 R101.2].
The purpose of the IRC is to provide minimum requirements to safeguard life or limb, health
and public welfare. The IRC includes minimum code requirements for all of the separate
disciplines (trades) including electrical code requirements related to one- and two-family
dwelling occupancies [R101.3]. The purpose of the NEC is specific to the practical
safeguarding of persons and property from the hazards associated with the use of electricity
[90.1(A)]. Both codes are directed to essentially the same purpose of safety. The ability to
effectively apply the codes to installations and systems is a vital part of the electrical safety
system in North America and beyond.

Table 1. A summary of how the IRC 2000 is organized. Part VIII of the IRC is titled
"Electrical" and includes ten chapters33 through 42.
Table 1 is a summary of how the IRC 2000 is organized. Part VIII of the IRC is titled
Electrical and includes ten chapters33 through 42.
It is important to provide a bit of background information related to the electrical provisions
contained in the IRC. First, it must be understood by both the installer and the inspector that
Part VIII (The Electrical Requirements) of the IRC is produced and copyrighted by the NFPA
and is based on the requirements of the 1999 National Electrical Code. In simple terms, the
requirements contained in the IRC 2000 are derived from the requirements applicable to oneand two-family dwelling electrical systems contained in the NEC presented in a format that is
compatible with ICC developed codes. The technical content of the requirements are based
on the NEC but there is a different numbering scheme in the IRC that makes things a bit more
difficult to find. There are two real important sections contained in Chapter 33 of the IRC that
include vital information about the scope and applicability. A close look at Sections E3301.1
and E3301.2 provide the framework for proper application of the rules in Part VIII.

Whats Covered and Whats Not Covered?

The electrical provisions in Chapters 33 through 42 of the IRC are intended to cover the most
typical installations of electrical systems, equipment and components installed indoors and
outdoors at one- and two-family dwellings. The scope includes the requirements for services,
power distribution systems, luminaires (fixtures), appliances, devices and other electrical
appurtenances. The IRC includes the requirements for electrical installations and equipment
most commonly encountered in the construction or alteration of one- and two-family
dwellings and associated accessory structures. The IRC includes provisions for electrical
services rated up to 400 amperes that are single-phase, 120/240-volts. Any electrical service
beyond those ratings is required to fall under the provisions of NFPA 70, National Electrical
Code. Other wiring methods and materials and subject matter that are not covered by the IRC
but are covered by the rules in the NEC are allowed by the IRC. [See photos 3 and 4]

IRC defaults to NEC

Photo 6. Here is a closer view of photo 5

The IRC includes the requirements related to the most common one- and two-family dwelling
electrical systems and is intended to be used with the NEC in order to provide a complete set
of electrical installation requirements for residential occupancies. If any requirement of the
NEC is omitted or not included in the IRC, this omission is not to be construed as prohibiting
the use of such omitted equipment or installations. The scope of the IRC clearly indicates that
electrical systems, equipment or components that are not specifically covered by Chapters 33
through 42 must comply with the applicable provisions of the NEC. Basically, this means that
the provisions of Part VIII apply and where the installation is beyond the scope as outlined in
E3301.2 of the IRC, the requirements of the NEC are applicable by default. An example is
central air-conditioning equipment covered within the scope of Article 440 of the NEC. One
should also be aware of any local amendments that may be applicable in addition to these
minimum requirements. Generally, local amendments will exceed the minimum provisions by
national codes and standards based on particular conditions that require such amendments.

Comparison to the NEC

Photo 7. A typical combination smoke/carbon monoxide detector in a dwelling

The rules in the IRC are primarily derived from the NEC requirements that apply to one- and
two-family dwelling electrical systems. Generally, other than a different numbering system,
the requirements are the same but in some cases may be worded a bit differently. There are a
few differences between the two codes that should be emphasized. This article is not intended
to be all inclusive of differences between the two documents. The differences are primarily
limited to the limitations in scope and how the rules are presented to the user. The first major
difference is the limitation of service size and voltage to 400-amperes, single-phase, 120/240volts. The NEC does not limit the size of service for dwellings. Remember the IRC is
intended to cover the most commonly encountered electrical installations in one- and twofamily dwellings. Another difference between the two codes is that many of the rules found in
the NEC sections are presented in the IRC in tabular form; that is, the requirements are the
same, they just appear in the form of a table rather than a section. Look at the following
comparison as an example. The wiring methods for a dwelling are provided in the NEC in
Chapter 3. Each wiring method has an article assigned to it and within that particular article
the uses permitted, uses not permitted, support and installation requirements, etc., can be
found. In the IRC, specifically Chapter 37 Wiring Methods, there is a table that lists all
allowable wiring methods (Table E3701.2). Looking further into this chapter there are three
additional tables, E3701.4, E3702.1, and E3703.1.

Photo 8. This smoke detector in a dwelling is connected to a listed fire alarm/burglar alarm
system
Table E3703.1 and its applicable notes parallel the requirements of NEC Table 300.5 for
minimum cover requirements of underground electrical installations. Tables E3701.4 and
E3702.1 include the requirements for wiring methods. Table E3701.4 includes the wiring
method across the top of the table and the allowable application for the wiring methods listed
in the vertical column on the left. This table provides the uses permitted and uses not
permitted for the particular wiring methods. This differs from the NEC but only in how the
information is presented. The uses permitted and uses not permitted are the same, just
provided in tabular form all on the same page.
Table E3702.1 and its applicable notes provide the requirements for installation and
protection of the wiring methods. The wiring methods are included across the top of the table
and the vertical column on the left provides the installation requirements. This column
includes the general installation requirements and specific rules relating to securing and

supporting the particular wiring method allowed, such as bored holes in wood framing
members, number of 90-degree bends in a conduit run between junction or outlet boxes, and
maximum intervals between supports for the wiring method used. This differs once again
from how the NEC presents the requirements, but the rules are the same. They just appear in
one table rather than in the individual wiring method article.

Photo 9. This large living space in a dwelling has two large ceiling paddle fans in the center
Another table provided in the IRC is Table E3808.12, which is included in Chapter 38 and
provides the minimum size equipment grounding conductor for circuits. This table essentially
provides the same minimum sizes that are provided by Table 250.122 of the NEC. The
primary difference is that Table E3808.12 is limited to circuits rated up to 400-amperes.
The IRC also provides the requirements for service, feeder, and grounding electrode
conductor sizing in Table E3503.1. Essentially, this table is an expanded version of NEC
Table 250.66. Table E3503.1 not only includes the minimum size grounding electrode
conductor required for the service, but also lists the minimum size service-entrance conductor
and allowable ampacity for the service-entrance conductor.
The minimum service load calculation requirements are also provided in a tabular format.
The minimum size service is 100-ampere and the load calculation is performed similar to
those in Article 220 of the NEC. Table E3502.2 is required to be used for calculating the
minimum load for ungrounded service conductors and service devices that serve 100 percent
of the dwelling unit load. Ungrounded service conductors and equipment that serve less than
100 percent of the dwelling unit load are required to follow the sizing requirements for
feeders provided in Chapter 36.
Other sections in the IRC that include the requirements are presented in tabular format. It
takes a bit of referencing back and forth from the NEC to the IRC but once located, the
information provided, whether in text or table form, has its technical basis in the NEC.
The IRC also includes definitions in Chapter 34. These definitions are derived from Article
100 and are essentially the same. A few definitions, like authority having jurisdiction, and
some that would not apply to one- and two-family dwelling electrical installations are not
included. The IRC includes another general definitions chapter that applies to the whole code

(see Chapter 2 of the IRC). Administrative provisions are located in Article 80 of the NEC
and Chapter 1 of the IRC. Information about the scope, applicability, enforcement, permits
and plans, powers of the building official, etc., are also found in Chapter 1.

Provisions for Smoke Alarms

The Building Codes generally require rules for fire protection systems and smoke detectors.
Building codes will reference NFPA 72 in addition to the specific requirements of the
applicable building code. The IRC is no exception. Although smoke alarms and detectors are
not a requirement in the electrical provisions of the IRC, the requirements for smoke
detectors can be found in Section R317 of the IRC. This section includes the rules for
placement, listing requirements, alterations and repairs, and the required power source.
Basically this section requires the equipment to be listed and installed in accordance with
R317 and the household fire warning equipment provisions of NFPA 72.
Smoke detectors are required in each sleeping room, outside of each sleeping room, and in
each additional story including basements and cellars but not crawl spaces. Where more than
one smoke detector is installed to meet these requirements, all smoke detectors within the
dwelling unit require an interlock or interconnection in a suitable manner that upon activation
of one, all alarms will be activated.
The wiring for these smoke detectors/alarms must follow the applicable provisions of Part
VIII (Electrical) of the IRC. Smoke alarm equipment installed in new construction requires a
primary source of power supplied by the building wiring and must include a battery backup.
Smoke alarms that operate on batteries only are permitted under regulation R317.1.1 for
remodels or for buildings that do not have commercial power supplied to them. It is important
to consult the local authorities relative to any smoke alarm requirements that may also apply.

