Change is inevitable in life, and in the National Electrical Code (NEC). Being a lifelong electrician myself, I can fully understand how hard it can be to have a
system in place that works like a well-oiled machine and feel like it is being upended when I need to incorporate a new change requirement. But rarely do people ever make change for the sake of change. In our world, change is often implemented to make things safer. If you work in the electrical industry, you have an inherent responsibility to perform work that will keep people, and property, as safe as humanly possible. Sometimes that means doing things differently than the way we have become accustomed to, based on implementing procedural or technology-based changes. The 2020 NEC cycle of the NEC incorporated two such changes.
For electricians who perform residential work on a regular basis, installing an electrical service within a home may feel like something you can do in your sleep. Installing the meter socket, panelboard, service entrance conductors and other standard electrical service elements, over-and-over again, just becomes a normal daily routine. Our electrical brethren know that regardless of what we are installing, we have to do it properly in order to ensure the safety of others. So, it only makes sense for those involved in our industry to regularly reevaluate if what we are currently required to do ensures safety for everyone, or if changes need to be made. Changes can be submitted to the NEC every cycle via public inputs in the NFPA standards development process. Electricians, engineers, inspectors, the general public, essentially anyone besides NFPA staff, can submit a proposed change to the standard for the next cycle. The 2020 NEC cycle saw public inputs to Article 230 (Services) that intend to make residential electrical services safer for all involved.
The first change in Article 230 deals with surge protection. There were two separate public inputs submitted that supplied justification for whole house surge protection in residential service applications. While plug-in style surge protectors (Type 3 SPD) may be used throughout the home to protect specific pieces of electronics, such as computers and televisions, many other items throughout the home are left without surge protection and therefore susceptible to lightning strikes and other potential surges. For example, hard wired smoke alarms and CO detectors have onboard electronics that could be negatively impacted by a surge. Should a surge occur in these devices, it would likely go unnoticed by the homeowner who is depending on these devices for life safety. The same could be said for ground-fault circuit-interrupters (GFCI’s), arc-fault circuit-interrupters (AFCI’s), security systems, and other sensitive electronic equipment. Submitters pointed to studies by recognized authorities such as NEMA, IEEE, and UL that substantiated surges can cause significant damage. Also, that many nationwide insurance organizations have recommended the use of surge protection at the service equipment level in order to ensure the whole home is protected against potential surges. Based on these public inputs, NEC Code Making Panel (CMP) 10 created a first revision (FR-8546-NFPA70-2018) that developed 2020 NEC section 230.67. Within this section, all dwelling units are now required to have a surge-protective device (SPD) installed as part of the service equipment or located immediately adjacent to the service equipment. The SPD must be Type 1 or Type 2, both of which are hard-wired, and the requirement applies to both new service installations and service upgrades.
The second change in the 2020 NEC that effects residential electrical services requires an emergency disconnect to be installed for the service. While not officially called a “First Responder” disconnect within the NEC, it has been commonly referenced as such in conversation due to the nature of the code change. The submitter of the public input substantiated their public input with following statement, in part, “Today, fire fighters do not have a way to safely remove power from an involved structure unless the service equipment is located on the outside of said structure in a readily accessible location. Pulling the meter is not a safe manner with which to remove power due to possible arc flash concern. Cutting the service conductors, via the use of an ax or bolt cutters is not safe for the fire fighter either as these methods can introduce large amounts of energy in the immediate vicinity of the fire fighter and potentially destroy their primary firefighting tool (axe). A means with which the power can easily be removed, that is readily accessible is required in order to keep our fire fighters safe while they extinguish flames and possibly save lives. They do not need to worry about shock hazards while doing their jobs.”
I use this quote in this context because I don’t know that there is any way possible that I could have said it better. Keeping them safe, people who risk their lives to keep us safe, is morally imperative. While the addition of section 230.85 to the 2020 NEC requires us to install an emergency disconnect in a readily accessible location on the exterior of the home, it isn’t necessarily changing what we normally do. For example, in many cases service disconnects are already being installed in a readily accessible location on the exterior of the home due to how far the service-entrance conductors must travel into the home to reach the electrical panel. In this case, assuming the disconnect is already rated properly for short-circuit current, the only change that would be required from NEC section 230.85 is to change your normal label on the disconnect that reads “SERVICE DISCONNECT” to now read “EMERGENCY DISCONNECT, SERVICE DISCONNECT.” A minor change that will make a major impact in the safety of first responders.
