Introduction to the NEC

1:­ Purpose and History –
The National Electrical Code (NEC) is published by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

. The primary purpose of the code is the practical safeguarding of persons

and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity. In the United States, the NEC is used as an
electrical installation, safety, and reference guide. It has also been translated into several languages, and
it is probably one of the most widely used and generally accepted codes in the world. Although the NEC
itself states that, "This code is not intended as a design specification nor an instruction manual for
untrained persons," the code does, under the proper guidance, provide a sound basis for the study of
electrical installation procedures. All electrical work involved in installing a new electrical system or
repairing an existing one must comply with the current NEC and all local ordinances.

The idea of drafting a national electrical code was born during a meeting of the National Association of Fire
Engineers in Richmond, Virginia, in 1881. But it was not until 1895 that the first nationally recommended
electrical code was published by the National Board of Fire Underwriters, which is now called the American
Insurance Association. By 1896, the National Electric Light Association (NELA) was working to make the
requirements of the fire insurance organizations and the requirements of the country's various electric
utilities fit together. The NELA succeeded in promoting a conference whose purpose was to produce a
standard national code that would serve the interests of the insurance industry, utilities, manufacturers,
and other industries. The conference produced a set of requirements that was unanimously accepted. In
1897, the first edition of the National Electrical Code was published, and the NEC became the first
cooperatively produced national code. The organization that produced the NEC was known as the National
Conference on Standard Electrical Rules. This group became a permanent organization, and its job was to
develop the importance and impact of the code.

In 1911, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) took over the administration and control of the
NEC. However, the National Bureau of Fire Underwriters (NBFU) continued to publish the NEC until 1962,
at which time the NFPA took over the publishing duties, as well. During the period from 1911 to 1987, the
NEC experienced several major changes, as well as regular updates every three years. For instance, in
1923, the NEC was rearranged and rewritten, and in 1959, it was revised to include a numbering system
under which each section of each article was identified with an article number and a section number. In
1949, the NFPA reorganized the committee that revises and publishes the NEC into its present structure.
That structure consists of a Correlating Committee and a number of groups called Code Making Panels
(CMP's).

The creation of a national code, which is, in effect, a universally accepted set of rules, is an involved and
complicated process. Rules made by a committee have the advantage that they usually do not leave out
the interests of any of the groups represented on the committee. However, since the rules must represent
the interests and requirements of an assortment of groups, they are often quite complicated and wordy.

The Correlating Committee consists of ten principal voting members and six alternates. The main function
of the Correlating Committee is to ensure that no conflict of requirements exists, that correlation has been
achieved, that NFPA regulations governing committee projects have been followed, and that a practical
schedule of revision and publication is established and maintained.

Each of the 20 CMP's has members that are experts on particular subjects and have been assigned certain
NEC articles to supervise and revise as needed. Members of the CMP's represent a variety of groups,
including trade associations, electrical contractors, electrical manufacturers and suppliers, electrical testing
laboratories, electrical designers, electrical inspectors, and insurance organizations. Each panel is
structured so that no more than one-third of its members are from a single interest group.

The members of the NEC Committee create and revise requirements for the NEC through probing,
debating, analyzing, and reviewing new input. Anyone can submit proposals to amend the NEC. Sample
forms for this purpose may be obtained from the Secretary of the Standards Council at NFPA
Headquarters. In addition to responding to written proposals, the NFPA also holds meetings to discuss
code changes and proposals. The NFPA membership is drawn from all of the groups represented on the
Code Making Panels.

The NFPA performs many other duties in addition to handling the NEC. These duties include the following:

 Developing, publishing, and distributing standards prepared by approximately 175 technical

committees (These standards are intended to minimize the possibility and effects of fires and
explosions.)

 Conducting fire safety education programs for the general public

 Providing information on fire protection, prevention, and suppression

 Compiling annual statistics on causes and occupancies of fires, large-loss fires (over 1 million
dollars), fire deaths, and firefighter casualties

 Providing field service by specialists on electricity, flammable liquids and gases, and marine fire
problems

 Conducting research projects that apply statistical methods and operations research to develop
computer modes and data management systems

Testing laboratories play an important part in the development of the NEC. The NFPA and other
organizations provide testing laboratories to conduct research about electrical equipment and its safety.
The testing laboratories perform extensive testing of new products to make sure that they are built to
code standards for electrical and fire safety. The labs also receive statistics and reports from all over the
United States concerning electrical shocks and fires and their causes. If the labs detect a trend developing
concerning certain equipment and dangerous circumstances, the equipment will be targeted for research.
All of the reports from the testing labs are used in the generation of changes to the NEC.