Cross Reference Information

Electrical requirements are critical to safety of persons and property and serve as the basis for
development of codes and standards for safety. Many involved in the electrical field know
and understand the provisions of the NEC that apply to one- and two-family dwelling
electrical systems. Where jurisdictions adopt the IRC into law, there will be assimilation
challenges for those installers and inspectors involved with one- and two-family dwellings.
Hopefully this article will reduce some of the anxiety levels created by fear of having to
relearn the arrangement of electrical installation requirements.
There is a built in fast finder in the IRC that is similar to the NEC. It includes a contents and
an index. The index references section numbers and the contents references page numbers.
The IRC also includes a cross-reference between the IRC sections and the NEC sections.
IAEI has also included the IRC-NEC cross-reference information in the 2002 IAEI Ferms
Fast Finder to assist users of these codes.
In todays world it is not uncommon at all for a dwelling unit electrical system, particularly
the service equipment and first level of feeder distribution, to resemble that of a small to midsized commercial occupancy. One-family dwellings supplied by 2000-ampere services, 3phase 208Y/120-volt services, and special equipment such as large air-conditioning and
central heating units are not unusual. Services rated at 400 amperes are no longer a surprise to
installers and inspectors. Elaborate communication and computer networking systems serve

the needs of todays home office. With this in mind, installers and inspectors involved with
dwelling unit electrical systems of this magnitude are using more of the NEC requirements
than ever before. For this reason, abridged sets of electrical requirements, such as the IRC,
will inevitably require the inspector and installer to refer back to the NEC in order to access
all of the applicable requirements.
IAEI is concerned about electrical safety as one of its primary objectives across all codes and
electrical safety standards. IAEI is an international organization that has a responsibility to
represent the electrical inspector in national and international affairs. One of the key benefits
of being an IAEI member includes the access to critical industry information. This article was
put together to provide valuable insight into the prospect of having to face the learning curve
inherent to using the reorganized electrical provisions of the International Residential Code
(IRC) and to help reduce anxiety levels for those having to install or inspect in accordance
with the rules in the IRC. One can rest a bit easier with the understanding that the IRC
electrical requirements, although unfamiliar in presentation, have been developed through the
technical expertise of the National Electrical Code Committee. Some jurisdictions have
adopted the IRC with its electrical provisions while the trepidation of relearning the location
of familiar requirements has resulted in a number of adoptions without Part VIII and
reference the NEC for the electrical requirements. IAEI feels strongly that information
relative to finding and applying the electrical code requirements in both the NEC and the IRC
is important in the interest of electrical safety. Providing this information is a continuation of
the commitment of the IAEI to provide effective products and information for installers,
inspectors, engineers, etc., all in the interest of electrical safety.
Always consult the local authority having jurisdiction for the code(s) that applies to one- and
two-family dwellings in your area.
You are here: Home Features The Truth About AFCIs (Part 2)

The Truth About AFCIs (Part 2)

[ 0 ] By George Gregory | March 1, 2003 |

Background

Photo 1. Branch/circuit-breaker type AFCI

AFCIs are not new, but they are newly applied under the NEC rules. A variety of questions
have arisen regarding where they must be applied, whether to expect unwanted operation, and
how to test and service installations. This part of the two-part article answers some of those
questions.
Electricians, contractors and users should be aware that AFCIs are installed in locations that
the standard circuit breakers are installed. They can be retrofitted into existing loadcenters
and panelboards. Electrical connections are similar to those of a circuit breaker GFCI in that
they have a load-neutral connector and a pigtail connection to the panel neutral bus.
It should be very difficult to cause an unwanted tripping condition in a dwelling unit branch
circuit. When tripping occurs, it is most likely a result of an arcing condition or an improperly
wired circuit. The AFCI is designed to trip when certain conditions likely to cause a fire exist
in the circuit. There has been relatively little experience in locating these conditions. This
paper provides some guidelines that may be helpful. Part I of the article lists conditions under
which the AFCI is designed to trip. The discussion focuses on the branch/feeder AFCI, which
is the only commercially available AFCI.

Applying AFCIs under NEC 210.12

As mentioned in Part I of this article, the NEC 2002 retained, with only minor revisions, the
requirement of the NEC 1999 that AFCI protection be required on branch circuits that supply
receptacle outlets in bedrooms. One revision confirmed that the AFCI must protect the
entire branch circuit. Another replaced the term receptacle outlets with simply outlets
and required that all outletsincluding those for lights, fans and smoke alarmsbe protected
as well as receptacle outlets. These changes affirm that NEC Code-making Panel 2 (CMP-2)
intends that fixed wiring be protected and that all wiring associated with bedrooms be
covered by the rule.

Table 1. AFCI adoption

As regards what must be protected, the requirement is clear as written: All branch circuits
that supply 125-volt, single-phase, 15- and 20-ampere outlets installed in dwelling unit
bedrooms shall be protected by an arc-fault circuit interrupter listed to provide protection of
the entire branch circuit.1 This includes outlets for receptacles, for lights, for fans, and so
forth in circuits that supply bedrooms.

Retrofit applications in 2-wire circuits

A branch/feeder AFCI (circuit breaker type) provides good protection for 2-wire circuits. It
provides for detection of a low-level short circuit of 75 amperes or above that would not be
detected by an overcurrent protective device. It also provides detection of an arcing ground
fault occurrence of 5 amperes or above. Note that commercially available AFCIs actually
detect arcing ground fault of 50 milliamperes and above even though 5 amperes is the
standard requirement. This protection is as valid in 2-wire circuits as in 3-wire circuits that
include the grounding conductor. The difference is that with the added grounding conductor
in the 3-wire circuit, an arc of any level may reach the grounding conductor and be detected
at levels below 75 amperes, which provides a degree of protection not available in 2-wire
circuits.

Required locations under the NEC

Article 100 of the NEC defines a dwelling unit as: One or more rooms for the use of one or
more persons as a housekeeping unit with space for eating, living, and sleeping, and
permanent provisions for cooking and sanitation. AFCIs are required in specified circuits
that supply dwelling unit bedrooms. The following points are from questions that have arisen
regarding circuits to be protected.
Hotels and dormitories
One question that has arisen is whether hotel or motel rooms and dormitories are considered
dwelling units. The rule must be interpreted by the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). If the
AHJ considers these units dwelling units, they must be so considered for NEC 210.12. One
way to make this judgment is to consider whether the units would constitute a dwelling unit if
the facility were placed under new ownership and occupied as apartments or condominiums.
Smoke detector circuits
Circuits supplying smoke detectors in bedrooms fall under the category of bedroom outlets.
Recall that the purpose of the AFCI is to address fire causes. If the potential fire cause is in
the smoke detector wiring, the first approach for protection against fire should be to clear the
potential cause. Further, listed smoke detectors are required to have battery back up, so that
power to the smoke detector is not dependent on the presence of power from the utility.
Bedroom closets
Whether bedroom closets are part of the bedroom is a judgment to be made by the AHJ.
However, it is clear that the intent of 210.12 is to provide protection for the entire bedroom.
When the closet is an integral part of the bedroom, a safe approach would call for the closet
wiring to be protected just as other parts of the bedroom.
Commercial applications
Although not required under the NEC, AFCIs are suitable for use in commercial applications
in circuits for which they are rated.

Tripping Causes on Installation

Photo 2
Causes of tripping of branch/feeder AFCIs are listed in Part I of this article. Understandably,
it is frustrating to install a device and find that it trips as soon as it is turned on. It is important
to understand that where single-pole AFCIs are used, the neutrals of two or more circuits
cannot be shared, mixed or crossed. Also, if the neutral is grounded on the load side of the
AFCI, the AFCI may trip.
Because there were a significant number of reports of AFCIs tripping on installation, Square
D re-contacted those who had reported the tripping after the initial inquiry from them. The
following is a list of the findings.

4 cases were unresolved.

1 was an application problem in which equipment of two manufacturers was mixed on

the job. The AFCI worked fine and continues to do so.

6 were resolved by reading the instructions. The callers had not initially understood
how the AFCI was to be used.

1 was a bad appliance, a room air conditioner.

23 were wiring problems broken down as follows.

1 problem at a connector in which wires were too close

4 crossed neutrals
7 shared neutrals

9 grounded neutrals
2 shared neutrals also grounded
Crossed neutrals are defined here as neutrals from multiple circuits either crossed or
touching. Shared neutrals are defined here as multi-circuit neutrals.
Reported difficulties in troubleshooting installation problems are an indication of a learning
curve and are not a reflection on poor performance of the AFCI. Todays AFCIs are
performing their detection function properly and are finding problems that should be
corrected. There is some resistance to this change as is to be expected with any change.
However, this small and informal survey indicates that installers are learning the issues that
are uncovered by AFCIs and that they can be found and corrected. When the circuit is
corrected, not only is the circuit correct, it also has additional AFCI protection operating to
help retain it free of hazardous arcing.

