This section added the words “WORK SURFACE” to the places that count as counter spaces. Kitchens, pantries, dining rooms, and the catch all “similar areas” are now where these outlets will be required to be installed in work surfaces.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
New to this section is the addition of AFCI’s in guest rooms and guest suites of hotels and motels. Just as we did with tamper resistant outlets we have added this protection to guest rooms and and guests suites of hotels and motels. No much to add, this is a pretty straight forward addition to the expansion of the AFCI’s.
Also this week I was sent a picture of a new in the wall splitter for wiring fixtures in Bathrooms. Enjoy!
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
This is a new section added a mandate that we install a dedicated 20a circuit in the garage for receptacle outlets, when the garage has power installed. So the outlets installed in the garage can be on this circuit, and it goes on to say in the section that it shall have no other outlets. So it can not feed outlets in other rooms only outlets in the garage. They added an exception to allow outdoor receptacle outlets that are readily accessible to be installed on this circuit. In 210.52(G)(1) it requires that an outlet be installed for each vehicle bay, which would allow them to be installed on this circuit.
Can’t see the whole picture just click on it.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
A couple of new additions to GFCI protection come to us in the 2017 NEC. In the residential portion of this section in 210.8(A)(5) they added unfinished portions or areas of a basement not intended as habitable space. So your man cave in the basement would not be required to be protected by GFCI protection. Also in the commercial/industrial portion of 210.8(B)(9), and (10) they included the same areas for basements and added crawl spaces to the protected areas. Then in 210.8(E) in all occupancies they added the 120 volt lighting in crawl spaces to the areas that need GFCI protection. So a few new addition to the list of GFCI protection for the protection of personnel.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
This weeks change is one of the new GFCI requirements in the 2017 NEC.
210.8(B) Other Than Dwelling Units. All single-phase receptacles rated 150 volts to ground or less, 50 amperes or less and three phase receptacles rated 150 volts to ground or less, 100 amperes or less installed in the following locations shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.
The added requirements now apply to single phase receptacle outlets that are 150 volts to ground or less including 240 volt ones 50 amperes or less, and three phase receptacle outlets 150 volts or less to ground and up to and including 100 amperes or less. That are installed in the areas listed in 210.8 (B) (1 through 10). Those locations include, bathrooms, kitchens, rooftops, outdoors, within 6’ of sinks, indoor wet locations, locker rooms with showering, garage and service bays, crawl spaces at or below grade, and unfinished portions or areas of basements not as habitable rooms with a few exceptions.
So this is a big change and it will cause some problems when it goes into effect for the people who don’t know about this change. 240 volt receptacle outlets are now included in these requirements. Which will include numerous outlets installed in commercial kitchens and other areas in this section.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
Under the 2017 NEC Code the garbage disposal is not required to be GFCI protected, unless there is no door on the kitchen cabinet. We have fought about the disposal for the last couple of years until the 2017 made its appearance and stated that the cord could not go through a door to be used for the measurement for GFCI protection. Again this is what is stated in the 2017 NEC. When we do accept the 2020 NEC in a few years this will go away and the disposal will be required to be GFCI and AFCI protected, but we are only adopting the 2017 NEC at the end of this year, so by Florida Building Code we can only enforce the 2017 NEC.
Can you protect the disposal with GFCI protection? Yes you can because our NEC Code is a minimum standard and you can always have a better installation.
I’ve been asked about the dishwasher protection and “YES” the dishwasher is required to be both GFCI and AFCI protected because of changes to the 2014 NEC which addresses dishwashers. 210.8(D) was added for GFCI protection and 210.12(A) was changed and “KITCHEN” outlets were added to the list of AFCI protected outlets, but that was in the 2014 Code.
As stated above the 2020 NEC will change all this GFCI protection including the addition of 240 volt outlets.
Can’t see the whole picture just click on it.
Till the next time be safe work safe
Jake
This exception states that when adding a different voltage system that “ONLY” the new system needs to be identified. It goes on to tell us that we need to label the panel boards with the words “OTHER UNIDENTIFIED SYSTEMS EXIST ON THE PREMISES.” Back before the 2005 Code went into effect the identification of branch circuits was not a requirement. This is a good change because at what expense would it take to re-identify an old wiring system in a building, just think about it.
So now we have back up that makes sense and having it in print is a good thing.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
This was formerly located in section 424.66, and now located in 110.26 with all the clearance requirements. This section applies to VAV boxes, duct heaters, and other ventilation equipment installed above a drop ceiling. This area above the ceiling is usually limited and workers are standing on ladders while performing maintenance. It states in (d) that the cross members are allowed in this working space but you still have to maintain the working clearances for the safety of the workers.
Can’t see the whole picture just click on it.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
This new section gives us some guidance on reconditioned equipment. It states that the equipment needs to be marked “RECONDITIONED” and the organization responsible for the equipment shall have its name marked on the equipment along with other identifying information. This will not apply to “used” equipment because its just “used” and not reconditioned. I have seen used equipment being sold as reconditioned, but just because we wiped it down with WD-40 or maybe painted it does not make it reconditioned.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
New to the Code for 2017 is a section on the torque connections for terminating conductors on a device or equipment.. Yes devices! Switches, receptacles, breakers and the like will now be required to be torqued to the devices or equipment’s torqueing value, unless the manufactures has instructions for an alternate means. So you either have a “calibrated” torqueing tool or an alternate means to terminate the conductors. In the picture below it shows a receptacle that now has a tail to make up the joints to the device instead of screws (an alternate means), no torqueing required. You make up the joints and it then clips in to the device. So look at your devices and see what the values are for that particular device and torque away, or purchase the alternative means.
As with all the changes they won’t be in effect until December 31st 2020.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
