May 05, 2021
The average consumer does not understand the potential dangers related to electricity and pools, so they rely on you, the electrical professional, to do it right. There have been 98 verifiable water deaths from electricity since 1986, but that is likely just the tip of a very large iceberg. A small amount of current can cause muscular paralysis and drowning. We have put together a basic checklist for electrical safety-related to pools. This list is not exhaustive. We will focus our attention on three important areas: grounding and equipotential bonding, GFCI protection, and corrosive environments.
Apr 13, 2021
Licensed electricians will be in high demand! It will take licensed electricians to pull the electrical permits and to install all of the solar PV systems.
Apr 06, 2021
The future of the electrical trade is solar PV technology, and the future is upon us.
Mar 31, 2021
One solution to our industry’s dilemma is Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Installations performed by licensed electricians.
Feb 01, 2021
NEC Section 230.71. Six Switches or Circuit Breakers in One Enclosure. Since the 1937 edition of the NEC, the service disconnecting means used to isolate a building’s premises wiring from the utility provider’s conductors has been allowed to consist of as few as one, but as many as six switches or sets of circuit breakers. A veteran electrician would tell you that requirement (or permission, depending on your perspective) means six throws of the hand can be used to control all power on the property. Our veteran electrician is correct - if there is one electrical service on the property.
Dec 02, 2020
The 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) has ushered in a brand-new method for determining the number of receptacle outlets required to serve island countertops; peninsular countertops; and work surfaces located in kitchens, pantries, breakfast rooms, dining rooms, and similar areas of a dwelling unit.
Nov 03, 2020
If you are an electrical contractor that has ever wired a room addition, you will likely be familiar with this process. Before ever attempting to provide an estimate, you must first determine how to get power from the home’s existing breaker panel to the new lighting and receptacle outlets in the addition. Bidding the individual outlets for the new addition is relatively easy, but bidding power to feed them can take some investigation and imagination.
Oct 30, 2020
The electrical service change is a very common electrical service job. Your standard residential service electrician could complete one on any given day, and it would be an easy task for him. For the rest of the electricians out there, a quick refresher may be needed before diving into an electrical service change. Let’s review some typical service change details and procedures using the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC).
Sep 09, 2020
We are all familiar with the NEC requirement to place receptacles within the first 24 inches of a kitchen countertop edge, and then locate them every 48 inches thereafter. But did you know that fixed countertops in rooms such as dens, libraries, living rooms, bedrooms and the like now have receptacle requirements, and they are different from the requirements found in 210.52(C) that apply to kitchens?
Jul 18, 2020
JADE Learning is offering an 11-Hour Renewal Package for Florida Electrical Contractors. The courses are online and meet the requirements for the August 31st, 2020 renewal deadline. All licensed electrical contractors in Florida are required to complete 11 hours of continuing education to renew a Florida electrical contractor license.
Jun 25, 2020
Every electrician must have a good electrical resume on hand and be ready to share it when the next opportunity presents itself. Your resume must be able to stand out against many others in the usual quick review. As an electrician and as an employer, I can tell you the following layout is very informative and very successful.
Jun 03, 2020
Section 408.6: A Brand-New Addition to the 2020 NEC. NEC section 408.6 states: Switchboards, Switchgear, and Panelboards shall have a short-circuit current rating (SCCR) not less than the available fault current. In other than one- and two-family dwelling units, the available fault current and the date the calculation was performed shall be field marked on the enclosure at the point of supply. The marking shall comply with 110.21(B)(3). Making NEC 408.6 Simple This new Code Section simply means that electrical panels including main-breaker and main-lug type panels and switchboards & switchgear equipment must be rated (in amps) to withstand the high levels of current that will flow should a short-to-ground or other fault occur at the equipment. In ALL locations other than dwelling units, that anticipated fault current must be marked on the equipment enclosure near where the supply conductors enter in, along with the date that the calculation producing that number was performed. The new Code Section also says the markings on the equipment must comply with 110.21(B)(3). Section 110.21(B)(3) tells us that markings must be sufficiently durable to withstand the environment.