Shared neutrals
Single-pole AFCIs cannot protect circuits in which the neutral (grounded circuit) conductor is
shared or mixed. The reason is that current flowing out and returning is monitored for the
presence of arcing faults. When single-pole AFCIs are applied, the circuit must have a
distinct hot and a distinct neutral conductor. Otherwise, the AFCI cannot distinguish arcing
ground-fault occurrences.

Table 2. 1999 adoptions and adoption states (2002 and 1999)

Contractors and users should understand that thereare some drawbacks to using shared
neutrals. For example, if a 2-pole, common-trip version is used, then both circuits are

interrupted during a fault. If the 2-pole, common-trip version is used, then both circuits are
interrupted during a fault. If the 2-pole circuit breaker has independent trip, then when a
circuit is tripped and an outlet device is removed (assuming a dead circuit), if the home run is
split at that point, the wiring in the box is not really dead. Another example of shared neutral
wiring disadvantages is the result if the home run neutral is losta motor load will take one
side of the circuit to zero, putting the loads on the other side to 240 volts. This tends to play
havoc with many 120-volt devices. Further, cable manufacturers are apparently planning
cables that contain four wires plus ground for exactly this kind of application.

Test equipment
Availability of test equipment has been questioned for three purposes:
a. To verify that the circuit has been installed properly so that contractors can demonstrate
that their work has been done competently.
b. To verify that the AFCI is functioning properly.
c. To trip an AFCI from a load circuit in order to identify which AFCI is in the circuit.
We will discuss each item briefly.
Verification of the installation
The authors are not aware of special equipment available to test the circuit for proper
installation beyond that which has been available without the AFCI. If wiring is installed
competently, there should be no reason for any testing that is not done for a circuit without an
AFCI. However, there are two possible practices that can be used to test the installation, if a
test is desired.
1) Probably the best test is to install an AFCI, at least temporarily in the circuit. For this test
to be effective, the circuit must be complete, since it must be energized as in service with 120
volts. Use the test button to verify that the AFCI is functioning properly. Then leave the AFCI
in the energized circuit for some period of time. If it does not trip, that is an indication that
the circuit is acceptable.
2) As with any installation, an insulation resistance (Megger device) test can be done to verify
that the wiring and connections are properly insulated. With this test, high voltages are
applied. Be sure to keep personnel away from circuits being tested and follow safety practices
described in NFPA 70E, Part II.
To perform this test, disconnect all loads and verify that unconnected wire ends are insulated.
Disconnect the load wire to any AFCI or GFCI in the circuit because these devices may be
damaged by high voltage. Use an insulation resistance tester that will apply a direct current
voltage of at least 500 volts to the circuit under test. All resistance readings should be at least
one megohm (1,000,000 ohms). A successful test will indicate that the insulation is intact and
initiation of an arc would be highly unlikely for the portion of the circuit tested.
Recognize that neither of these tests will identify loose connections. Good workmanship is
required as always.

Verification of the AFCI

The most effective test is the self-test supplied with the AFCI. See the instructions supplied
with the AFCI by the manufacturer. In accordance with UL 1699, this test simulates an arc
such that the arc detection circuit or software is caused to detect the simulated arc. By doing
so, it tests all of the AFCIs systems and tripping parts. An external tester is not necessary.
The authors are not aware of commercially available testers other than those mentioned
below that trip the AFCI by applying a ground fault.
Tripping the AFCI from a load
There are several devices being marketed that will trip the AFCI by applying a ground fault
on the system. Be aware that devices that are not listed for this purpose may be creating a
potential shock hazard by creating a ground fault of sufficient current to trip the AFCI.

Finding the cause of AFCI tripping

One of the most frequently asked questions is about how to find the cause of tripping when
an AFCI trips. There is no single correct answer to this question. An orderly search is
probably the best approach. We are not aware of specialized equipment that would help locate
a problem. The skill and experience of the electrician will help. Remember that the circuit
breaker AFCI will trip from an overcurrent sensed by the circuit breaker or from an arcing
occurrence sensed by the AFCI function, including a ground fault.
The AFCI function will be sensing an arc that occurs because insulation or isolation is not
adequate. The problem or fault may be in one or a combination of these three conditions:
1) Line-to-ground
2) Line-to-neutral
3) Series arc in broken or separated conductor (could be a loose connection). Note that the
branch/feeder AFCI will not generally detect a series arc because series current is usually
below the detection level.
Here are some steps that may be useful:
a) Gather information from people who have used the circuit regarding any buzzing noises,
visible arcing, the odor of smoke, or similar indications of improperly operating or defective
appliances or equipment. This information may lead to the fault location. If arcing is
suspected in an extension cord or a cord-connected appliance, immediately unplug the
suspected unit.
b) The most likely cause of tripping in a new installation is wiring. Check for neutral
(grounded circuit) conductors that are shared or crossed with those of other circuits, or
neutral conductors that are grounded on the load side of the AFCI.
c) Unplug all appliance and extension cords connected in the circuit. If tripping continues to
occur when the AFCI is turned on, the fault is in the fixed wiring system.

d) Similarly, turn off all fixed appliances such as lights and ceiling fans that have switches.
Since these circuits cannot be fully disconnected (line, neutral and ground), tripping
occurrences with their switches turned off does not necessarily mean that they are fault free.
e) If the AFCI does not trip when all plugs are disconnected, turn on the AFCI again and
reconnect the plugs one by one. Then turn on fixed lights and appliances. This procedure may
locate the faulted cord or appliance.
f) Because arcs are sometimes sporadic, turning off the circuit may temporarily clear the arc
and it may not immediately reappear when the circuit is re-energized. For this reason, the arc
may not be located by unplugging and reconnecting appliances. If the arc has been located to
be in the fixed wiring system, or if the arc has not been located by removing plug-in loads,
some of the following techniques may be helpful.

Examine appliance cords, plugs and equipment carefully for indications of damage.

With the circuit de-energized, examine connections to the AFCI, receptacles, lighting
fixtures and other appliances.

Note: De-energize the load center by turning off the main disconnect, if possible, before
conducting the following checks. By means of a reliable voltmeter, verify that voltage is not
present.
g) Apply the insulation resistance test described in a response to a question above to check for
insulation adequacy line-to-neutral, line-to-ground and neutral-to-ground. Alternatively, use
an ohmmeter to check for electrical continuity line-to-neutral, line-to-ground and neutral-toground. Continuity indicates presence of a fault. The insulation resistance check is the
preferred method.
h) Indication of adequate insulation in a circuit that has been identified as having an arc fault
may point to a series fault, that is a broken conductor or a loose connection.
i) The line-to-ground sensing is for small leakage current of about 50 milliamperes (0.050
amperes) and above. It may not be visible as an arc. Any technique used to find a ground fault
would be useful for locating an arc to ground.
j) Once the fault is located, damage must be repaired or improperly operating equipment or
appliances must be replaced.
k) In most cases, the steps noted above will help locate the fault. It is important to recognize
that the AFCI has provided an indication of a condition that could become a fire hazard. Do
not continue to use the circuit without a correction.
The introduction of AFCIs is a change. There is a learning curve for the entire industry.
Through this change, it is clear that AFCIs are finding problems with installations, both in
older upgrades and in new construction, in fixed wiring as well as in extensions to loads. The
data indicates that there are many potential fire causes that the AFCI will help avoid
becoming fires. When they are applied as intended, we will see results in more potential fire
causes corrected.

1 Section 210.12(B), National Electrical Code 2002, (National Fire Protection Association,
Quincy, MA), p. 70-54.
You are here: Home Features Using the Electrical Inspection Manual with Checklists
A Tool for Electrical Inspections

Using the Electrical Inspection Manual

with Checklists A Tool for Electrical
Inspections
[ 0 ] By Jeffrey S. Sargent | March 1, 2003 |

Photo 1. Home under construction

Every electrical inspector has been there, the first time out to approve an electrical
installation as the authority having jurisdiction. Realizing the importance of his or her role
in the safety chain, new electrical inspectors, and for that matter all electrical inspectors, want
to perform their duties with a thorough and professional approach. In most cases the electrical
inspector is the independent public safety advocate with no stake in a particular project other
than to ensure that the end result is a safe installation that complies with all of the applicable
NEC requirements. In some cases inspectors may be working as a clerk of the works or
project inspector for a private concern. The bottom line is, whatever the role of an electrical
inspector is for a particular installation, he or she is charged with the responsibility of quality
assurance, and the benchmark on which compliance is judged most generally is the
requirements of the NEC.

