2005 NEC ® Code Changes Presenter Mark Nowak North East Specification and Project Manager

2 HOSTS

3 This document was compiled through the efforts of the Technical Liaison Department of Thomas & Betts, and is the property of Thomas & Betts. If you have any questions or require interpretation assistance please contact one of the following: Tim McNeive Ext Greg Steinman Ext George Dauberger Ext Do not duplicate any part of this publication without the permission of a member of the T&B Technical Liaison Department NEC ® Changes

4 General The phrase “Listed for the purpose” has been removed from the NEC and replaced with “Listed as ____”. This provides users more guidance on the proper application of Listed products. Annex A of the NEC includes a list of Product Safety Standards for reference. An example would be products listed as “grounding and bonding equipment” as opposed to “listed for the purpose”.

5 Article 100 Definitions Section 100 (I) General A new definition was added for Grounding Electrode: A device that establishes an electrical connection to the earth.

6 Article 200 Use and Identification of Grounded Conductors Section 200.6(B) Means of Identifying Grounded Conductors - Sizes Larger than 6 AWG. An insulated grounded conductor larger than 6 AWG shall be identified by one of the following means: (1) A continuous white or gray outer finish (2) By three continuous white stripes along its entire length on other than green insulation (3) At the time of installation, by a distinctive white or gray marking at its terminations. This marking shall encircle the conductor or insulation. See illustration on the following page.

7 Gray markings Article 200 Use and Identification of Grounded Conductors

8 Article 210 Branch Circuits GFCI Protection is now required in the following locations: Section (B)(4) (New) Outdoors in public spaces Section (B)(5) (New) HVAC convenience receptacles for other than dwellings Section (C) (New) Boat Hoists

9 Section (C)(1) (New Exception) Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets; Countertops; Wall Counter Spaces A new exception and diagrams have been added to clarify how separate wall countertop spaces are determined and to clarify where outlets are and are not required. See illustrations on the following pages. Article 210 Branch Circuits

10 Article 210 Branch Circuits

11 Article 210 Branch Circuits

12 Section (C)(2) Dwelling Unit Receptacle Outlets; Countertop; Island Counter Spaces New text has been added to clarify how separate countertop spaces are determined on island countertops. “Where a range top or sink is installed in an island counter, and the width of the counter behind the range top or sink is less than 300 mm (12 in.), the range top or sink is considered to divide the island into two separate countertop spaces as defined in (C)(4).” See the following illustration. Article 210 Branch Circuits

13 Article 210 Branch Circuits

14 Article 230 Services Section Cable Trays. Exception Conductors, other than service-entrance conductors, shall be permitted to be installed in a cable tray with service entrance conductors provided a solid fixed barrier of a material compatible with the cable tray is installed to separate the service entrance conductors from the other conductors installed in the cable tray.

15 Article 250 Grounding and Bonding ANALYSIS OF CHANGE: The title of Article 250 has been changed from “Grounding” to “Grounding and Bonding”. This article has always included the rules for bonding. There are differences in these two terms and this is an effort to emphasize the distinct differences. Bonded- The permanent joining of metallic parts to form an electrically conductive path that ensures electrical continuity and the capacity to conduct safely any current likely to be imposed. Grounded - Connected to earth or some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.

16 Section Connection of Grounding and Bonding Equipment Sheet metal screws shall not be used to connect grounding conductors or connection devices to enclosures. Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

17 Section Grounding Separately Derived Alternating Current Systems The section was completely rewritten (A)(4)(c) Connections. All tap connections to the common grounding electrode conductor shall be made at an accessible location by one of the following methods: 1)a listed connector 2)listed connections to aluminum or copper busbars not less than 6 mm x 50 mm (b in. x 2 in.). Where aluminum busbars are used, the installation shall comply with (A). 3)by the exothermic welding process Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

18 Section Grounding Electrode System The term “if available” was replaced with “are present” to describe the existing grounding electrodes that must be bonded together. In addition, an exception was added for concrete encased electrodes at existing buildings or structures. These electrodes do not have to be bonded where the re-enforcing bars or rods are not accessible for use without disturbing the concrete. Exception: Concrete-encased electrodes of existing buildings or structures shall not be required to be part of the grounding electrode system where the steel reinforcing bars or rods are not accessible for use without disturbing the concrete. Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

19 Section Identification of Wiring Device Terminals FPN: Section 406.9(B)(4) and Figure Grounding- The Grounding Symbol was changed to a fine print note. Article 250 Grounding and Bonding Article 406 Receptacles, Cord Connectors and Attachment Plugs (Caps)

20 Section (A) Connecting Receptacle Grounding Terminal to Box; Surface Mounted Box At least one of the insulating washers shall be removed from receptacles that do not have a contact yoke or device that complies with (B) to ensure metal to metal contact. Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

21 Article 300 Wiring Methods Section Several changes have been made to the section covering “Protection Against Physical Damage”. 1.Installations where cables are run parallel to furring strips are required to utilize cable protection. 2.Protection for cables can be supplied by a steel plate less than 1/16 inch thick as long as it provides equal or better protection. 3.Cables run in notches must comply with the protection requirement.