May 06, 2020
Electric vehicle (EV) charging is not new, as Article 625 was introduced to the National Electrical Code with the 1996 edition. The following year, the Toyota Prius became the first mass-produced (hybrid) electric vehicle. More followed, including Tesla, Nissan, and Chevrolet. Until recently, however, the only viable method for charging an electric or hybrid vehicle was via a direct connection to a power supply, either from premises wiring or at a charging station. For the 2017 Code cycle, both definitions and requirements have been added to Article 625 for the purpose of regulating another type of EV charging: wireless power transfer, or wireless charging. Before we examine the Code requirements, let’s answer a couple of important questions. First, how does wireless charging work? Second, how efficient is this technology?
May 05, 2020
The 2020 NEC now recognizes that GFCI protection for mobile and manufactured homes must be equal to that of stick-built and modular type dwellings. Construction Codes, in general, have always been less restrictive for mobile-type dwellings. This may be because mobile homes are often titled with the Motor Vehicle Department, and this type of housing is built, inspected, tested, and listed off-site at a manufacturing plant.
Apr 17, 2020
How Do I Sign-Up for the California Electrical Certification Exam? Once you've completed all requirements as an apprentice or through and electrical trainee program you can submit your application to have your experience reviewed by the California DIR. After submitting the application and all the required attachments you will be notified of your eligibility. You will have one year to schedule and take your exam. If you do not complete your exam within that time frame you will have to re-submit your application. It is important that you properly prep for the exam to ensure you pass on the first try.
Mar 31, 2020
Derating conductors for the environment where they are installed is an important consideration for selecting the type and size of conductor for a particular installation. When installing a system on a rooftop, special consideration must be given to the ambient temperature inside the wire way or conduit that contain the conductors to prevent heating beyond the rating of the insulation of the conductors. Conductors installed in raceways on rooftops can be subject to higher temperatures than they would be just from the heating effect of solar energy absorbed by the wall of the raceway. This effect becomes more evident when the proximity is very close to the roof or the raceway is in contact with the roof surface.
Mar 04, 2020
Transformers are used when power voltages need to be changed, or transformed, to other levels. Sometimes voltages need to be increased when sending power long distances. Other times, voltages need to be decreased for equipment that uses the power. Regardless of whether the voltages are being stepped up or stepped down, the same process of changing windings is used to transform voltages to different levels.
Feb 26, 2020
The California Building Standards Commission voted to adopt the 2017 National Electrical Code (NEC). The adopted codes were published on July 1, 2019, and became effective on January 1, 2020. With the adoption of the new code, there are now new requirements for the California Electrical Certification Continuing Education and California Electrical Certification Exam.
Feb 04, 2020
Can you do a box fill calculation at the jobsite? This is an important skill for installers and inspectors alike, since a box that is overfilled can cause a fault, arcing, or even a fire. But how do we determine if a box is overfilled in a real-world situation?
Feb 04, 2020
Recently while working as an electrical foreman I was able to pass fifty – yes, fifty!- electrical inspections in a row. I was a rock star to my crew, the GC and my employer. The crew respected me. I was keeping the project schedule on track. I was saving the company money in permitting fees and labor. I didn’t have to work an enormous amount of overtime, and I didn’t have to bring in bags of unmarked bills on inspection day. What I did is simply follow this basic procedure.
Sep 26, 2019
Prior to 2017, only two items were prohibited for use as grounding electrodes, underground gas piping and aluminum. For 2017, another item has been added to the list of prohibited items. For the 2017 code cycle, the structures as well as steel reinforcement materials that pertain to swimming pools have been added to the list found in 250.52(B)(3) of components that are prohibited from being used as grounding electrodes for an electrical system.