Where to Start?
Electrical inspectors bring varying degrees of background and expertise to their positions.
Many have been electricians prior to accepting the role as electrical inspector, but that fact
alone does not ensure a seamless transition from installer to inspector. Although they may be
well-versed in the NEC requirements from past training and experience, when they are placed
in the position of being the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) their electrical world

inevitably expands into the full scope of what the NEC covers. Many electricians have a
specific focus as an installer. Industrial electricians may never have used and applied the rules
for dwelling units or manufactured homes, and residential electricians probably did not
perform many installations involving the installation of large separately derived systems or
capacitor banks. Now, in the new role as the electrical inspector, this person is expected to be
an expert in all facets of the NEC. Electrical inspectors soon realize that their new position
has put them in a new learning curve and most experienced electrical inspectors will tell you
that this learning curve is on-going and ever-changing throughout their electrical inspection
careers. Certainly there are training and certification programs that enable electrical
inspectors to enhance their job performance. However, new and seasoned electrical inspectors
will inevitably encounter an installation that is new ground.
When put into the position of having to approve an electrical installation that one has not
previously encountered, either as an electrician or as an installer, the logical question is where
to start? From a very general sense, a logical approach to the inspection and approval process
is determined based on the phase of construction a project is at. Certainly the status of the
construction project will direct the focus of the inspection. For new building projects,
inspections are generally made incrementally as the building is constructed. Depending on
the size of the building and more importantly the complexity of the buildings electrical
system, the number and focus of electrical inspections will differ.
The major considerations for rough wiring inspections differ from the major considerations
for a final inspection. Putting this all together into a logical and thorough approach is the
challenge faced by the electrical inspector. He or she is compelled by the responsibility
placed in his or her hands to ensure that the building electrical system is essentially free from
fire and shock hazards.
A systematic approach often will involve the use of some kind of written or mental checklist.
As inspectors gain experience in the multitude of electrical installations that they are exposed
to, there is a natural maturation in how they perform their duties. Experience promotes
efficiency and thoroughness. A key component to this increased efficiency and thoroughness
is the development of the inspectors inspection system. Many electrical inspectors
approach the inspection task using mental checklists. The development and refinement of
these checklists evolves with experience. Like any job, ones proficiency develops with
experience and this definitely holds true for electrical inspectors. Tasks that were at one time
daunting become routine through the lessons of experience. But the question remains, as a
new electrical inspector where does one start in order to develop a polished inspectional
procedure?

A Tool for Inspectors

Unlike apprentice programs for training electricians, the training of electrical inspectors is
generally far less formal or structured. For those who have entered the inspection field from a
background in electrical installations or design, there is generally a thorough understanding
of the NEC and how electrical systems are put together. This background provides a solid
foundation for an electrical inspector to build on as he or she changes perspective from
installer to approver. Organizations such as the IAEI that promote uniform application of the
NEC via their educational programs offered by their local chapters and the International
office help electrical inspectors make this transition. This type of meeting provides an
excellent forum for the dissemination of knowledge regarding the NEC, however there was a

need for an inspectional job-aid that could be used by electrical inspectors on a daily basis.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), the developer and publisher of the National
Electrical Code has developed a tool to meet this need.
First published in 1999 and based on the 1999 edition of the NEC, the Electrical Inspection
Manual with Checklists was developed to fit the needs of anyone who installs or inspects
electrical installations. Endorsed by the IAEI, the purpose of this manual is to provide
inspectors and installers with a compilation of electrical inspection checklists. These
checklists range in coverage from general requirements for all electrical installations to more
specific checklists based on type of occupancy, type of equipment or type of location. The
checklists are an assemblage of electrical installation requirements that pertain to a respective
type of occupancy or equipment and are not intended to dictate a specific inspection order or
procedure. Electrical inspectors are individuals and need to develop an inspection system
they are comfortable with. There is not one inspection template that will be suitable for every
inspector. What works for one inspector will not necessarily work for another. The bottom
line is that the inspection is performed efficiently and comprehensively. Use of the Inspection
Manual checklists will assist the inspector in developing an approach that meets this
objective.
The checklists are comprehensive and in most cases provide all of the necessary references to
the NEC requirements that apply to a particular installation. In some cases all of the items in
the checklist may not be applicable to a given installation. On the other hand, the checklists
are not intended to imply that there may not be other NEC requirements that are applicable to
a given installation.

How the Manual Works

Table 1
The foundation of the manual is the checklists. Each checklist contains a number of
inspection activity items and there is a cross-reference to the applicable section of the NEC.

An important feature of the manual is the brief explanation that is provided for every
inspection activity item. This commentary provides insight on the application of the particular
NEC requirement that the inspection activity is based on. This commentary material is
numerically linked to the number of the inspection activity item in the checklist. Table 1
An important concept in using the Inspection Manual is its structure. Like the hierarchal
arrangement of the chapters within the NEC, the chapters in the Inspection Manual are
arranged to provide general overall considerations regarding electrical installations in the first
five chapters, while Chapters six through twelve contain specific occupancy or equipment
checklists. As an example, the checklist in Chapter 2 of the Inspection Manual contains
inspection items from Articles 90 and 110 of the NEC. These checklist items are general
requirements that will apply to most electrical installations that the inspector will encounter.
However, the checklists in the latter chapters are more specific and do not have the broad
scope of the up-front chapters. Like the NEC, it is necessary to use more than one part of the
book for any given installation. Chapter Six on Dwelling Units and Mobile/Manufactured
Homes is the only chapter that for the most part is self-contained and does not require the use
of other chapters. The decision to make Chapter Six a stand-alone chapter was based on the
fact that in most cases electrical inspectors who work for a city or town will inspect a large
number of dwelling unit electrical systems.
Additionally, each checklist contains key questions that are germane to that particular
inspection checklist occupancy or equipment. The purpose of the key questions is to put the
inspector in the mood for that particular inspection by providing some general
considerations and items to be aware as the inspection is being performed. Like the
commentary provided for each of the inspection activities, background information is
provided for each of the key questions and uses alphabetical links. The checklists have many
different applications. An individual electrical inspector can use them as a self-training tool
for developing a personal inspection protocol. The checklists can be used as a template for
training groups of electrical inspectors or they can be used during the field inspection process
where a comprehensive written record of a particular installation is required.

Using the Dwelling Unit Checklists

The inspection checklists for dwelling units in Chapter 6 provide a slightly different approach
than the checklists contained in the other chapters. Chapter 6 takes a residential project from
start to finish and provides checklists covering rough and finish inspections. Another
feature of this chapter is that it provides a breakdown of specific rooms or areas within or
associated with a dwelling based on the specific NEC requirements for those areas.
Beginning with some key questions that are intended to give the inspector some general
points to focus on as the project proceeds, the checklist next provides some general
requirements that apply throughout the dwelling unit, and then it continues with specific NEC
requirements for kitchens, dining rooms, bathrooms, other habitable rooms, hallways,
stairways, closets, laundry areas, basements and attics, garages, and outdoors. This area
approach provides the inspector with the NEC requirements that are unique to that specific
area. This reflects the fact that the NEC, particularly in Article 210 provides more
requirements for specific locations within a dwelling than for any other type of occupancy.
This type of approach is taken in the NEC since in most cases, the electrical system of a
dwelling is laid out by the installer.

The dwelling unit checklist then proceeds into the requirements applicable to the installation
of the electric service, the installation of any feeders, and the grounding and bonding
provisions for the service equipment. This portion of the checklist also provides the
requirements for panelboards that are supplied by service or feeder conductors.
The finish inspection checklist is arranged similarly to the rough wiring checklist.
Beginning with a number of general requirements that apply throughout the dwelling, the
checklist proceeds with the room-by-room approach, ensuring that the completed installation
in each room meets the NEC requirements that are unique to that area. For instance, during
the rough wiring inspection of the kitchen the inspector needs to verify the installation and
proper use of the minimum two small-appliance branch circuits, while during the final
inspection the inspector is verifying that GFCI protection has been provided for the
receptacles serving the kitchen counter area. On the same vein, within the dwelling unit
bathroom(s) the inspector has verified the presence of the 20-ampere circuit for the bathroom
receptacle outlets, while during the finish inspection it can be verified that GFCI protection
has been provided for the bathroom receptacles.
As part of the final inspection checklist, there are also requirements for service equipment
and panelboards supplied by feeders. Among the items covered in this portion of the checklist
are the verification of the completed grounding system and the identification of the circuits
within the panelboard(s).
New for the 2002 edition of the manual is a checklist that covers the NEC requirements for
manufactured home site supply wiring. For new manufactured home installations, the
electrical inspector does not typically inspect the factory-installed wiring, however the site
supply installation and any additional branch circuit or feeder installations are subject to field
inspection. Also new for this NEC cycle is the Pocket Guide to Residential Electrical
Inspections. This abridged version of the Electrical Inspection Manual contains all of the
dwelling unit checklists and associated commentary. In addition, the checklists for general
wiring requirements, wiring methods, grounding and bonding and swimming pools are also
included.
No two electrical inspectors will perform their field inspections exactly alike. Inspection
processes and techniques differ and often are dictated by construction conditions. Thus it is
often not possible to package the inspection of a dwelling as is neatly laid out in the
checklists. This was never the purpose of the book. The purpose was to lay out the applicable
requirements in a list format that can be used as an aid to inspectors of dwellings and other
occupancies and electrical equipment covered in the manual to develop a system for
performing thorough, efficient and effective electrical inspections. As was previously stated,
experience and an upfront understanding of how electrical systems operate are two of the
most important factors to having a strong foundation on which an inspector can grow from.
After all, the method by which the inspection is performed is not nearly as important as is
how well the inspection is performed.
You are here: Home Features Zone Verses Divisions

Zone Verses Divisions

[ 0 ] By Ken McLennan | March 1, 2003 |

Section 18 of the CSA Canadian Electrical Code (CE Code) covers the installation of
equipment and wiring in locations considered hazardous because of the presence of ignitable
or explosive materials. Such locations are divided into three classes:
Class I, which contains explosive gas or vapours
Class II, which contains combustible dust
Class III, which contains combustible fibres.
A major change in the 18th edition of the CE Code, published in 1998, introduced the zone
system of dividing Class I locations into three zones instead of the two divisions used in
previous editions. This was a significant change, affecting all electrical installations in
hazardous locations, and is still not entirely understood by everyone.
It would not be appropriate to simply identify the revisions brought about by this change
without discussing the principles behind them.