Two other organizations involved with safety and code issues are the Nationally Recognized Testing
Laboratories and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA).
The Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories (NRTL's) are product safety
certification laboratories. They establish and operate product safety certification programs to make sure
that items produced under the service are safeguarded against foreseeable risks. NRTL's maintain a
worldwide network of field representatives who make unannounced visits to factories to check products
bearing safety marks.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) was founded in

1926. It is made up of companies that manufacture equipment used for the generation, transmission,
distribution, control, and utilization of electric power. The objectives of NEMA are to maintain and improve
the quality and reliability of products; to ensure safety standards in the manufacture and use of products;
and to develop product standards covering such matters as naming, ratings, performance, testing, and
dimensions. NEMA participates in developing the NEC and the National Safety Electrical Code and
advocates their acceptance by state and local authorities.

2:­ Layout –
Like most sets of rules or laws, the National Electrical Code is easier to work with when people understand
the language and know where to look to find the information they need.
The two basic types of rules in the NEC are mandatory rules and advisory rules. Mandatory rules are
characterized by the use of the word "shall." The word "shall" means "must," so if a rule is mandatory,
everyone must comply with it. All advisory rules have the word "should" in them. The word "should"
means that the rule is recommended, but not required. In other words, complying with an advisory rule is
not required by the NEC.

Symbols that appear in the margins of the NEC indicate changes. The symbol shown below is called a
change bar. It indicates that a change has been made in the NEC since the last edition.

A bullet indicates that something has been deleted from the last edition of the NEC.

In addition to changes in the text of the NEC, there may also be local amendments. Local ordinances may
amend the language of the NEC. For example, they may change a "should" to a "shall." By local
ordinance, something may be required in one county and only recommended in another. The office that
issues building permits will either sell copies of the code that is enforced in that county or provide
information about where the code is sold.

The main body of the NEC text begins with an Introduction, which is also entitled "Article 90." This
introduction provides an overview of the National Electrical Code. Items in Article 90 are the purpose of
the NEC, the scope of the codebook, code arrangement, code enforcement, mandatory rules and
explanatory material, formal interpretation, examination of equipment for safety, wiring planning, and
metric units of measurement. The remainder of the book is organized into nine chapters
 . Chapter 1 contains a complete list of definitions used in the NEC. These
definitions are referred to as Article 100. Article 110 of Chapter 1 describes the general requirements for
electrical installations. It is important for personnel who work with electricity to be familiar with this
general information and the definitions. Two definitions that are especially important are for the terms
"labeled" and "listed." The term "labeled" refers to "equipment or materials to which has been attached a
label, symbol, or other identifying mark of an organization that is acceptable to the authority having
jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation that maintains periodic inspection of production of
labeled equipment or materials and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with
appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner." The term "listed" refers to "equipment or
materials included in a list published by an organization acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and
concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of listed equipment or
materials, and whose listing states either that the equipment or material meets appropriate designated
standards or has been tested and found suitable for use in a specified manner."

In addition to installation requirements, electricians must also be concerned with the type and quality of
materials that are used in electrical wiring systems. There are nationally recognized testing laboratories
that serve as product safety certification laboratories. One example is the Underwriters Laboratories. The
testing labs establish and operate product safety certification programs designed to ensure that items
produced under the service are safeguarded against foreseeable risks. Some of these organizations
maintain a worldwide network of field representatives who make unannounced visits to manufacturing
facilities to counter-check products bearing their seal of approval.

Chapters 2 through 9 of the NEC each contain numerous articles and sections. Each chapter focuses on a
general category of electrical application. For example, Chapter 2 is entitled "Wiring and Protection." Each
chapter contains articles that emphasize a more specific part of that category, such as "Branch Circuits,"

which is Article 210 in Chapter 2. Each article contains parts , which are
identified with uppercase letters of the alphabet. For example, Part A of Article 210 is called "General
Provisions." Each part contains sections that give examples of a specific
application of the code. For example, "Multi-Wire Branch Circuits" is Section 210-4 of the "Branch Circuits"
article in Chapter 2. Many of the sections also contain paragraphs, which are identified with lowercase
letters of the alphabet placed inside of parentheses. For example, Chapter 2, Article 210, Part A, Section
210-4 contains four paragraphs, which are identified as paragraphs (a) through (d).