Sep 25, 2019
Anyone who has been on top of a roof on a hot summer day knows what it’s like to stand in the middle of an oven. Extreme temperatures from the sun can bake everything in sight, from shingles to appliances, and even electrical conductors and conduit. Conductor insulation is meant to provide long lasting protection from expected heat due to the flow of electricity and normal environmental factors. However, excessive heat from solar radiation can damage conductors and cause premature failures.
Aug 29, 2019
Two new terms found in Article 100, and a clarified evaluation-practice established for the 2017 NEC cycle. Electrical equipment is generally approved by a testing laboratory before being shipped by a manufacturer. However, sometimes electricians may need to install spe-cialized gear that has not yet been formally certified. When field certification is neces-sary due to a lack of a UL (or other approved laboratory) Listing, electricians are then required to contact a Field Evaluation Body (FEB) to receive an approval label. Fortunately, updates and new terms in the 2017 NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (NEC) help clarify what should be done when items need to be field labeled by a Field Evaluation Body (FEB).
Aug 29, 2019
The method for measuring the countertop space for peninsulas has been changed for 2017. We know that NEC Section 210.52 requires that at least one receptacle be provided for each island or peninsula countertop that fits the dimensional requirements. The intent of the Code here is to discourage the use of extension cords. For example, countertop outlets must be spaced so that the typical two-foot extension cord can reach an outlet from any part of the countertop. Previously, the minimum distance triggering the outlet requirement was measured from the junction where the peninsula abutted the front edge of the perpendicular countertop, thus usually requiring an outlet mounted in the peninsular base cabinet. The new method of measurement begins at the wall behind the countertop.
Aug 07, 2019
Electricity operates within predictable boundaries. We have come to identify these boundaries as Ohm’s Law. Ohm’s Law was developed as a means of explaining how electricity operates within a closed circuit. The Ohm’s Law formula helps to communicate the relationship between different properties within an electrical circuit. We can use Ohm’s Law to explain what has occurred, as well as what will occur, when certain conditions are imposed upon an electrical circuit.
Aug 07, 2019
New for the 2017 code cycle is section 330.15, entitled “Metal-Clad Cable: Type MC Exposed Work.” This new Code section requires an exposed run of MC Cable to closely follow the surface to which it is mounted while enjoying a new permission that allows the MC cable to be installed on the underside of floor joists.
Jul 02, 2019
Prior to the 2017 edition of the NEC, 120-volt receptacles equipped with USB charging outlets had not been addressed by the National Electrical Code. Universal Serial Bus (USB) connections have been around since the 1990s and are widely used to charge portable devices and computer peripherals, as well as transfer data.
Jul 02, 2019
It is no surprise that Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter protection has again been expanded in the 2017 edition of the National Electrical Code. Since its inception in the 1971 edition, GFCI coverage has been expanded and tweaked with just about every code change. In this edition, coverage has been increased in several significant ways, but an important clarification has also taken place. Specifically as regards protection for 15 and 20 amp outlets near sinks, the point at which the measurement is taken as well as the method to be used to measure the 6-foot distance has been clarified.
Jun 05, 2019
Ground fault protection is not new, having been introduced in the 1971 edition of the National Electrical Code. GFCI devices have saved many lives since then by preventing shock and electrocution. As you may know, they contain a small transformer that detects current leakage from the phase to the grounded (neutral) conductor. That is why they work even in circuits that do not have a separate grounding conductor. These devices are designed to interrupt current when the leakage reaches a threshold of 4 to 6 mA, just shy of the amount of current that can cause injury to the human body.
Jun 05, 2019
The 2017 NEC now requires meeting rooms measuring 1,000 square feet or less to be equipped with 125-volt 15 or 20 ampere receptacles. This new requirement will help serve today’s trend that requires we travel with a myriad of electronic devices to meet our daily personal and business needs. This new Code-reference, 210.71 Meeting Rooms, is found in Article 210 Branch Circuits, Part III. Required Outlets, and is only applicable to meeting rooms or areas measuring 1,000 square feet or less. The qualifying room or area is to be determined by measuring wall-to-wall space, as well as space created using movable partitions.