The Division System

Originally, Class I locations were not divided. A location that was subject to the presence of
flammable gas or vapour was simply classified as a Class I location. Electrical equipment and
wiring located in such areas had to meet the most stringent requirements that were approved
at that time.
It was eventually agreed that there was a need to divide Class I into two divisions. It had
become obvious that there were many situations where there was a minimal chance that gas
or vapour would be present. In fact, it was not expected that gas or vapour would be present
at all during normal working conditions, but it was recognized that an accident or other
abnormal condition could result in a release of hazardous gas or vapour.
Locations in which the presence of gas or vapour was unlikely under normal situations, were
classified Division 2, and were subject to less stringent requirements for equipment and
wiring. All other Class I locations were classified Division 1 and continued to be subject to
the more stringent requirements.
It should be noted that the principle behind the division of Class I locations is as significant
as the actual practical application. Dividing Class I locations into two divisions introduced
the principle of probabilities. In other words, when classifying hazardous locations it
became acceptable to consider the probability, or likelihood, of gas or vapour being present
simultaneously with a source of ignition.
Therefore, in the division system, Division 1 locations are those where the likelihood of
explosive gas atmospheres occurring is the highest, and Division 2 locations are those where
the likelihood is reduced. The Canadian Electrical Code defines Division 1 and 2 as follows:
(a) Division 1, comprising Class I locations in which:
(i) Hazardous concentrations of flammable gases or vapours exist continuously,
intermittently, or periodically under normal operating conditions; or

(ii) Hazardous concentrations of flammable gases or vapours may exist frequently because of
repair or maintenance operation or because of leakage.
(b) Division 2, comprising Class I locations in which:
(i) Flammable volatile liquids, flammable gases, or vapours are handled, processed, or used,
but in which the liquids, gases, or vapours are normally confined within closed containers or
closed systems from which they can escape only as a result of accidental rupture or
breakdown of the containers or systems or the abnormal operation of the equipment by which
the liquids or gases are handled, processed, or used; or
(ii) Explosive gas atmospheres are not likely to occur in normal operation and, if they do
occur, they will exist for a short time only; or
(iii) Explosive gas atmospheres are normally prevented by adequate ventilation but which
may occur as a result of failure or abnormal operation of the ventilation system; or
(iv) The location is adjacent to a Class I, Division 1 location, from which a hazardous
concentration of gases or vapours could be communicated, unless such communication is
prevented by adequate positive-pressure ventilation from a source of clean air, and effective
safeguards against ventilation failure are provided.1

The Zone System

Just as the division system uses two divisions to describe the specifics of Class I locations,
the zone system, first published in the CE Code in 1998, uses three zones. The zone system
originated in the international community, in standards developed by standards development
organizations such as the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and CENELEC
(the European standards writing body).
The following is an excerpt from the IEC Standard 60079-10 and explains the probability
principle that is used in international standards. (It is interesting to note that the Canadian
Electrical Code has followed this same principle in developing standards for equipment and
wiring in hazardous locations since the implementation of the division system).
In most practical situations where flammable materials are used, it is difficult to insure that an
explosive gas atmosphere will never occur. It may also be difficult to insure that apparatus
will never give rise to a source of ignition. Therefore, in situations where an explosive gas
atmosphere has a high likelihood of occurring, reliance is placed on using apparatus which
has a low likelihood of creating a source of ignition. Conversely, where the likelihood of an
explosive gas atmosphere occurring is reduced, apparatus constructed to a less rigorous
standard may be used.2
In the zone system, Zone 0 represents that area where there is the most likelihood of an
explosive gas atmosphere being present, Zone 1 is that area where the likelihood is reduced
somewhat, and Zone 2 is that area where the likelihood is reduced even further.
The Canadian Electrical Code Rule 18-006 defines Zones 0, 1, and 2 as follows:

(a) Zone 0, comprising Class I locations in which explosive gas atmospheres are present
continuously or are present for long periods;
(b) Zone 1, comprising Class I locations in which:
(i) Explosive gas atmospheres are likely to occur in normal operation; or
(ii) Explosive gas atmospheres may exist frequently because of repair or maintenance
operations or because of leakage; or
(iii) The location is adjacent to a Class I, Zone 0 location, from which explosive gas
atmospheres could be communicated.
(c) Zone 2, comprising Class I locations in which:
(i) Explosive gas atmospheres are not likely to occur in normal operation and, if they do
occur, they will exist for a short time only; or
(ii) Flammable volatile liquids, flammable gases, or vapours are handled, processed, or used,
but in which liquids, gases, or vapours are normally confined within closed containers or
closed systems from which they can escape only as a result of accidental rupture or
breakdown of the containers or systems or the abnormal operation of the equipment by which
the liquids or gases are handled, processed, or used; or
(iii) Explosive gas atmospheres are normally prevented by adequate ventilation but may
occur as a result of failure or abnormal operation of the ventilation system; or
(iv) The location is adjacent to a Class I, Zone 1 location from which explosive gas
atmospheres could be communicated, unless such communication is prevented by adequate
positive-pressure ventilation from a source of clean air, and effective safeguards against
ventilation failure are provided.3
The process of changing a two-division system to a three-zone system was simplified by the
knowledge that the rather broad allocation of Division 1 would be more specific when
split into two parts. These two parts are relative to the frequency and duration of exposure to
a release of gas or vapour, i.e.,
Areas having a high likelihood of release (continuous, long periods of time) match the
definition of Zone 0.
Areas having a lower likelihood of release (expected but will not occur for long periods)
match the definition of Zone 1
Division 2 became Zone 2

Impact on Section 18 (installation rules)

Rule 18-000 Scope
Because of the significance of the changes made to the CE Code, the scope had to be worded
to make it clear that any new installation undertaken, subsequent to the adoption of the 1998

edition of the code, would be subject to the zone system of classification. Subrule (1) covers
this by stating that Section 18 (which uses the zone system) applies to all locations classified
as Class I.
At the same time, there had to be enough flexibility for those existing facilities, already
classified to the division system, to continue to operate, expand, or be modified, without an
enforced reclassification. As well, the rules related to the division system had to be kept up to
date and be available for use with those facilities.
This was accomplished by expanding the Scope from the previous two subrules to the present
five. The Scope now includes provisions for the continued use of the division system in
specific cases (Subrule 18-000(3)), and mandates the division system rules, located in
Appendix J, for those cases (Subrule 18-000(4)).

Rule 18-002 Terminology

There is some new terminology in Section 18 that is particularly important to the application
of the zone system.
Adequate Ventilation. This term has never been defined in the CE Code prior to the 1998
edition. Adequate ventilation simply means ventilation, either natural or artificial, that is
sufficient to prevent the accumulation of vapour/air or gas/air mixtures in concentrations
above 25 percent of their lower explosive limit. Both artificial ventilation and natural
ventilation are considered in this definition. In previous issues of the code natural ventilation
was never a consideration.
Degree of Protection and Methods of Protection. These definitions appear to be
related but the difference is quite significant and warrant some discussion.
Degree of protection signifies the degree to which equipment will prevent ingress of foreign
bodies such as dust or liquids.
Methods of protection are the methods used in the manufacture of equipment to ensure that it
does not become or provide a source of ignition. These terms will appear in several of the
revised rules in this section.
Explosive Gas Atmosphere. This is defined as a mixture of gas or vapour and air that is
within its flammable limits. The term simplifies the previous reference to flammable gases
or vapours which may be present in the air in quantities sufficient to produce explosive or
ignitable mixtures.
Normal Operation. This term is used in much of the literature dealing with the zone
system and has been defined as the situation when the plant or equipment is operating within
its design parameters. An abnormal operation would result in a release of gas or vapour
sufficient to develop an explosive gas atmosphere.

Methods of Protection

The division system uses the basic protection features of explosion-proof equipment, purged
or pressurized equipment or intrinsically safe equipment. The zone system introduces a
number of additional protective principles.
They are defined in the Canadian Electrical Code, so the following is intended as a
paraphrase only. (Included in brackets after the name is the symbol that is used to identify
each one.)
Intrinsically Safe (Intrinsic Safety i, ia, or ib). Intrinsic safety (i) is the intrinsic safety
that has been part of the division system. The IEC standards have introduced two new
classifications of intrinsically safe:

Intrinsic safety (ia) provides the same level of protection as intrinsic safety (i) used in
the previous edition of the code. During testing, it must continue to provide explosion
protection after two countable faults have been applied (countable faults are faults to
components of the equipment being tested, not field wiring components).