All of the chapters of the NEC can be divided into three major categories. One category consists of
chapters 1, 2, 3, 4 and 9. Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 present the rules for the design and installation of
electrical wiring systems. Chapter 9 contains the tables that specify the properties of conductors and the
rules for the use of conduit to enclose the conductors. Chapter 9 also provides examples

that demonstrate the use of the design rules provided in the first four
chapters. A second category consists of chapters 5, 6, and 7. These chapters are concerned with special
occupancies, equipment, and conditions. Rules in these chapters may modify or amend those in the first
four chapters of the NEC. A third category consists of only Chapter 8. This chapter covers communications
systems such as telephone and telegraph systems, as well as radio and television receiving equipment.
The NEC contains several different types of text, or printing. Headings for each code application are

printed in bold type. Exceptions are written in italics under the code to
which they pertain. Exceptions explain when a specific code does not apply. Fine print notes

are identified by the letters "FPN" placed before a paragraph in smaller

print. The notes explain something in an application, suggest other

sections to read about the application, or give tips about an application. Diagrams
 may be included with code explanations to provide a picture of what an
application may look like. Tables are often included when there is more than one possible application of a

code. A table can be used to match job specifications with the

proper conditions of the code.

3:­ Navigating –
One way to locate information for a particular procedure in the NEC is to follow a series of steps. The first
step is to become familiar with Article 90, Article 100, and Article 110 to gain an understanding of the
material covered in the NEC and the definitions used in it. Then, to look for some particular information,
the next step is to turn to the table of contents at the beginning of the NEC and locate the chapter and the
article that focuses on the information. The last step is to turn to the
indicated page and find the appropriate application. Each application begins with a bold heading. In

addition to the table of contents, the NEC also has an index located at
the back of the book. The index lists specific topics and provides a reference to the location of the material
within the NEC. The index can be very helpful for finding something specific. The NEC contains a few key
sections that electricians should be familiar with. These sections are often used by personnel who service
electrical systems.

CHAPTER 2 - "Wiring Design and Protection"

This chapter provides information that is essential for any electrical system, regardless of type. It covers:

 The use and identification of grounded conductors

 Branch circuits

 Feeders

 Calculations

 Services

 Overcurrent protection

 Grounding
This chapter is also a "how-to" chapter. For example, it explains how to provide proper spacing for
conductor supports, how to provide temporary wiring, and how to size the proper grounding conductor. A
solution for most problems related to the design or installation of a conventional electrical system can be
found in this chapter.

CHAPTER 3 - "Wiring Methods and Materials"

This chapter contains the rules on wiring methods and procedures. The materials and procedures used on
a particular system depend on the type of building construction, the type of occupancy, the location of the
wiring in the building, mechanical factors, and the relative costs of different wiring methods. The
provisions apply to all wiring installations, except the following items when they form an integral part of
equipment such as motors and motor controllers:

 Remote control switching

 Low-energy power circuits

 Signal systems

 Communications systems and conductors

There are four basic wiring methods used in most modern electrical systems. Nearly all wiring methods
are variations of one or more of these four basic systems:

 Sheathed cables of two or more conductors, such as NM cable and BX armored cable (Articles 330
through 339)

 Raceway wiring systems such as EMT conduit (Articles 342 through 358)

 Busways (Article 364)

 Cable trays (Article 318)

Article 310 of Chapter 3 gives complete descriptions of all types of electrical conductors. Electrical
conductors come in a wide range of sizes and forms, so it is important to check working drawings and
specifications to determine what sizes and types of conductors are required for a specific job. If the
conductor type and size are not specified, Article 310 can be consulted to determine the most appropriate
type and size to meet standard NEC requirements. Chapter 3 also provides information about the selection
and use of raceways, boxes, cabinets, and raceway fittings in Articles 318 through 384. Outlet boxes vary
in size and shape, depending on their use, the size of the raceway, the number of conductors entering the
box, the type of building construction, and the atmospheric conditions of the areas where the boxes are to
be installed. Although the NEC does not describe in detail all types and sizes of outlet boxes, this
information can be obtained from the manufacturers of outlet boxes. Article 380 in Chapter 3 covers the
switches, pushbuttons, pilot lamps, receptacles, and convenience outlets needed to control electrical
circuits or to connect portable equipment to electrical circuits. Article 384 covers switchboards and panel
boards, including installation methods, clearances, grounding, and overcurrent protection.

