It has been brought to my attention that FPL is now enforcing a requirement that no bare conductors are allowed inside the meter can. This is noted in their standards under Section VIII, in the final note of that section.
Several installers have mentioned that FPL has accepted heat‑shrink tubing over the bare grounding electrode conductor as an acceptable method of compliance.
Hope this helps.
Be safe, work safe.
Jake
We have been getting a lot of calls for Continuing Education we are going to hold classes this year, but not until the end of this year. Palm Beach County renews its licenses this year, whereas the State of Florida doesn’t until next year. We are scheduling classes for November and December of this year, as well as a few months next year (MAY,JUNE). If you are renewing your license for Palm Beach County, send them your continuing education certificates that you have obtained over the last two years. Any CEU’s you received between October 1st of 2023 and September 30th of 2025 apply to this cycle. I would check with the county to see if you are required to upload certificates into your portal. I’m not sure, but I think it is only for county-licensed contractors ER’s, not state-certified EC’s. So if you are an ER, then you need to update your continuing education to renew your license by September 30, 2025..
Palm Beach County can be reached at 561-233-5525 for information on continuing education.. When calling the county or state, always ask for the person’s name when receiving information and keep it for a reference.
If you got questions please give me a call 561-596-7347.
PICTURE OF THE WEEK
What you are looking at is a screw from a shelf the went through a piece of MC cable and into a water pipe. Took several months for this to catch fire. An Arc Fault breaker would have prevented this and kept the business open.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
Just a quick note, I’ve been getting calls from a few contractors stating that the inspector is requiring GFCI protection on a residential AC compressor. This requirement will not take effect until September 1, 2026.
210.8(F) Outdoor Outlets.
For dwellings, all outdoor outlets, other than those covered in 210.8(A), Exception No. 1, including outlets installed in the following locations, and supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground, 50 amperes or less, shall be provided with GFCI protection:
(1) Garages that have floors located at or below grade level
(2) Accessory buildings
(3) Boathouses
If equipment supplied by an outlet covered under the requirements of this section is replaced, the outlet shall be provided with GFCI protection.
Exception No. 1: GFCI protection shall not be required on lighting outlets other than those covered in 210.8(C).
Exception No. 2: GFCI protection for listed HVAC equipment is not required. This exception shall expire September 1, 2026.
GFCI PROTECTION IS NOT REQUIRED FOR AIR CONDITIONERS UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, 2026
Thanks, and be safe.
Jake
We have been getting a lot of calls about continuing education. We are planning a few classes in December, May, and June. Palm Beach County is coming up this August for renewal. All you need to do is send in the continuing education you received in the last two years to renew.
Coming up for Continuing Education.
2023 GFCI protection
2023 Code changes
2020 Plan review failures
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
I get calls all the time about which Code edition we are using. The 2020 NEC is what has been adopted since 12.31.23. The confusion comes from the edition of the Florida Building Code that is in use at this time the 2023 Edition. At this time, the 2023 Florida Building Code adopts the 2020 NEC, which is confusing to many who deal with the Codes.
I got a couple of calls this week from contractors who have been cited for a violation from the 2023 NEC, which will not be in effect until 12.31.26, unless something pushes it up, but don’t look for that to happen. We are behind in the editions we use due to the Florida Building commission who regulates which Codes we use. So from now until December 31 of 2026 we will use the 2020 National Electrical Code.
2020 National Electrical Code now until 12.31.26.
Until next time be safe work safe.
Jake
Thanks goes out to Tommy for the great picture of a generator hookup, among other things.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
This section is often mis-understood when making the measurement or just understanding the requirements of the section to meet the requirements for outlet spacing in a residential home. I hear people says walls 1’ (12’”) or more need outlets, but that is for countertops in kitchen and similar work surfaces covered in section 210.52(C)(1). In the picture below we have several French doors separated by wall space less than 2’ in width. This section does not require us to install outlets in these wall areas. As stated in the section walls less 2’ (24”) or more need to have receptacle outlets installed. If the space is less than 24” then outlets need not be installed.
210.52(A)(2)(1) Wall Space.