Intrinsic safety (ib). Equipment certified with intrinsic safety (ib) does not have quite
the same level of backup protection as (ia) or (i). During testing, it must continue to
provide explosion protection after only one countable fault has been applied.

Flameproof (d). Flameproof equipment provides the same type of protection as explosionproof. The principle of both is to contain an explosion within the enclosure. Hot gases cool as
the increased pressure forces them out though an engineered flame path and will not ignite
the surrounding hazardous atmosphere.
Increased Safety (e). Equipment which is considered approved under the increased safety
standard will have:

a high impact type of enclosure,

protection against the ingress of dust and moisture,

a high degree of safety in the terminals, i.e., splices will not be permitted in an
increased safety enclosure, and

improved tracking distances between terminations.

In general, an increased safety enclosure is one in which steps have been taken to increase the
safety that is provided by the enclosure and the equipment that is inside. There will be no arc
producing, heat producing or sparking apparatus enclosed in an increased safety enclosure.
The following four methods of protection use similar principles:

oil immersed (o)

pressurized (p)

powder filled (q)

encapsulation (m)

Because of the special type of manufacture, gas or vapour is excluded from contact with
those parts of the equipment that produce arcs, sparks or high temperatures. Ignition will
therefore not occur.
Non-sparking (n). This is a more generalized term and will cover many types of
equipment. Basically, the equipment will not produce arcs, sparks, or high temperatures, and
it is unlikely that a fault will occur within the equipment.
Refer to the Canadian Electrical Code, Appendix B notes, page 577 for further information,
including the standard number, for each method of protection covered in the CAN/CSA E79
series of standards.

Rule 18-050, Electrical Equipment

Standards governing the manufacture of equipment for use in hazardous locations have
traditionally been part of the C22.2 or CAN/CSA C22.2 group of standards. When referring
to equipment certified under these standards, the code has stated that equipment that is
required to be approved for a class of location, i.e., Class I, must also be approved for the
specific gas or vapour that will be present. To simplify this process, gases and vapours having
similar properties are grouped together. Group designations used with the division system for
Class I locations are Groups A, B, C, and D.
To take full advantage of the move to the zone system, new standards were required to cover
the manufacture of equipment intended for Class I, Zone 0, 1, and 2 locations. Standards,
based on the IEC standards, were developed and adopted under the CAN/CSA E79 series of
standards. To follow the IEC standards as closely as possible, the IEC method of naming gas
groups IIA, IIB, and IIC was also adopted.
It is critical to recognize that the gases contained in Group IIA do not correspond to those in
Group A. Instead, Group IIA gases correspond to those in Group D. Similarly, Group IIB
gases correspond to those in Group C, and Group IIC gases correspond to those in Groups A
and B combined. This means greater attention needs to be paid to the marking on the
equipment (i.e., is the equipment suitable for Group A or Group IIA gases?)
A complete listing of typical gases and vapours along with a cross reference between the two
types of group names is shown in the Canadian Electrical Code Appendix

Rule 18-052 Marking

All electrical equipment must bear a certification mark such as the CSA mark, to confirm that
the equipment has been certified, as required by Rule 2-024.
In addition, the marking convention for equipment intended for hazardous locations under the
division system includes the class of location, gas group, and temperature or temperature
code. A typical marking may be:
Class I, Group D, T4
The marking convention under the zone system includes the Ex or EEx mark to indicate that

the equipment is explosion protected, the symbol for the method of protection (d, e, etc.), the
gas group, and the temperature code. A typical marking may be:
Ex d IIA T4
The marking conventions between the division and zone systems are quite different and we
can expect to see either one on equipment used in Class I hazardous locations. An important
point is that the latter does not include the class of location" and, therefore, equipment
with this marking is not permitted in a Class I Division 1 location unless it has had the class
of location added.
A table showing the types of equipment permitted and the methods of protection acceptable
for use in the zone and division systems is given in the Canadian Electrical Code, Appendix J.

Rule 18-090 Equipment and Wiring in Class I Zone 0 Locations

While a Class I Division 1 location includes the area designated under the zone system as
Zone 0, there is a difference between the two systems in the rules for electrical equipment and
wiring.
Rules for Class I Division 1 locations include:
explosion-proof equipment and wiring,
equipment and wiring that is pressurized or purged with a protective gas (see Rule 18-002
Special Terminology), or
equipment approved as intrinsically safe and associated wiring that is designed and installed
as intrinsically safe.
Rules for Class I Zone 0 locations require intrinsically safe equipment and wiring of the (i) or
(ia) types only.
Rule 18-090 also includes the requirements for seals in conduit runs where they leave the
Zone 0 location and in cable runs at the first termination in the Zone 0 location.

Rules 18-106 Wiring Methods Class I Zone I

Although the wiring methods for Class I Zone 1 locations are quite similar to those normally
permitted in Class I Division I locations, Subrules 18-106(3), (4), and (5) indicate that there
are some significant differences.
Subrules (3) and (4) cover the requirements for threaded joints. Subrule (3) permits the use of
straight threads in equipment required to be explosion-proof or flameproof design (tapered
threads must still be used on the conduit as required in Rule 12-1006). Subrule (4) covers the
need for approved adapters in cases where the threads may be metric rather than the more
commonly used National Pipe Thread (NPT).
Another point to consider in dealing with threaded joints in a hazardous location is the
number of fully engaged threads that are required. With the division system, the requirement
is for 5 fully engaged threads in any hazardous atmosphere. With equipment used in the zone

system, 5 fully engaged threads are required in Group IIA or IIB atmospheres, but at least 8
fully engaged threads are required in a Group IIC atmosphere.
Subrule 18-106(5) covers the need for care when terminating conduit or cable in enclosures
with the method of protection e" (increased safety). Such entries are to maintain the
degree of protection provided by the enclosure. The increased safety principle includes
preventing the ingress of dust or moisture into the enclosure. When such an enclosure is
installed in the field, steps must be taken to ensure that principle is not compromised.

Rule 18-108 Sealing, Class I, Zone 1

There are two basic differences in the rules for sealing brought about by the move to the zone
system.
The type of enclosure that is permitted in a Class I Zone 1 location is significant. For
instance, seals will not be required on cables terminating at enclosures with the method
protection e when run within the zone. Also cables that leave a Zone 1 location will not
require a seal providing the cable is greater than 10 m (32.8 ft) in length and there are no
excess process or atmospheric pressures involved that may force gas or vapour through the
cable.
The need to seal conduit entries into enclosures that are not required to be either explosionproof or flameproof is another significant difference. There are two reasons for this: the need
to ensure dust and moisture cannot enter an increased safety enclosure, and the need to ensure
the integrity of an explosion-proof or flameproof wiring system (i.e., a wiring system
intended to contain an explosion). A seal must be installed at the transition to a wiring system
that is not required to be explosion-proof or flameproof.
Rule 18-156 and Rule 18-158 cover wiring methods and sealing for Zone 2 locations. Since a
Class I Zone 2 location is considered equivalent to a Class I Division 2 location, there are no
significant differences in either the type of equipment that is permitted, the wiring methods or
the requirements for sealing.
1 Canadian Electrical Code C22.1 02
2 CEI IEC Standard 79-10 (60079-10) Third edition, 1995-12
3 Canadian Electrical Code C22.1 02
Ken McLennan is compliance monitoring and training consultant in Alberta, with over 40
years in the electrical industry. He was formerly the chief electrical inspector for Alberta and
administrator of the provinces Electrical Technical Council, as well as executive secretary of
the Canadian Advisory Council on Electrical Safety. Ken has served as vice chair of the Part I
CSA Canadian Electrical Code Committee and has been a member of the CE Code Part II
Steering Committee. Ken has also participated in many CE Code Part I and Part II
subcommittees and task forces, including the task force that spearheaded the change from
divisions to zones for Class I Hazardous Locations.
You are here: Home 2003 March/April 2003 Sailboats in Peril Near Power Lines

Sailboats in Peril Near Power Lines

[ 0 ] By David Young | March 1, 2003 |

Photo 1. The utility quickly replaced the poles with taller ones. Photo 1 shows the line before
it was corrected.
About fifteen years ago, on a beautiful Saturday in September, my then nine-year-old son and
I had just finished a wonderful day of sailing. Five hours earlier, when we put in at a new
boat ramp, there were very few cars with trailers in the parking lot because the stiff wind was
scaring the power boaters away. When we arrived back at the ramp, the parking lot was
almost full. As I pulled my boat out of the water, I had to park on the far side of the parking
lot well away from the water. As I pulled into the parking space to down rig the mast, I
noticed a power line between the front of my car and the adjacent roadway. The high voltage
conductors seemed too low for their location adjacent to an area that the National Electrical
Safety Code (NESC) would clearly define as an established boat ramp and associated rigging
area.