CHAPTER 4 - "Equipment for General Use"

Chapter 4 begins with the use and installation of flexible cords and cables, including the trade name, type
letter, wire size, number of conductors, conductor insulation, outer covering, and use of each. Chapter 4
also covers fixture wires. Article 410 covers lighting fixtures and provides installation procedures for
fixtures in specific locations. For example, it covers the installation of fixtures near combustible materials.
However, the NEC does not specify how many fixtures will be needed in a given area to provide a certain
amount of illumination. Articles 440 through 460 cover air conditioning, heating equipment, transformers,
and capacitors. Article 480 provides requirements related to battery-operated electrical systems. Storage
batteries are seldom considered to be part of a conventional electrical system, but they are often used to
provide standby emergency lighting. Batteries may also be used to supply power to security systems that
are separate from a main AC electrical system.

CHAPTER 5 - "Special Occupancies"

Chapter 5 covers special occupancy areas. These are areas where sparks generated by electrical
equipment may cause a fire or an explosion. The hazard may be due to the area's atmosphere or perhaps
the presence of volatile material in the area. Commercial garages, aircraft hangers, and service stations
are typical special occupancy locations. Chapter 5 also covers residential storage garages, bulk storage
plants, health care facilities, and mobile homes and parks. Articles 500 and 501 cover the different types
of special occupancy atmospheres in which an explosion is possible. The different types of atmospheres
are divided into groups in order to make it easy to test and approve equipment for various uses in specific
atmospheres. Articles 501-4, 502-4, and 503-4 cover the installation of explosion-proof wiring. An
explosion-proof system is designed to prevent the ignition of a surrounding explosive atmosphere when
arcing occurs within the electrical system.

There are three main categories of special occupancy locations:

 Class I (Article 501): Areas containing flammable gases or vapors in the air. Class I areas include
paint spray booths, dyeing plants where hazardous liquids are used, and gas generator rooms.

 Class II (Article 502): Areas where combustible dust is present, such as grain handling and storage
plants, dust and stock collector areas, and sugar pulverizing plants. These are areas where, under
normal operating conditions, there may be enough combustible dust in the air to produce explosive
or ignitable mixtures.

 Class III (Article 503): Areas that are hazardous because of the presence of easily ignitable fibers
or other materials in the air, although not in large enough quantity to produce ignitable mixtures.
Class III locations include cotton mills, rayon mills, and clothing manufacturing plants.

Articles 511 and 514 provide rules for garages and similar locations in which volatile or flammable liquids
are used. While these areas are not always considered critically hazardous locations, there may be enough
danger to require special precautions when an electrical system is being installed or maintained. In these
areas, the NEC requires that volatile gases be confined to an area not more than four feet above the floor.
In most cases, conventional raceway systems are permitted above this level, although if an area is judged
to be critically hazardous, explosion-proof wiring may be required. Article 520 provides rules for theaters
and similar occupancies in which fire and panic can result in hazards to life and property. Drive-in theaters
do not present the same hazards as enclosed auditoriums, but the projection rooms and adjacent areas
must be properly ventilated and wired for the protection of operating personnel and others using the area.

CHAPTER 6 - "Special Equipment"

Chapter 6 contains information of particular importance to commercial and industrial workers. For
example, Article 600 covers electric signs and outline lighting, and Article 610 applies to cranes and
hoists. Article 620 covers the majority of the electrical work involved in the installation and operation of
elevators, dumbwaiters, escalators, and moving sidewalks. Article 630 covers electric welding equipment.
This equipment is normally treated as a piece of industrial power equipment requiring a special outlet.
However, there are special conditions that apply to the circuits supplying the equipment. Article 640
covers wiring for sound-recording and similar equipment. This type of equipment usually requires low-
voltage wiring. Special outlets or cabinets are usually provided with the equipment. However, some items
may be mounted in or on standard outlet boxes. Some sound-recording electrical systems require direct
current supplied from rectifying equipment, batteries, or motor generators. Low-voltage alternating
current is provided by relatively small transformers connected on the primary side to a 120-volt circuit
within the building. Other items covered in Chapter 6 include X-ray equipment (Article 660), induction and
dielectric heat-generating equipment (Article 665), and machine tools (Article 670).