May 09, 2019
The Isolated Ground (IG) is a type of equipment ground that, in theory, reduces interference experienced by electronics and instrumentation from radio frequency (RF) noise, by connecting that equipment directly to the grounding terminal of the service equipment, without ever making contact with another metal component or grounded surface, that could potentially be serving as an antenna for airborne RF noise.
![New Rules for Spaces with Limited Access [NEC 2017 110.26(A)(4)]](/static-assets/images/blog/NEC-2017-110.26A4.jpg)
May 09, 2019
The NEC has long regulated the required space around electrical equipment installations so that a worker who is going to examine, adjust, service, or maintain equipment that may be energized is not exposed to excessive danger from live (ungrounded) parts. The worker must have enough space available so as not to contact a surface that could effectively make his body a path to ground. In the past, equipment installations above a drop ceiling, such as small transformers, air handlers, VAV’s, and the like, have not been addressed, and the enforcement of Article 110.26 in these spaces has been difficult at best, as the space above a drop ceiling is often very crowded.
May 01, 2019
Fire alarm systems are at least an order of magnitude more challenging to understand than homeowner-type smoke alarms, even if individual smoke alarms within the home are wired together to work in concert. Fire alarm work must not be taken for granted because if a system...
Apr 03, 2019
210.52(C) of the 2017 NEC lays out the requirements for kitchen countertops and the receptacles that are required to serve them. The countertop space located directly behind a range, counter-mounted cooking unit (such as a cooktop), or sink may or may not be counted as part of this measurable countertop surface when determining receptacle requirements and receptacle spacing for the countertop. It all depends on the depth of countertop surface behind that component.
Mar 05, 2019
Inrush current, also referred to as “locked rotor current,” is the excessive current flow experienced within a motor and its conductors during the first few moments following the energizing (switching on) of the motor. This current draw is sometimes referred to as “locked rotor current” because the current necessary at...
Mar 05, 2019
The NEC underwent some big changes in 2017, including the redefinition of wall space, when it comes to fixed cabinets installed along a wall space. Prior to 2017, a cabinet affixed to a wall in a bedroom, den, library, etc. simply broke that wall space into two separate wall spaces. The measurement along the wall ended once you reached the fixed cabinet, and a new measurement began at the other end of the cabinet – but not anymore!
Feb 05, 2019
For our typical AC electrical system, the purpose of the "Main Bonding Jumper" is to connectthe equipment grounding conductors (E.G.C.) contained in each branch-circuit andthe metal (conductive) service-disconnect enclosure to the Neutral Conductor of the electrical service. The reason for thisis: a driven or buried earth ground (e.g. Ground Rod)...
Feb 05, 2019
A “COMBINATION” Arc-Fault Circuit Breaker is NOT equivalent to a “DUAL-FUNCTION” Circuit Breaker. With ever changing electrical Code requirements, a circuit breaker with the ability to provide both Arc-Fault protection as well as Ground Fault (GFCI) protection was long overdue. But beware, the “combination” function that is identified on recently...
Jan 09, 2019
As 2019 begins, the electrical industry is in a state of change with proposed changes to the 2017 NEC. As technologies have changed so have the needs to keep electrical safety current to these changes.
Dec 10, 2018
Why are you permitted to go no larger than #6 cu for the GEC attached to a driven rod or driven pipe that is being used as a grounding electrode, but you have to use Table 250.66, and all of the proposed size increases in it when using a metal water piping system in the earth, as my grounding electrode conductor?
Nov 29, 2018
Major changes are taking place in the world around us as mankind moves ever forward into an era where reduced energy consumption and the use of renewable energy sources are now the “norm” and no longer the exception. As new technology becomes available, along with promises of ever-increasing returns on initial investments, many business owners and homeowners are ready to become part of the green movement. There is no question that the time is right for all of us to move forward with our green initiatives.
Nov 12, 2018
This article takes a look at the NEC 2017, Section 210.8. We'll answer questions about GFCI and AFCI protection as it relates to residential washing machines.
