A Word from Jake – Page 5 – Jake Leahy's Electrical Code Connection

Renewing your Palm Beach County License

Post author:Jake
Post published:July 11, 2021
Post category:News

I have had several calls from contractors looking for Continuing Education classes. If you have a Palm Beach County license and are renewing your PBC license send them your CEU’s from last two years (2019 and 2020) that you got for the state renewal last year. The State of Florida does not have a renewal this year its next year 2022. We will be back in class giving CEU classes this December. If you renew with the State next year you are ONLY REQUIRED to get 11 hours if you have an EC or ER license, and 7 hours for all other specialty licenses for the State. One of the problems with this new requirement is the State only wants 11 or 7 hours, but Palm beach County still wants 14 hours. So in order to renew in PBC you will have to get extra hours not required by the State.

So starting in December we will be offering the 11 hrs. required by the State plus the other 3 required by Palm Beach County if you need them.

Below is the list of “STATE” required hours for our trade as of July 1, 2020.

Effective July 1, 2020 a licensee must complete the following continuing education prior to renewal:

Certified Electrical Contractors (EC) = 11 hours of Continuing Education
1 hour workers’ compensation
1 hour workplace safety
1 hour business practices
1 hour Florida Laws & Rules
7 hours of Technical to include – 1 hour Florida Building Code advanced module course and 2 hours false alarm prevention for all certified electrical contractors who perform alarm work

Registered Electrical Contractors (ER) = 11 hours of Continuing Education
1 hour workers’ compensation
1 hour workplace safety
1 hour business practices
1 hour Florida Laws & Rules
7 hours of Technical to include – 1 hour Florida Building Code advanced module course

Certified and Registered Alarm Contractors = 7 hours of Continuing Education
1 hour workers’ compensation
1 hour workplace safety
1 hour business practices
1 hour Florida Laws & Rules
2 hours false alarm prevention
1 hours of Technical to include – 1 hour Florida Building Code advanced module course

Certified and Registered Specialty Contractors = 7 hours of Continuing Education
1 hour workers’ compensation
1 hour workplace safety
1 hour business practices
1 hour Florida Laws & Rules
1 hours of Technical to include – 1 hour Florida Building Code advanced module course
2 hours general credit

Confused by all this email me (jlecceamil@hotmail.com) or Text me at (561-596-7347) I will try to help you if needed.

Till next time be safe work safe.

Jake

406.12 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles. 2017 Code Change

Post author:Jake
Post published:June 27, 2021
Post category:Code Change of the Week

This weeks change is on “Tamper resistant receptacles” for the additional areas and types of outlets where they will be required. In doing plan review I have failed more plans for this than I can count, and that is because its new. We’ve added additional places and types of outlets that require being this type of protection. After all our Code is a guide to the practical safeguarding of persons and property from the hazards arising from the use of electricity. Children shouldn’t have to be hurt or die from these hazards for us to make simple corrections for a safer environment.

They’ve added more commercial areas that are to be covered by tamper resistant outlets, and they added 250 volt outlets to the section also. It only makes sense to include ,ore areas out there that children are exposed to. When they first put this section in the Code back in the 90’s I wondered “Why did this take so long” because more children were hurt by sticking objects into outlets and being shocked, burned or possibly killed because we didn’t address the problems we had. The simple solution is that they should all be tamper resistant, but for right now the list grows for areas covered which is a step in the right direction. The addition of 250 volt outlets in the 2017 Code is also long over due even though most accidents are from regular duplex receptacles that are installed everywhere.

Till next time be safe work safe

Jake

406.5 Receptacle Mounting 2017 Code Change

Post author:Jake
Post published:May 16, 2021
Post category:Code Change of the Week

This weeks post is more of a clarification than a change. In the 2014 Code it was added that a receptacle mounted in a faceup position in a counter top had to be listed. Well all receptacles have to be listed. So an assembly that is listed for faceup position also has to be listed for work surfaces and countertop applications

This week I was sent some specs on a new tandem breaker (arc fault). See the link below.

https://www.downloads.siemens.com/download-center/Download.aspx?pos=download&fct=getasset&id1=BTLV_70495

Till next time be safe work safe.

Jake

406.3 Receptacle Rating and Type. (F) Receptacle with USB Charger. 2017 Code Change

Post author:Jake
Post published:May 1, 2021
Post category:Code Change of the Week

The change to this section is the fact that they have to be listed and the Class 2 circuitry is integral with the outlet. There are plenty out there that are not listed so don’t get caught without a listed product.

