Preface

This handbook contains the 50th edition of the National Electrical Code. Nearly 109 years have passed since those cold days of March 1819, 1896, when a group of 23 persons representing a wide variety of organizations met at the headquarters of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in New York City. Their purpose was to develop a national code of rules for electrical construction and operation. (It is interesting to note that this meeting took place a mere 17 years after the invention of the incandescent light bulb.) This attempt was not the first to establish consistent rules for electrical installations, but it was the first national effort. The number of electrical fires was increasing, and the need for standardization was becoming urgent. By 1881, one insurer had reported electrical fires in 65 textile mills in New England. The major problem was the lack of an authoritative, nationwide electrical installation standard. As one of the early participants noted, We were without standards and inspectors, while manufacturers were without experience and knowledge of real installation needs. The workmen frequently created the standards as they worked, and rarely did two men think and work alike. By 1895, five electrical installation codes had come into use in the United States, causing considerable controversy and confusion. The manufacture of products that met the requirements of all five codes was difficult, so something had to be done to develop a single, national code. The committee that met in 1896 recognized that the five existing codes should be used collectively as the basis for the new code. In the first known instance of international harmonization, the group also referred to the German code, the code of the British Board of Trade, and the Phoenix Rules of England. The importance of industry consensus was immediately recognized; before the committee met again in 1897, the new code was reviewed by 1200 individuals in the United States and Europe. Shortly thereafter, the first standardized U.S. electrical code, the National Electrical Code, was published. The National Electrical Code has become the most widely adopted code in the United States. It is the installation code used in all 50 states and all U.S. territories. Moreover, it has grown well beyond the borders of the United States and is now used in numerous other countries. Because the Code is a living document, constantly changing to reflect changes in technology, its use continues to grow. Some things have not changed. The National Electrical Code continues to offer an open-consensus process. Anyone can submit a proposal for change or a public comment, and all proposals and comments are subject to a rigorous public review process. The NEC still provides the best technical information, ensuring the practical safeguarding of persons and property from the hazards arising from the use of electricity. Throughout its history, the National Electrical Code Committee has been guided by giants in the electrical industry. The names are too numerous to mention. Certainly the first chairman, William J. Hammer, should be applauded for providing the leadership necessary to get the Code started. More recently, the Code has been chaired by outstanding leaders such as Richard L. Loyd, Richard W. Osborne, Richard G. Biermann, D. Harold Ware, and James W. Carpenter. Each of these men has devoted many years to the National Electrical Code Committee. The editors wish to note the passing of some long-term committee members who made numerous contributions to the National Electrical Code: Anthony Montourri, CMP 9; Leland J. Hall, former chair of CMP 14; and James N. Pearse, CMP 20 and CMP 17. ix
Copyright National Fire Protection Association Provided by IHS under license with NFPA Document provided by IHS Licensee=ExxonMobil/1890500101, 05/06/2005 00:47:43 MDT Questions or comments about this message: please call the Document Policy Group at 303-397-2295.
--``,,`````,`,```,,,`,,```,`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---

Preface

The editors have conferred closely with members of the National Electrical Code Committee in developing the revisions incorporated into the 2005 edition of the Code. The assistance and cooperation of code-making panel chairs and various committee members are herein gratefully acknowledged. This edition of the NEC Handbook would not have been possible without the invaluable technical assistance of Kenneth G. Mastrullo, Senior Electrical Specialist; Lee F. Richardson, Senior Electrical Engineer; Richard J. Roux, Senior Electrical Specialist; and Donald W. Shields, Senior Electrical Specialist. Their contributions are greatly appreciated. The editors acknowledge with thanks the manufacturers and their representatives who generously supplied photographs, drawings, and data upon request. Special thanks also to the editors of and contributors to past editions. Their work provided an excellent foundation on which to build. The editors express special thanks to Joyce Grandy for her long hours and extraordinary effort in attending to all of the editorial details that we technical types often overlook. Special thanks are also due to Sylvia Dovner, an outstanding manager who kept this project on track. Without the efforts of Joyce and Sylvia, this new and improved edition of the NEC Handbook would not have been possible. We also wish to thank the electrical support staff: Carol Henderson, Mary WarrenPilson, and Kathleen Stevens, along with their leader, Jean OConnor, for their support on this project. The editors express their sincere appreciation to Richard Berman, Philip H. Cox, Allan Manche, Brian Phelan, David Kendall, Lori Tennant, Ray C. Mullin, James Pauley, Vincent Saporita, Peter J. Schram, and John C. Wiles for special help on specific articles. We also wish to thank Mr. Schram for his work on developing the summaries of Code changes. Finally, we also thank the following for contributing photos and graphics for this edition:
3M Co., Electrical Markets Division AFC Cable Systems, Inc. Agfa Corporation Ajax Tocco Magnethermic, Park Ohio Industries Alcoa Inc. Allied Tube & Conduit, a Tyco International Co. American Society of Mechanical Engineers Appleton Electric Co., EGS Electrical Group Bose Corp. Bussmann Division, Cooper Industries Cable Tray Institute Carlon, Lamson & Sessions Caterpillar Inc. Colortran, Inc. Cooper Crouse-Hinds Daniel Woodhead Co. Dranetz-BMI Dual-Lite, Inc. Electronic Theatre Controls, Inc. Fire Control Instruments Fluke Corp. Ford Motor Co. General Electric Co. H. H. Robertson Floor Systems Hubbell, Inc. Hubbell Inc., Kellems Division Hubbell RACO International Association of Electrical Inspectors/ Michael Johnston, Director of Education Kieffer and Company, Inc./ Stephen Kieffer, Chairman & CEO Kliegl Bros. L. E. Mason Co. Lithonia Lighting, Reloc Wiring Systems MPHusky Corp. NAPCO Security Systems, Inc. National Electrical Manufacturers Association O-Z./Gedney, a division of EGS Electrical Group Pass & Seymour/Legrand Production Arts Lighting, Inc. and Production Resource Group, L.L.C. Pyrotenax Cables, Ltd. Radyne Corp. Reading Municipal Light Department RKL Lighting Company Rockbestos-Suprenant Cable Corp. S&C Electric Co. Schneider Electric SA Smart House Solar Design Associates, Inc. Southwest Technology Development Institute/ John Wiles, Program Manager Square D Co. State of New Hampshire Electricians Board/Chief Inspector Mark Hilbert Strayfield Ltd. Texas Instruments Thermatool Corp. Thomas & Betts Corp. Tyco Electronics Corp. Underwriters Laboratories Inc. Uniloy Milacron USA Inc. Union Connector Co., Inc. Walker Systems, a Wiremold Co. The Wiremold Co.

2005 National Electrical Code Handbook

Copyright National Fire Protection Association Provided by IHS under license with NFPA Document provided by IHS Licensee=ExxonMobil/1890500101, 05/06/2005 00:47:43 MDT Questions or comments about this message: please call the Document Policy Group at 303-397-2295.

--``,,`````,`,```,,,`,,```,`,-`-`,,`,,`,`,,`---