22 Section (A) Exception (New) Raceway Installations; Complete Runs Add the following exception: “Short sections of raceways used to contain conductors or cable assemblies for protection from physical damage shall not be required to be installed complete between outlet, junction, or splicing points.” Article 300 Wiring Methods

23 Article 300 Wiring Methods Section (B) Wiring in Ducts Plenums, and other Air-Handling Spaces; Ducts or Plenums Used for Environment Air The term “Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit” was removed from the list of approved wiring methods permitted to be used in ducts or plenums specifically used to transport environmental air.

24 Section 312.2(A) Damp, Wet, or Hazardous (Classified) Locations; Damp and Wet Locations. The following sentence will be added to the end of the section. “For enclosures in wet locations, raceways or cables entering above the level of uninsulated live parts shall use fittings listed for wet locations.” Article 300 Wiring Methods

25 Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull and Junction Boxes: Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures Section (B)(1) Number of Conductors in Outlet, Device, and Junction Boxes, and Conduit Bodies, Box Fill Calculations, Conductor Fill. A new second sentence was added to the section and reads as follows: A looped, unbroken conductor not less than twice the minimum length required for free conductors in shall be counted twice.

26 combustible non-combustible Section In Wall or Ceiling This section was revised to add plaster rings, domed covers, extension rings and listed extenders to the installation requirements relative to the surface of the wall or ceiling. Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull and Junction Boxes: Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures

27 Section (B)(1) Supports; Structural Mounting; Nails and Screws. This change adds the following sentence to the end of the requirement, “Screws shall not be permitted to pass through the box unless exposed threads in the box are protected using approved means to avoid abrasion of conductor insulation.” Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull and Junction Boxes: Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures

28 Articles 342, 344, 348, 350, 352, 356, 358, 362 Bends - How made This change moves the table that specifies the radius of the curve for bends to Table 2, Chapter 9.

29 Articles 342(IMC), 344(RMC), 358(EMT) Section (A) Section (A) Section The reference “raintight type” was changed to “...comply with (A)”.

30 Articles 342(IMC) and 344(RMC) Section (B)(3) Securing and Supporting; Supports Section (B)(3) Securing and Supporting; Supports The phrase “firmly supported” did not adequately secure the raceway, so the term was changed to “securely fastened” so the section reads, “Exposed vertical risers from industrial machinery or fixed equipment shall be permitted to be supported at intervals not exceeding 6 m (20 ft.), if the conduit is made up with threaded couplings, the conduit is securely fastened at the top and bottom of the riser, and no other means of intermediate support is readily available.

31 Article Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit Section Couplings and Connectors The Section was revised as follows: “ Connectors and Couplings. Only fittings listed for use with LFNC shall be used. Angle connectors shall not be used for concealed raceway installations.”

32 Articles 386, 388 Surface Raceways Section Splices and Taps Section Splices and Taps The word “junction” was removed from the following requirement: “Splices and taps in surface nonmetallic raceways without removable covers shall be made only in boxes.

33 Section Combination Raceways Section Combination Raceways This change revises the means for identifying data and power compartments in surface nonmetallic raceway. Previously, the compartments had to be marked with sharply contrasting colors. This change permits stamping, imprinting or color-coding as a means of identification. Articles 386, 388 Surface Raceways

34 Article 390 Underfloor Raceways Section Ampacity of Conductors (New) The following new Section was added: “ Ampacity of Conductors. The ampacity adjustment factors in (B)(2) shall apply to conductors installed in underfloor raceways.”

35 Article 392 Cable Tray Section (B)(3) Ampacity of Cables, Rated 2000 Volts or Less, in Cable Trays; Single-Conductor Cables; Exception (New) The exception was added to (B)(3) so it reads: “(3) Where single conductors are installed in a single layer in uncovered cable trays, with a maintained space of not less than one cable diameter between individual conductors, the ampacity of 1/0 AWG and larger cables shall not exceed the allowable ampacities in Tables and Exception: For solid bottom cable trays the ampacity of single conductor cables shall be determined by (C).

36 Article 406 Receptacles, Cord Connectors and Attachment Plugs (Caps) Section 406.8(B)(1) Receptacles in Damp or Wet Locations; Wet Locations; 15 and 20 Ampere Receptacles. This Section was revised by deleting “outdoor” to read as follows: 15 and 20 ampere, 125 and 250 volt receptacles installed in a wet location shall have an enclosure that is weatherproof whether or not the plug cap is inserted.

37 Article 409 Industrial Control Panels Entire Article is new This article was added to the NEC ® to provide guidance to AHJ’s for the proper installation of industrial control panels. Locating the requirements in one article makes it easier to locate the needed information.

38 Article Motors, Motor Circuits, and Controllers Section (B) Location; Motor; Exception This second sentence of the exception was revised to read as follows: The provision for locking or adding a lock to the disconnecting means shall be installed on or at the switch or circuit breaker used as the disconnecting means and shall remain in place with or without the lock installed.

39 Article 518 Assembly Occupancies Section 518.4(C) Wiring Methods; Spaces with Finish Rating The title of the article was changed from “Places of Assembly” to “Assembly Occupancies”. College and university classrooms, drinking establishments, passenger stations and terminals of air, surface, underground, and marine public transportation facilities have all been removed from the list of locations where electrical nonmetallic tubing and rigid nonmetallic conduit may be used in spaces with finish rating.