Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2007 - (Page 59)

Codes & Standards What’s new in the 2008 NEC BY DANIEL CAMPBELL, P.E., Electrical Engineer, and KEVIN HALBERT, Electrical Designer, BSA LifeStructures, Indianapolis he 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC) is scheduled to be released by the National Fire Protection Assn. (NFPA) at the end of September. This 51st edition of the model code incorporates nearly 400 changes from more than 3,500 submitted revision proposals to the current 2005 edition of the NEC. A quick review of the new proposed code changes reveals no major formatting changes from the previous edition. The 2008 NEC will be available for subsequent adoption at the state and local levels by the authorities having jurisdiction. Once released, engineers should carefully review the code for applicability to their work and project types. The new code further refines and clarifies various sections. As the transition to the 2008 NEC begins, here are some significant proposed changes as indicated by the NFPA’s Report on Proposals (ROP) and where they occur. T Requirements for electrical installations (Article 100) The change here was to 110.26(c), Entrance to Working Space. The words “and egress from” are added to the previous title to become, “Entrances to and egress from working space.” This covers requirements for leaving the electrical work space, as well as entrance to a working space. The statement concerning large equipment described under 110.26(c)(2) was revised to reinsert the requirement that equipment must be more than 6 ft. wide—a requirement that had been deleted from the 2005 edition. Also, with regard to wiring design and protection, the section of the ROP covering Chapter 2 contained in excess of 200 accepted proposals for revisions to the 2005 NEC. This highlights the importance of precise wording for this chapter. Some items of note include the following: Branch circuits (Article 210) • 210.8(A)(2) and 210.8(A)(5): A list of specified locations within dwelling units that require ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection for personnel has been modified. In the 2005 NEC, there were two exceptions allowing receptacles within garages, accessory buildings or unfinished basements to not require GFCI protection: if they were not readily accessible or if they were single or duplex receptacles for two appliances within a dedicated space. Both of these exceptions were deleted from the 2008 code, thereby requiring GFCI protection in all garages, accessory buildings and unfinished basements. • 210.8(B)(2): This was revised to clarify that an office “breakroom” (defined as a non-residential kitchen) that has a sink and permanent facilities for food preparation shall have GFCI protection for personnel. • 210.8(B)(4): The 2008 edition clarifies that, other than for dwelling units, all duplex receptacles outdoors are required to have GFCI, not just strictly in public spaces. The two exceptions will remain. The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code comes out this month, incorporating nearly 400 changes from 3,500 proposed revisions to the 2005 edition. Definitions (Article 100) Revised definitions, which apply throughout the NEC, indicate again the focus on understanding the issue of grounding: • Ground • Grounding (grounded) • Grounding electrode conductor • Grounding conductor, equipment • Bonding (bonded). Of special note is the deletion of the term “grounded, effectively.” This definition has been deleted for being a subjective term that had no defined parameters for determining if something was or was not effectively grounded. New definitions added for this edition include: • Ungrounded • Neutral conductor • Short circuit current rating. Consulting-Specifying Engineer • SEPTEMBER, 2007 59

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2007

Contents M/E Roundtable Cover Story: Airborne Superbugs Third-Party Liability Back to School Product Spotlight Codes & Standards Professional Practices How To New Products Jobs/Cliassifieds Specifier’s Notebook Pure Power Supplement New Technologies, Same Old Transmission Problems Wireless Battery Recharging Solar Concentration Renewables Tracking System A Mighty Wind The Importance of Load Bank Testing Quality Power for Security Systems

Consulting-Specifying Engineer - September 2007

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.