HomeMy WebLinkAbout2008-02-11 08-091 ORDINANCERem No,
Date: 2-11-08 08 091
Item/Subject: Ordinance, Adopting the 2008 Edition of the National Electric Cade
Responsible Depaito m: Code Enforcement
Commentary:
Every three years, the City, in step with the State of Maine, updates to the most recent
edition of the National Electric Code. The three year code cycle allows for mitigating
losses and hazards in light of the historical record for the three year period and to
provide for new technologies which have come to market.
A summary of the major changes in the new code Is attached for your information and
review.
Department
Maeagees Comments:
City Manager
Associated Information:
Legal Approval:
now olld[ar
_ Passage
X First Reading Page _ of _
X Referral to Transportation and Infrastructure 2-19-08 1115 p.m.
A 091
r` Aeaigued to Couudlov BlewfieC[e Pebxmxy 11. 2008
CITY OF BANGOR
(TITLE.) Ordinance, Amending the Electrical Cade - Chapter 102 4 102-1, to adopt the 2008
Edition of the National Electric Code.
Be itordainedbYme CYtyofSangor, as follows THAT the Electrical Code, Chapter 102,4
102-1 be amended as follows:
¢ 102-1 In accordance with 30-A M.M.A. g 3003, as amended, the National Electric
Code, 2005(2008 Edition, designated as"NFPA?0-200S7Q:22N88" and published
by the National Fre Protection Association and as may be amended by the State
of Maine Electricians Examining Board, is hereby adopted and incorporated by
reference as the minimum standards for electrical installations within the
boundaries of the City of Bangor.
STATEMENT OF FACTS: New text is underlined and deleted text isstrucksoE.
I CITY ML IL
February 11, 20M
FSrst Reading 9 MA91
and Referred to 1YeuepoRa[1oa
In£ieatxectnia ComlCtee _ p a n r n e u c u
CITY CLB¢ [fYyLRI er^a+eB Che E1mtrC^•1 Code —
Chapter 102 sec. IU��'
IN CITY. MUNCIL 2008 8d1[im of [he gaCionaj Rle✓:Cile.
February 25, 2008 Code
gotion yade and Seaamed
for Passage
Councilors voting Yes: O'Ririco,
Parxiu9tan. GratniCk. gages.. YOLeL
Stone and i eeler
Councilors voting We: Rose
Couoc11or8 dbsmt: Grasse S Amdgaed to Couno8w.
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Plenxe
Blanes' h
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Significant Updates to the 2008 NEC
The 2008 National Electrical Code (NEC) was released by the National Fire
Protection Assn. (NFPA) at the end of September. This 51st edition of the model
code incorporates nearty 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 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.
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.
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 true 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 130.26(c)(2) was revised to reinsert the requirement
A GS_
that equipment must be more than 6 ft. wide 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, Mere 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 Mese
exceptions were deleted from the 2008 code, thereby requiring GFCI protection
in all garages, accessory buildings and unfinished basements.
• 210.8(8)(2): This was revised to clarify that an office"breakroom" (de0ned as
a non-residential kitchen) that has a sink and permanent facilities for food
preparation shall have GFCI protection for personnel.
• 210.8(8)(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.
Grounding and bonding (Article 250)
• 250.8: Connection of grounding and bonding equipment. This existing
subparagraph modifies and clarifies the permissible means of connections of
banding equipment by adding a list of permitted and not permitted means of
connection.
• 250.14: Continuity of grounded conductor. This Is a new subparagraph added
to prohibit using a metallic enclosure, raceway or cable to maintain the continuity
of a grounded conductor.
Wiring methods (Article 300)
As for wiring methods and materials, there were some clarifications and additions
to chapter three, including:
• 300.10: Adds a new exception such that conduits in the bottom of open -
bottom equipment such as switchboards, motor control centers and transformers
no longer have to be mechanically secured to the equipment.