As used in this section, a wall space shall include the following:
(1) Any space 600 mm (2 ft) or more in width (including space measured around corners) and unbroken along the floor line by doorways and similar openings, fireplaces, and fixed cabinets that do not have countertops or similar work surfaces
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
Sizing of Service and/or Feeder Conductors for a dwelling unit PER SECTION 310.15(B)(7) see Example D7 in ANNEX D in the back of the Code book.
Service conductors and feeders for certain dwellings are permitted to be sized in accordance with 310.15(B)(7).
If a 200-ampere service is required, to select the service conductor size is as follows:
200 amperes (the size of required main) × 0.83 = 166 amperes per 310.15(B)(7). (THIS IS THE 83% RULE)
If no other adjustments or corrections are required for the installation, then, in accordance with Table 310.15(B)(16), a 2/0 AWG Cu which is good for 175 amperes or a 4/0 AWG Al which is good for 180 amperes will meet this rating at 75°C (167°F).
The following is the section from the 2017 Code book.
310.15(B)(7) Single-Phase Dwelling Services and Feeders.
For one-family dwellings and the individual dwelling units of two-family and multifamily dwellings, service and feeder conductors supplied by a single-phase, 120/240-volt system shall be permitted to be sized in accordance with 310.15(B)(7)(1) through (4).
As you can see this section it is for “one and two family dwellings, and multifamily dwellings”that use 120/240 voltages for services and/or feeders. In this section a reduced neutral is allowed.
For one-family dwellings and the individual dwelling units of two-family and multifamily dwellings, single-phase feeder conductors consisting of 2 ungrounded conductors and the neutral conductor from a 208Y/120 volt system shall be permitted to be sized in accordance with 310.15(B)(7)(1) through (3).
In this section we can use it for the same types of units, but the voltage is 208Y/120 and a reduced neutral “can not be used”. So you will be required to pull the same size neutral under this section. Here in South Florida this voltage is used in Multifamily buildings.
(1) For a service rated 100 through 400 amperes, the service conductors supplying the entire load associated with a one-family dwelling, or the service conductors supplying the entire load associated with an individual dwelling unit in a two-family or multifamily dwelling, shall be permitted to have an ampacity not less than 83 percent of the service rating.
(2) For a feeder rated 100 through 400 amperes, the feeder conductors supplying the entire load associated with a one-family dwelling, or the feeder conductors supplying the entire load associated with an individual dwelling unit in a two-family or multifamily dwelling, shall be permitted to have an ampacity not less than 83 percent of the feeder rating.
(3) In no case shall a feeder for an individual dwelling unit be required to have an ampacity greater than that specified in 310.15(B)(7)(1) or (2).
(4) Grounded conductors shall be permitted to be sized smaller than the ungrounded conductors, if the requirements of 220.61 and 230.42 for service conductors or the requirements of 215.2 and 220.61 for feeder conductors are met.
The table below comes from ANNEX D in the back of the 2017 CODE book.
This table was made using the 83% rule for sizing the conductors to a residential dwelling unit.
Coming in the 2020 Code Book this Table will have a home at 310.12 which will be nice to see it back in the Code book where it belongs. The inclusion of the 83% rule confused many people and was mis-interpreted all the time. I was often asked if it was 83% of the load calculation, 83% of the wire size and a number of other mis-understood interpretations.
One of the most important parts of this 83% rule is that the load calculation can exceed the ampacity of the conductors chosen.
An example is a 200a load calculation comes out to 190 amperes. We are allowed to use the 83% rule because it is a residential service or feeder. The 200 ampere service rating is multiplied by the 83% ( 200 X 83% = 166. amperes) which gives us 166 amperes. We then go to Table 310.15(B)(16) and go down the 75 degree column and find the a 2/0 copper conductor has the ampacity of 175 amperes which exceeds the 166 ampere used in the 83% rule, so a 2/0 Cu. can be used for a 200 ampere service or feeder.
Hope this helps.
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake
Got a couple of pictures of a sleeping area in WPB from Jay..
Hope they have a night light.
Till next time be safe work safe
Jake
This is what you get when you “IMPROVISE” with electrical work.
An unhappy customer!
Till next time be safe work safe.
Jake