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Electrical Construction and Maintenance

Mike Holt, NEC Consultant

Fri, 2012-08-17 15:29

All questions and answers are based on the 2011 NEC.

Q. What is the Code rule regarding enclosures that contain splices, taps, and feed-through
conductors?
A. Cabinets, cutout boxes, and meter socket enclosures can be used for conductors as feeding through, spliced,
or tapping off to other enclosures, switches, orovercurrentdevices where all of the following conditions are
met[312.8]:
The total area of the conductors at any cross section doesnt exceed 40% of the cross-sectional area of
the space [312.8(A)].
The total area of conductors, splices, and taps installed at any cross section doesnt exceed 75% of the
cross-sectional area of that space [312.8(B)].
A warning label on the enclosure identifies the disconnecting means for feed-through conductors
[312.8(C)], as shown in Fig. 1.
Q. What is the rule on having a neutral conductor at light switch locations?
A. Switches controlling line-to-neutral lighting loads must have a neutral provided at the switch location
[404.2(C)].
Exception: The neutral conductor isnt required at the switch location if:
1. The conductors for switches enter the device box through a raceway that has sufficient cross-sectional
area to accommodate a neutral conductor.
2. Cable assemblies for switches enter the box through a framing cavity thats open at the top or bottom on
the same floor level, or switches enter the box through a wall, floor, or ceiling thats unfinished on one
side.
Note: The purpose of the neutral conductor is to complete a circuit path for electronic lighting control devices.
Q. Where are tamper-resistant receptacles required?
A. Allnonlockingtype 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in the following areas of a dwelling unit [210.52] must be
listed as tamper-resistant [406.12].
Wall space 210.52(A)
Small-appliance circuit 210.52(B)

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Countertop space 210.52(C)

Bathroom area 210.52(D)
Outdoors 210.52(E)
Laundry area 210.52(F)
Garage and outbuildings 210.52(G)
Hallways 210.52(H)
Exception: Receptacles in the following locations arent required to be tamper-resistant:
1. Receptacles located more than 5 ft above the floor.
2. Receptacles that are part of aluminaireor appliance.
3. A receptacle located within dedicated space for an appliance that in normal use isnt easily moved from
one place to another.
4. Nongroundingreceptacles used for replacements as permitted in 406.4(D)(2)(a).
Nonlockingtype 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in guest rooms and guest suites must be listed as tamperresistant [406.13]. In addition,nonlockingtype 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles in child care facilities must be
listed as tamper-resistant [406.14].
Q. What are the NEC rules for securing and supporting raceways?
A. Raceways, cable assemblies, boxes, cabinets, and fittings must be securely fastened in place. The ceilingsupport wires or ceiling grid must not be used to support raceways and cables (power, signaling, or
communications). However, independent support wires that are secured at both ends and provide secure
support are permitted [300.11(A)].
Outlet boxes [314.23(D)] andluminairescan be secured to the suspended-ceiling grid if securely fastened to the
ceiling-framing members by mechanical means such as bolts, screws, or rivets, or by the use of clips or other
securing means identified for use with the type of ceiling-framing member(s) used [410.36(B)].
Electrical wiring within the cavity of a fire-rated floor-ceiling or roof-ceiling assembly can be supported by
independent support wires attached to the ceiling assembly. The independent support wires must be
distinguishable from the suspended-ceiling support wires by color, tagging, or other effective means
[300.11(A)(1)].
Wiring in anonfire-rated floor-ceiling or roof-ceiling assembly can be supported by independent support wires
attached to the ceiling assembly. The independent support wires must be distinguishable from the suspendedceiling support wires by color, tagging, or other effective means [300.11(A)(2)].
Raceways must not be used as a means of support for other raceways, cables, or nonelectrical equipment, except
[300.11(B)]:
If the raceway or means of support is identified for the purpose [300.11(B)(1)].
Class 2 and 3 cable can be supported by the raceway that supplies power to the equipment controlled by
the Class 2 or 3 circuit [300.11(B)(2)].
Raceways are permitted as a means of support for threaded boxes and conduit bodies in accordance
with 314.23(E) and (F), or to supportluminairesin accordance with 410.36(E) [300.11(B)(3)].
Q. Can you explain how to size 90C conductors terminating on 75C rated equipment?
A. Conductors are to be sized using theirampacityfrom the insulation temperature rating column of Table
310.15(B)(16) that corresponds to the lowest temperature rating of any terminal, device, or conductor of the

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circuit [110.14(C)]. Unless the equipment is listed and marked otherwise, conductor sizing for equipment
terminations must be based on Table 310.15(B)(16) in accordance with (a) or (b):
(a) Equipment Rated 100A or Less [110.14(C)(1)(a)].
Conductors must be sized using the 60C temperature column of Table 310.15(B)(16) [110.14(C)
(1)(a)(1)].
Conductors terminating on terminals rated 75C are sized in accordance with theampacitieslisted in the
75C temperature column of Table 310.15(B)(16) [110.14(C)(1)(a)(3)], as shown in Fig. 2.
(b) Equipment Rated Over 100A.
Conductors must be sized using the 75C temperature column of Table 310.15(B)(16) [110.14(C)
(1)(b)(1)].
Separate connector provisions. Conductors can be sized to the 90C column of Table 310.15(B)(16) if
the conductors and pressure connectors are rated at least 90C [110.14(C)(1)(b)(2)].
Q. What are the installation requirements for equipment disconnecting means?
A. Switches and circuit breakers used as switches must be capable of being operated from a readily accessible
location. They must also be installed so the center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit
breaker, when in its highest position, isnt more than 6 ft,7in. above the floor or working platform [240.24(A)
and 404.8(A)].
The disconnecting means for a mobile home must be installed so the bottom of the enclosure isnt less than 2 ft
above the finished grade or working platform [550.32(F)].
Exception No. 1: Onbusways, fusible switches and circuit breakers can be located at the same level as
thebuswaywhere suitable means is provided to operate the handle of the device from the floor.
Exception No. 2: Switches and circuit breakers used as switches can be mounted above 6 ft - 7 in. if theyre next
to the equipment they supply, and are accessible by portable means [240.24(A)(4)].
Q. What are the grounding requirements for a building supplied by a feeder?
A. Each building/structures disconnect must be connected to an electrode of a type identified in 250.52
[250.32(A)]. The grounding of the building/structure disconnecting means to the earth is intended to help in
limiting induced voltages on the metal parts from nearby lightning strikes [250.4(A)(1)].
The Code prohibits the use of the earth to serve as an effective ground-fault current path [250.4(A)(5) and
250.4(B)(4)].
Exception: A grounding electrode isnt required where the building/structure is served with a 2-wire, 3-wire, or
4-wiremultiwirebranch circuit.
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