• 300.50(f): Adds a subparagraph requiring a warning ribbon over direct -buried
cables that are more than 600 volts.
Conductors for general wiring (Article 310)
• 310.15(8)(2)(c): This section adds a new subparagraph to address where
conductors or cables are installed in conduits exposed to direct sunlight on
rooftops. These must have ampacity corrections made for increased temperature
inside the conduit. This ampacity correction is to be made so that conductors or
cables used in these locations will not exceed their designated operating
temperature.
Receptacles, mrd connections and attachment plugs (Article 406)
Significant changes to be aware of have occurred In Chapter 4 under Article 406
and Article 408:
• 406.8: Receptacles in wet or damp locations will be required to be listed for
damp or wet locations, not just the enclosure. It will become effective on Sept.
1, 2011, in order to give manufacturers time to develop the devices.
• 406.11: A new subparagraph has been added that requires 15 -amp and 20 -
amp receptacles in a dwelling unit to be tamper-resistant.
Switchboards and panelboards (Article 408)
• 408.4: This section has been revised to Include the requirement to identify
spare overcurrent devices on the circuit directory.
• 408.35: Number of overcurrent devices on one panelboard. The paragraph in
the 2005 edition has been deleted and so has the limitation of 42 poles. The
revised NK will limit the number of devices in a panel to what has been
designed and listed for.
Generators (Article 445)
s 445.13: Ampacity of conductors. Conductors associated with generators that
must carry ground fault current must be sized per 250.30(A), separately derived
systems, instead of 250.24(c), grounding of services.
• 445.19: Generators supplying multiple loads. This is a new subparagraph that
permits a single feeder from the generator or paralleled generators to supply
multiple loads to include emergency and standby leads, provided they terminate
in a switchboard with individual disconnects for each of the loads.
Healthcare facilities (Article 517)
There are a number of clarifications specific to life safety in healthcare facilities
in the new 2008 code:
• 517.26: The wording of this paragraph that was added In the 2005 edition has
been revised to require only the life safety branch of the essential electrical
system to meet the requirements of Article 700, Emergency Systems. This
removes the requirement for the critical branch of a healthcare facility that
serves patient care related circuits to comply with Article 700.
• 517.32(E): Adds the requirement for battery -powered lighting units at essential
transfer switch locations, as well as an indicator that this wording is the same as
found in NFPA 99.
• 517.32(c)(3): Adds new subparagraph to allow the mechanical equipment and
controls required for effective life safety system operation to be connected to the
life safety branch. This will allow the connection of smoke dampers and smoke
control actuators initiated by the fire alarm system to the life safety branch.
• 517.43(A) and (B): Revised text to delete the need for delaying the connection
of loads listed under this subparagraph to the critical branch of the essential
electrical system.
Emergency systems (Article 700)
A number of emergency and standby system requirements have been revised,
including the following:
• 700.9(D): Under circuit wiring for emergency systems, this text Is revised to
include Ore protection requirements listed under 700.9(D)(1) and (D)(2) for
feeders for essential electrical systems for hospitals and healthcare facillbes.
700.9(D)(3): Adds a new subparagraph stating that generator control wiring
installed between transfer equipment and the emergency generator shall be kept
entirely Independent of all other wiring and shall meet 700.9(D)(1). This
addresses the issue that the generator start circuit should have the same
protection as the emergency system feeder wiring.
Legally required standby systems (Article 701)
• 701.7(c): Automatic transfer switches. The tad has been revised to require
automatic transfer switches rated 600 volts AC and below to be listed for legally
required standby use.
Optional standby systems (Article 702)
•702.5: Capacity and rating. This paragraph was expanded to create two
applications, one for manual transfer and a second for automatic transfer. This is
an effort to address installations where automatic transfer equipment is being
installed with generators that have a capacity smaller than the total load. These
systems must have adequate capacity for the supply of all equipment intended
far operation at any one time.