CHAPTER 7 - "Special Conditions"

Chapter 7 of the NEC covers the installation of emergency lighting systems. These circuits should be
arranged so that they can automatically transfer to an alternate source of current, usually storage
batteries or gasoline-driven generators. In most commercial buildings, the NEC and local ordinances
require a means of lighting public rooms, halls, stairways, and entrances. There must be enough light to
allow occupants to exit from the building if the general building lighting is interrupted. Exit doors must be
clearly indicated by illuminated exit signs. Chapter 7 also covers a variety of other equipment, systems,
and conditions that are easily categorized elsewhere in the NEC.

CHAPTER 8 - "Communications Systems"

Chapter 8 is a special chapter that covers wiring associated with electronic communications systems,
including:

 Telephone systems

 Telegraph systems

 Radio and TV

 Fire and burglar alarms

 Community antenna systems

4:­ Examples –
This part focuses on examples of how the NEC can be used. The first example concerns the installation of
Type SE, or service entrance, cable on the side of a home. The cable must be secured, and information on
how much spacing should be left between cable clamps can be found in the NEC. One way to find the
information in the NEC is to start by looking in the table of contents and then following down the list to an
appropriate category. In this case, the information is in Article 230 under Chapter 2. The table of contents
indicates the page on which Article 230 begins. The next step is to look down the different section
numbers under the article to find Section 230-51 - "Mounting Supports." In Section 230-51 is paragraph
(a), which is entitled "Service-Entrance Cables." This paragraph states that service-entrance cables shall
be supported by straps or other approved means within 12 inches of every service head, gooseneck, or
connection to a raceway or enclosure and at intervals not exceeding 30 inches. So, a cable strap is
required within 12 inches of the service head and within 12 inches of the meter base. The cable must be
secured in between these two termination points at intervals not exceeding 30 inches.

Another example concerns the installation of track lighting in a residential building. The owners want the
track located behind the curtain of their sliding glass patio doors, but this cannot be done if it is a violation
of the NEC. According to the NEC table of contents, Chapter 4, "Equipment for General Use," should cover
track lighting. The article that fits the specific category for this example is Article 410, which covers
lighting fixtures. The next step is to locate the section within Article 410 that deals with the specific
application. In this case, that is Part "R," which deals with track lighting. After turning to the indicated
page, it is helpful to read Section 410-100, "Definition," to become familiar with track lighting. Farther
down the page is Section 410-101, which is entitled "Installation." In paragraph (c) are listed the locations
where track lighting shall not be installed.

These locations are as follows:

 Where subject to physical damage

 In wet or damp locations

  Where subject to corrosive vapors

 In battery storage rooms

 In hazardous locations

 Where concealed

 Where extended through walls or partitions

 Less than five feet above the finished floor, except where protected from physical damage or when
the track is operating at less than 30 volts RMS open circuit voltage

In the example, installing the track lighting behind the curtain could violate the sixth condition, which says
that track lighting shall not be installed where concealed. To find out if the installation could be a violation,
it is necessary to check further. Specifically, the next step is to find out how the NEC defines the term
"concealed." Definitions are contained in Article 100 of the NEC. The definition of "concealed" reads, in
part, as follows: "Concealed-Rendered inaccessible by the structure or finish of the building." The track
lighting in the example may be out of sight if the curtain is drawn, but it will still be readily accessible for
maintenance. Therefore, the track lighting is really not concealed according to the NEC, and it can be
installed as requested.

When the NEC is used to check electrical installation requirements, it is nearly always necessary to refer to
more than one section. Sometimes the NEC will refer the user to other articles or sections. In other cases,
the user must be familiar enough with the NEC to know what other sections pertain to the installation at
hand. Time and experience in using the NEC will make this type of situation easier to deal with.