As my son and I lowered the short mast of our day sailor well away from the power line,
another family backed their 22-foot day sailor into the parking space next to ours. I asked the
man the length of his mast. He replied twenty-nine feet as he and his wife and two children
prepared to raise the mast. I identified myself as an engineer with an electric power company
and called his attention to the high voltage power line directly above the stern of his sailboat.
If he raised the mast, it would surely hit the phase conductor. He acknowledged the hazard
and then got irritated at me because he now had to move the trailer.
The next day, I contacted the utility and inquired about the line. The utility was not aware of
the new boat ramp. The clearances were fine for a line along a coastal road, but they were
dangerous next to a boat ramp. The people who built the boat ramp had created the hazard
when they did not contact the utility. The phase conductor was only 24 feet above the ground.
The utility quickly replaced the poles with taller ones. Photo 1 shows the line before it was
corrected. The NESC minimum clearance of conductors over boat ramps and associated
rigging areas is a function of the minimum clearance over the adjacent water.

Photo 2. Photo 2 shows an example of an obstruction that would prevent the passage of a
sailboat.
The minimum clearance of conductors over water is covered by Rule 232 (page 71) and rows
6 and 7 of Table 232-1 (page 78). An unobstructed surface is a body of water where there is
no fixed bridge or other obstruction preventing large sailboat access from a larger body of
water. The larger the surface area of the body of water, the higher the clearance. For rivers,
streams and canals, the surface area shall be the largest surface area of any one-mile segment
that includes the crossing (Footnote 19). If a river, stream or canal has an unobstructed
connection to a larger body of water, the clearance shall be based upon the water surface area
of the larger body of water. Photo 2 shows an example of an obstruction that would prevent
the passage of a sailboat. In photo 2, the power line crossing is actually between two fixed
bridges 500 feet apart. The water surface area is less than 20 acres and thus the minimum
clearance over that body of water is only 20.5 feet for phase conductors up to 22 kV phase to
ground. If the body of water on the power line side of the bridge was directly connected
without obstruction to the ocean, then the minimum clearance becomes 40.5 feet for phase
conductors up to 22 kV to ground. Drawbridges are not considered obstructions. For bodies
of water where the water level is controlled, the surface area and corresponding clearance
shall be based upon the design high water level (Footnote 17). For bodies of water where the
water level is not controlled, the surface area shall be that enclosed by its annual high-water
mark. The clearance shall be based upon the normal flood level. If available, the 10-year

flood level may be assumed as the normal flood level (Footnote 18). Note that some utilities
have run into problems crossing shallow streams that become deep rivers at flood level.
During storms, people out in sailboats often go up rivers to find a safe haven to weather the
storm. Let us hope that they dont find out in a flash that it wasnt the safest move.
For boat ramps and associated rigging areas, the minimum clearance is specified in Rule 232
and in row 8 of Table 232-1 to be five feet greater than that specified over water in row 7. For
the ramp and rigging area I spoke of previously, the minimum clearance for a 25 kV line
(14,400-volt phase to ground) is 45.5 feet since the body of water next to the ramp is a river
connected to the Atlantic Ocean.
The minimum clearances shall be met when the conductor is under maximum sag conditions.
The three conditions that can create maximum sag conditions are spelled out in Rule 232A1,
2, and 3. The clearance shall be met with the conductor temperature of 120F. If the crossing
is designed for a maximum operating temperature exceeding 120F; the clearance shall be
met at the maximum operating temperature. In the medium and heavy loading districts, the
clearance shall also be met when the conductor is at 32F, with radial thickness of ice as
specified in Rule 250B for the district.
National Electrical Safety Code and NESC are registered trademarks of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
You are here: Home Departments Editorial Still the Best Bang for the Buck

Still the Best Bang for the Buck

[ 0 ] By James W. Carpenter | March 1, 2003 |
Many questions have arisen since the announcement that the IAEI Board of Directors,
recognizing the need for additional revenue, voted to increase the dues to $90.00 per year
effective January 1, 2003.
Let us review what the purpose and objectives of the International Association of Electrical
Inspectors are. Our founders, some 75 years ago, saw the need for an organization that could
represent the electrical inspector in the national and international arena. In fashioning the
Articles of Association they set forth in Article II, Section 1 the details of what the objectives
of the IAEI shall be.
(a) To cooperate in the formulation of standards for the safe installation and use of electrical
materials, devices and appliances.
(b) To promote the uniform understanding and application of the National Electrical Code
and other electrical codes.
(c) To promote cooperation between inspectors, the electrical industry and the public.
(d) To collect and disseminate information relative to the safe use of electricity.

(e) To represent the Electrical Inspectors in all matters which are dealt with nationally and
internationally by the electrical industry.
(f) To cooperate with other national and international organizations in furthering the
development of the electrical industry.
Back 75 years ago the emphasis was on the national scene but today, in 2003, the scene is
moving globally.
What do these objectives mean to the local one-person inspection department in small town
America or the largest municipality? Why does the inspector need to belong to an
international organization? What does the inspector member or the associate member get for
$90.00 a year?
The IAEI sponsors two members, a principal and an alternate, on each of the nineteen NEC
code making panels, and a principal and an alternate on the Technical Correlating Committee.
The IAEI also has members on other standards making panels. This is done to fulfill the first
objective to cooperate in the formation of standards. Even though the members are
volunteering their time to do this important work of assuring that the inspectors voice and
viewpoint is presented in the standards making process, the IAEI finances the travel, lodging,
and meals of these 40 plus people. This happens on a three-year cycle so funds must be
available for the ROP and ROC meetings. Even the smallest building in the most remote
location must have a safe electrical installation and use safe electrical materials, devices, and
appliances. The IAEI objective of cooperating in the formation of recognized standards IS
important to every citizen living or working where electricity is used.
To promote the uniform understanding of electrical codes and standards, the IAEI produces
publications on various aspects of the electrical code. These publications are on such timely
code subjects as grounding, wiring of one- and two-family dwellings, and analysis of changes
of the NEC. These books are priced to defray the cost of production and to return some extra
funds to the association but printing must be paid for up-front. The IAEI decided to make
these books available in the year that the NEC came out instead of spreading the production
out over three years. The IAEI has an outstanding and hardworking staff writing material for
the various books but they cant do it all, so others are contracted to help writeanother
expense.
The Education Department is also producing and conducting seminars on a variety of timely
subjects. The IAEI provides these educational experiences in many different ways. We
conduct on-site seminars using our staff as instructors or contract with others to provide the
instruction. We can partner with local chapters or divisions to conduct seminars, and we make
available materials for chapters and divisions to conduct their own seminars.
The Education Department and the Publication Department combine to collect information
(Education Department) and disseminate information (Publication Department) on the safe
installation and use of electricity. Our representatives on code panels provide valuable
information and insight on the code changes that is used by the Education Department to
compose the text for the books. The Publication Department does an excellent job of editing
and laying out the text and illustrations to produce an award-winning IAEI News and other
technical books. This work does not just happen. Talented people are necessary and proper
support in the form of advanced computers and software is required.

To represent the electrical inspector in the national and international arena and to cooperate
with national and international organizations, the IAEI joins with others on the United States
National Committee to represent the U.S. on the International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC).
Of course all this requires a support staff in the Customer Service Department. With the turnover in customer service personnel, we have had problems with errors with our database. This
seems to be what most people notice first about the association. We must do something to
keep staff longer so they will be more sensitive to the members needs and realize what it
means when errors are made.
Other things are needed to support the carrying out of the objectives. We have an office
building that we must keep up to protect the investment new roof, maintenance, taxes, and
utilities. Also legal fees are incurred to protect our intellectual properties and to keep us out
of trouble in contracts and agreements we enter into with other parties.
When all things are considered, I believe when one stops and reflects on them, one can see
that a $90.00 membership fee to belong and support the IAEI is still The Best Bang for the
Buck. I also believe that you only get out of anything, what you put into it. So take
advantage of Section, Chapter and Divisions meetings. Participate in the education programs
provided or better yet share your knowledge with others through the IAEI!
You are here: Home Departments Canadian Code Effective Grounding and Bonding