Can’t see the whole slide just click on it.

Till next time be safe work safe

Jake

2017 Code Change 406.3 Receptacle Rating and Type. (E) Controlled Receptacle Marking

Post author:Jake
Post published:April 18, 2021
Post category:Code Change of the Week

This new requirement was added in the 2017 NEC. All it did was add the word “controlled” to the outlet face. This way you know that the outlet is switched or controlled by some other means. A lot of people did not know what the symbol meant, so this should help. This section does not apply to outlets that are switched in lieu of having a lighting outlet in the ceiling per 210.70(A)(1) Exception #1 of the 2017 NEC..

The 2020 Edition of the FBC Energy Conservation Code 7th Edition exempts having to install controlled outlets per section C401.2 states, That Commercial buildings shall comply with one of the following: in #1. The requirements of ANSI/ASHRAE/IESNA 90.1, excluding section 9.4.1.1(g), section 8.4.2 and section 8.4.3 of the standard. Section 8.4.2 was the section that required at least 50% of the outlets be controlled. So if it is on the plan you will need to put them in, and if not on the plan they will not be required by FBC. Hope this helps because I have already been contacted by several contractors stating that the inspector is requiring the controlled outlets. Let him/her know that this section has been removed from the FBC Energy Conservation requirements.

Can’t see the whole picture just click on it!

Till the next time be safe work safe.

Jake

CODE CHANGES 2017 404.22 Electronic Lighting Control Switches

Post author:Jake
Post published:April 3, 2021
Post category:Uncategorized

First I want to say its good to be back on my website, and I wanted to thank Aaron my son, for getting us back on track. We had a few technical difficulties that he was able to work through and get us back online.

We will continue where we left off on the Code change series that we were working through. So let’s get back to work.

A new requirement has been added to the Code for electronic switches. In the past we didn’t always supply a neutral (grounded conductor) to a switching point in our wiring systems. Per this new requirement a neutral shall be be added or capable of being added to a switch point so we can connect these new electronic switching devices. We are no longer allowed on new installations to connect the neutral of one of the devices to the grounding conductor because we didn’t have a neutral installed. On existing installations the exception to 404.2(c) covers how to handle our existing installations.

Can’t see the whole picture just click on it.

Till next time be safe work safe.

Jake

PS. We are also working on getting back into the classroom sometime in the near future.

New stock item LB disconnect.

Post author:Jake
Post published:January 4, 2021
Post category:News
Post comments:0 Comments

Till next time be safe work safe

Jake

Needs Help

Post author:Jake
Post published:December 29, 2020
Post category:News
Post comments:0 Comments

My bosses daughter lives in Orlando and is in need of a good electrician. Does anyone know someone up there, she lives in Hunter’s Creek. Let me know.

Be safe.

Jake

“NEW” CODE goes into effect 12/31/2020

Post author:Jake
Post published:December 27, 2020
Post category:News
Post comments:0 Comments

Are you ready for the changes? Starting on 12/31/2020 the “2017 NEC” goes into effect.

12/31/2020 2017 NEC ADOPTED by the

FLORIDA BUILDING COMMISION!!!

New changes go into effect on 12/31/2020 any permit submitted on or after 12/31/2020 will be governed by the 2017 NEC. I haven’t quite finished going through all the changes that I thought would affect us hear down in So Florida, but you can go back and review all the ones we have posted up until now. So stay tuned for future Code Changes that could have an effect on your business ($$$). We will start up again next week with more 2017 code changes. Don’t get caught with your Code knowledge down, buy a code book look it over check out the changes be aware of what’s happening in our trade, put down your 2008, 2011, 2014 code books. This is 2020 we are using the 2017 NEC.

On a sad note my mother in-law passed away this week at 97, Dorothy Ida Sordillo you will be missed. It was Ida and her husband Joe who gave Darlene and myself a place to stay down here in Florida. I thank them for giving us a new start in a new land. Joe passed away just a few months after we moved here in 1976, and if not for Ida we would have never made it down here. Ida would come and stay with us from time to time and I would listen to her tell all these stories about her family and Joe’s family. I will miss her and her stories. Thanks for the stories and all your help through the years.

Till next time

Be safe work safe.

Jake