2017 National Electrical Code

Grounding Electrodes – to be or not to be? 2017 NEC 250.52(B)(3)

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 NEC 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.

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Grounding Electrodes – to be or not to be? 2017 NEC 250.52(B)(3)

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Conduit and Cables Exposed to Sunlight on Rooftops

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.

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Field Labeled & Field Evaluation Body (FEB)

Two new terms found in Article 100, and a clarified evaluation-practice established for the 2017 NEC code-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).

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NEC 210.52(C)(3) New Peninsular Receptacle Requirements for the 2017 NEC

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.

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How To Apply Ohm’s Law

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.

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330.15 New Standards for Installing MC Cable

New for the 2017 NEC 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.

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New for 2017 – Receptacles with Built-in USB chargers. NEC 2017 406.3

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.

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A New Method for Measuring Receptacles Located within 6 ft of Kitchen Sink Basins 2017 NEC 210.8

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.

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2017 NEC 210.8(E), GFCI Protection for Crawlspace Lighting Outlets

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.

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Required Receptacle Outlets for Meeting Rooms – 2017 NEC 210.17

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.

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