Nov 06, 2018
The times are changing and LVDC is here to stay. Learn some important information about LVDC- Low Voltage Direct Current.
Oct 26, 2018
Get 4 hours of electrical continuing education for Iowa - Join us from the comfort of your own home for a continuing education webinar covering 2017 NEC Changes.
Oct 24, 2018
Arc Fault Circuit Interrupters (AFCIs) are an important electrical fire prevention and safety requirement of the National Electrical Code. With the changes to the NEC in 2017 there still seems to be questions regarding the use of AFCIs. This primer will address these questions.
Oct 05, 2018
The Electrical Service supplying an entire RV park must be sized to accommodate the electrical demands of multiple modern recreational vehicles drawing power simultaneously from the individual park sites.
Sep 18, 2018
Modern clothes dryers often have a bonding strap in place that connects the metal housing of the dryer to the neutral lug of the cord attachment terminals, in case the installer is using the 3-wire cord method.
Sep 07, 2018
NEC Article 725 is dedicated to specialized circuitry, different from standard power and lighting circuits. The limited power and voltage of these circuits is what makes them a separate and specialized wiring method.
Aug 28, 2018
Let's take a look at what is happening on the other end of that equipment grounding conductor, and what it is that enables this conductor to effectively carry current at such a rate that it will instantaneously trip a circuit-breaker or fuse, in the event of a ground-fault. It is normal to assume that a conductor will carry current, but in the matter of fault-current it is important to know why an equipment grounding conductor is able to do its job.
Aug 14, 2018
Branch-Circuit Short-Circuit and Ground-Fault Overcurrent Protection is the final article of a four part series. The series is titled “Motor Calculations” and covers the Code and calculations for single general motor applications.
Jul 31, 2018
Reader question about "Grounding VS Bonding Part 1" article
Jul 17, 2018
Portable generators are useful for when temporary or remote power is needed. Knowing when to ground a generator is critical for operator safety.
Jul 02, 2018
This is the third part of a series designed to help explain how to properly calculate motor circuits.
Jun 15, 2018
The terms Grounding and Bonding are found throughout the NEC text, and while they are seemingly interchangeable terms, they are actually two distinct procedures when it comes to the National Electrical Code, as well as the installation of electrical equipment.
May 21, 2018
We considered how to properly size a typical motor branch circuit using the motor load as determined with the appropriate table and then multiplying that number by 1.25, reference 430.22.
Apr 23, 2018
The wire of choice for feeders and branch circuits in residential locations is Type NM, non-metallic sheathed cable. It is inexpensive, quick and easy to use, and requires a minimum of tools. But its use is prohibited in sensitive locations, so for industrial, commercial, and even some residential locations, electrical...
Apr 09, 2018
Variable Frequency Drives (VFD’s), also referred to as Adjustable Speed Drives, are prominent in today’s workplace. They are used in elevator, water pump, high-volume air compressor applications and material-handling systems wherever speed and torque characteristics of AC motors are regulated. In Thomas Edison’s time, the DC motor was...
Mar 20, 2018
We demonstrated how to determine the motor load for general motor applications using 430.6(A)(1) which states that table values shall be used to determine the ampacity of conductors… instead of the actual current rating marked on the motor nameplate.
Feb 12, 2018
I have been an electrical instructor for a local community college for more than 15 years. I encourage every student to become familiar with the language we use in the electrical trade because let’s face it… we have our own language. Some of it is trade slang passed...
Oct 05, 2017
Elevators have become an essential feature of most multistory buildings and are no longer limited only to tall buildings. Elevators provide an accessible and easy means of egress for employees and customers. In certain types of buildings elevators are required by the model building codes or Federal law
Mar 23, 2017
When reading a book, how often do we skip past the introduction and start with the chapters that interest us? That happens to those of us that use the NEC as well, but understanding the introduction to the code in Article 90 is key to properly applying the technical requirements...