Working within the electrical contracting world for most of my career, I can empathize with change and how difficult it can be. Change is rarely accepted by anyone, within any industry, without some kind of resistance. After all, it makes you break the norm of what has always worked for you and incorporate something new. But when that change directly impacts the safety of both people and property, isn’t it worth the effort? In my current role as an electrical content specialist here at NFPA, I have a better view of the overall impact that codes and standards have on electrical safety than when I was a contractor. I am grateful for the experience I have gained in both roles, which have given me invaluable knowledge that allows me to clearly see exactly how big this world is, and how it takes all of us working together to protect one another.
The new 2020 National Electric Code (NEC) in the U.S. have been released, and many of the code updates have far-reaching impacts, particularly for contractors.
In this post, I’ll address three significant 2020 NEC code changes for contractors.
National Electrical Code 2020: New requirements you need to know
1. 210.8 GFCI code requirements for kitchens, laundry rooms, basements, etc.
The NEC 2020 committee added a handful of new GFCI outlet requirements for residential and commercial installations to provide better protection from electrical shock.
In dwellings, the code now extends the GFCI requirement to 125-volt and 250-volt receptacles in finished and unfinished basements, within six feet of a sink, and laundry areas. For example, with this new criteria, electric dryers and kitchen ranges within six feet of a sink will require GFCI. It’s worth noting that many dryers and ranges come with connected neutral and ground wires that must be separated for GFCI protection.
In commercial and other non-dwelling locations, you must include GFCIs in the following locations:
- In kitchens and all areas where food is prepared, including coffee shops and convenience stores
- Indoor wet and damp locations, such as areas for dog grooming and mudrooms
- Accessory buildings
- Laundry areas such as commercial laundromats or common laundry facilities in multi-family buildings
- Within six feet of all bathtubs and shower stalls
Additionally, NEC 2020 Section 210.8(F) requires GFCI protection for hardwired and receptacle outdoor outlets that operate at 150 volts-to-ground or less and rated up to 50 amps, such as outdoor HVAC systems. However, GFCI is unnecessary if the circuit supplies outdoor lighting and is not located in a crawl space, or if it is a dedicated circuit for deicing and snow-melting equipment.
Finally, GFCI protection is now required for appliances such as sump pumps and dishwashers, equipment service receptacles, marinas, and pool pumps, in all residential and commercial spaces.
2. 230.67 Surge protection
If you read the NEC update post for specifiers, you may recall code 230.67, which outlines surge protection requirements for service equipment. As a contractor, you should also take note of this change.
The 2020 NEC code now requires either Type 1 or Type 2 surge protection for services supplying all dwelling units, including single- and two-family and multi-family residences. Surge protection devices must be located within the service equipment or adjacent to it. To keep the surge protection closer to the protected loads, particularly in a multi-family unit, the surge protection device can be installed at each dwelling’s load center or panelboard.
Why is whole-home surge protection now mandatory, even for repaired or replaced equipment? This 2020 NEC code change was designed to safeguard vital safety-focused electronics in a household, such as GFCI devices, smoke alarms, and heat detectors.
3. 100 Reconditioned equipment
Reconditioned equipment, a term often used to refer to equipment that is rebuilt, refurbished, or remanufactured, is further defined in the 2020 NEC as any “electromechanical systems, equipment, apparatus, or components that are restored to operating conditions. This process differs from normal servicing of equipment that remains within a facility, or replacement of listed equipment on a one-to-one basis.”
Using this definition, you can now look through the National Electrical Code 2020 book and find reconditioned equipment-specific code requirements.
For example, if you’re curious how to label your equipment, 110.21 in the 2020 NEC specifies that reconditioned equipment must be labeled “reconditioned,” and the original listing mark should be removed.
Enhancing safety for buildings and people
There’s a good reason why new NEC codes go into effect every three years — these code changes ensure people and buildings are safer.
Are you interested in learning more about these and other new 2020 National Electrical Code changes? If so, check out these videos for Residential and Commercial / Industrial projects.