Effective Grounding and Bonding

[ 0 ] By Leslie Stoch | March 1, 2003 |
This article looks at effective grounding and bonding, how it is defined by the code, and its
importance to electrical safety.
The Canadian Electrical Code, Rule 10-500 Effective Grounding defines and specifies that:
The path to ground from circuits, equipment or conductor enclosures shall be permanent and
continuous, and shall have ample ampacity to conduct safely any currents likely to be
imposed on it, and shall have impedance sufficiently low to limit the voltage above ground,
and to facilitate the operation of the overcurrent devices in the circuit.
Appendix B offers some additional guidance by specifying that the impedance of the circuit
fault return path must be sufficiently low so as to ensure that the overcurrent protection trips
when it should to limit voltages on exposed metal and to permit minimum 5 x rated current to
flow during a ground fault. Rated current is considered to be the rating of protection ahead
in the circuit.
This article reviews several possible ground-fault return paths the effective ones and the
not so effective ones. When required, the Canadian Electrical Code requires that bonding
conductors be installed in the same cable or raceways as circuit conductors. How important is
that requirement and how critical is conductor spacing? The code does not specify any
restrictions on the lengths of metal conduit or EMT when used as the equipment bonding

means. Can metal raceways provide an equally effective fault path without any restrictions as
to maximum length?
Lets start with bonding conductor spacing. Tests have shown that bonding conductors must
be close and parallel to the circuit conductors for the lowest impedance path for ground-fault
currents. Inductive reactance increases with the distance between the circuit and bonding
conductors and increases total impedance in the fault current return path. Inductive reactance
always forces more current to flow along the paths closest to the circuit conductors.
Tests also show that the most effective fault return paths are bonding conductors inside cables
or raceways, or metal conduit enclosing circuit conductors. Ineffective fault current paths are
connections to grounded (or ungrounded) building steel, and bonding conductors external to
raceways or cables. Also, due to its method of construction, metallic cable armour presents a
higher impedance than metallic sheaths.
It can easily be demonstrated by testing that only an internal bonding conductor can divert a
sizable amount of fault current from a metal raceway (approximately a 50-50 division). None
of the other possible paths (building steel or external bonding) will have any appreciable
effect on the direction of current flow.
The Canadian Electrical Code specifies no maximum length restrictions when metal raceway
is used for equipment bonding. The cross-sectional area of a metal raceway is considered
adequate to carry the available fault currents when selected in compliance with Tables 6 to
10. But is this enough?
The total circuit impedance of metal raceway consists of the raceway impedance, the
couplings and the arc fault impedance. To determine the maximum length of metal conduit
when used for equipment bonding, we must know:

The minimum permissible ground-fault current (for effective grounding at least 5 x

the circuit overcurrent protection setting)

The conduit impedance (from manufacturers data)

The arc voltage (assume 50 volts)

And allow a 50% margin of safety

Example To calculate maximum ground fault impedance, for a 120/208-volt, 400-ampere

circuit, assume a minimum fault level of 400 x 5 = 2000 amperes. Subtract the assumed arc
voltage and divide by 2000 amperes.
120 50 volts
2000 amperes

= .035 ohms maximum

Next, find the conduit impedance at 2000 amperes per 100 feet (from wire and cable
manufacturers data), apply a 50 percent safety factor and divide the permissible ground-fault
return path (in this example .035 ohms) impedance by conduit impedance with safety factor

to obtain the maximum permissible length of conduit. Although the Canadian Electrical Code
does not specify it, maximum length is required by implication by Rule 10-500.
Based on the circuit protection rating, minimum bonding conductor sizes are selected from
Table 16, but as a rule of thumb, they should have no less ampacity than 25 percent of
overcurrent protection ratings. Bonding conductors must carry available fault currents during
the clearing times of fuses or circuit breakers without any damage to wiring insulation, and
without any risk of burning off.
Manufacturers can provide damage curve tables showing how much fault current and the
lengths of time during which different size wiring can withstand faults without damage. Burn
off tables are also available to show the melting points of copper and aluminum conductors at
different fault currents and protection clearing times.
As mentioned above, distances between bonding and circuit conductors will affect bonding
conductor impedance and resulting voltage drop during a ground fault. A higher impedance
creates an increased risk of electric shock due to contact with exposed metal parts.
As in the past, you should check with the electrical inspection authority in each province or
territory as applicable for a more precise interpretation of any of the above.
You are here: Home 2003 March/April 2003 Does UL List light curtains that are used
on industrial machinery to prevent personal injury?

Does UL List light curtains that are used on

industrial machinery to prevent personal
injury?
[ 0 ] By Underwriters Laboratories | March 1, 2003 |

Question: Light curtains on industrial machinery

Does UL List light curtains that are used on industrial machinery to prevent personal injury?

Answer
Yes, light curtains are Listed under the category Active Opto-Electronic Protective Devices
(NIPF), located on Page 60 of the 2002 General Information for Electrical Equipment
Directory (White Book).
In January 2002 UL published new standards for Electro-Sensitive Protective Equipment,
UL/ ANSI 61496-1 and 61496-2. UL 61496-1 contains general requirements and tests for all
Electro-Sensitive Protective Equipment; UL 61496-2 contains specific requirements for
Active Opto-Electronic Protective Devices, otherwise known as light curtains.
Light curtains are commonly used in industrial settings for the safeguarding of machinery
that presents risk of personal injury. Light curtains typically consist of an emitter/ receiver

pair. The length of the light curtain, number of light beams and spacing of light beams may
vary depending upon customer application. When one or more beams of light are broken, due
to for instance a hand in a point of hazard zone, within milliseconds a signal is sent to shut
down machine operation. Signal redundancy and continuous selfchecking are among the
requirements for light curtains.
In addition to an evaluation for fire and electric shock hazards, light curtains undergo a
stringent investigation of their safety-related performance features. This includes evaluations
of software reliability, Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA), EMC immunity, and
resistance to mechanical and environmental stresses.
You are here: Home 2003 March/April 2003 Are Type USE and USE-2 suitable for
exposure to sunlight?

Are Type USE and USE-2 suitable for

exposure to sunlight?
[ 0 ] By Underwriters Laboratories | March 1, 2003 |

Question: USE and USE-2

Are Type USE and USE-2 suitable for exposure to sunlight?

Answer
All UL Listed service entrance cables are required to be sunlight resistant as part of their UL
Listing. Both the cable assembly and the individual inner conductors are sunlight resistant,
and neither is required to be marked. This information is noted in the UL Guide Information
for Service Entrance Cable (TYLZ) located on page 104 of the 2002 White Book.
As a side note, individual insulated conductors, such as THWN, that are not part of a service
entrance cable assembly are not sunlight resistant, unless so marked, (i.e., sunlight
resistant).
You are here: Home 2003 March/April 2003 Does each individual part of an electric
sign require a Section ____ of _____

Does each individual part of an electric sign

require a Section ____ of _____
[ 0 ] By Underwriters Laboratories | March 1, 2003 |

Question: Electric sign

Does each individual part of an electric sign require a Section ____ of _____ marking?

Answer
A UL Listed sign may be shipped in sections only when the sections form a complete sign
and complete instructions for field assembly are provided. Each major subassembly is
required to bear an electric sign section marking.
For example, separate channel letters and remote neon power supplies are considered major
subassemblies and each subassembly requires a section marking. Sign faces, trim and
mounting hardware are not considered major subassemblies.
The section UL Label has changed. The UL Guide information was revised to require each
section to bear an Electric Sign Section Listing Mark in lieu of the Section _____ of
_____ marking where each section of the sign was assigned a number. The Electric Sign
Section _____ of ______ Listing Mark is still acceptable until the stock is depleted.
You are here: Home 2003 March/April 2003 Do Shower Lights Need GFCIs?

Do Shower Lights Need GFCIs?

[ 0 ] By Underwriters Laboratories | March 1, 2003 |

Question: Shower lights

Are lights installed in showers required to have GFCIs?

Answer
UL Listed luminaries are evaluated for compliance with the Standard for Luminaires, UL
1598. The UL Standard does not require integral GFCI protection for luminaries. If the
manufacturers installation instructions require GFCI protection in the installation, then
Section 110.3(B) of the NEC would be applicable. Also note that for some special
occupancies in Chapter 5, the NEC requires GFCI protection to be provided for the
equipment in the installation. The UL Guide Information for luminaires (IETX) can be found
on page 40 of the 2002 General Information for Electrical Equipment Directory (White
Book).
It is important to note that combination ceiling-insert exhaust fan/lights are Listed under the
product category Electric Fans (GPWV) and are required by the Standard for Electric Fans,
UL 507, to be marked, Acceptable for use over a bathtub or shower when installed in a
GFCI protected branch circuit. This information is detailed in the Guide Information for this
category located on page 203 of the 2002 White Book. In this case, the UL Standard does not
require integral GFCI protection in the product. However, the product must be marked to
indicate that a GFCI protected branch circuit should be used to supply power to the product.
Section 110.3(B) of the NEC is applicable.
You are here: Home 2003 March/April 2003 Why isnt the UL Listing Mark always
required on an outlet box?

Why isnt the UL Listing Mark always

required on an outlet box?
[ 0 ] By Underwriters Laboratories | March 1, 2003 |

Question: Listing mark on outlet box

Why isnt the UL Listing Mark always required on an outlet box? Ive seen the Mark on
packaging, but once its discarded, it is difficult to verify Listing.

Answer
For some products, the UL Mark is on the smallest unit container. This is due to the size
and/or shape of the products, which physically does not allow the UL Mark on the product
itself. For outlet boxes, the UL Listing Mark is required on the product, or the UL symbol can
be marked on the product and the complete Listing Mark of Underwriters Laboratories Inc. is
marked on the smallest unit container. This practice has been in place for many years. This
information is detailed in the UL Guide information for Metallic Outlet Boxes (QCIT)
located on page 81 of the 2002 General Information for Electrical Equipment Directory
(White Book).