NEC Questions and Answers based on 2020 NEC^® - July 2020

Figure 01

For EC&M Magazine
By Mike Holt, NEC^® Consultant
Here's the follow-up to yesterday's newsletter. This includes the answers to the questions sent, so you can see how you did.

Note: The answers to these questions are based on the 2020 NEC.
Underlined text indicates a change for the 2020 NEC.

Q1.What is the Code requirement regarding illumination for working spaces about service equipment?
A1. Illumination. Illumination is required for all working spaces about service equipment, switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, or motor control centers installed indoors. Control by automatic means is not permitted to control illumination within the working space [110.26(D)].

Q2. What is the Code rule for GFCI protection of equipment requiring servicing?
A2. Equipment Requiring Servicing. GFCI protection is required for the heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment receptacles required by 210.63(A) [210.8(E)].

Author’s Comments:
►A 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle outlet must be installed within 25 ft of heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment [210.63(A)].
►Rooftop GFCI receptacles are only required to be readily accessible from the rooftop itself. [210.8(B)(3) Ex.]

Q3. What is the NEC requirement for dwelling unit island and peninsular countertop receptacles?
A3. Island and Peninsular Countertops and Work Surfaces. Receptacle outlets must be installed in accordance with the following [210.52(C)(2)]:

(a) At least one receptacle outlet must be provided for the first 9 sq ft, or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface. A receptacle outlet must be provided for every additional 18 sq ft, or fraction thereof, of the countertop or work surface.

(b) At least one receptacle outlet must be located within 2 ft of the outer end of a peninsular countertop or work surface. Additional required receptacle outlets are permitted to be located as determined by the installer, designer, or building owner. The location of the receptacle outlets must be in accordance with 210.52(C)(3).

A peninsular countertop must be measured from the connected perpendicular wall.

Author’s Comments:
►This rule does not address sinks or cooktops installed on islands or peninsulas since they are not considered countertop or work surface space. It would be reasonable to assume that it would be correct to deduct the area of those items from the total area for the purpose of determining total square footage.
►No guidance is given as to the location of the receptacles for island countertops or work surfaces. It appears this is left totally to the installer, designer or building owner as long as the location complies with 210.51(C)(3).
►This section has always been tricky. It seems this reorganization has provided a much clearer explanation than in previous editions making it easier for the installer, designer, or building owner to apply.

(3) Receptacle outlets must be installed in one or more of the following locations:
 (1) On or above, but not more than 20 in. above, the countertop or work surface.  

Author’s Comment:
►This rule permits multioutlet assemblies to be installed on the bottom of an overhead cabinet and still meet the receptacle outlet placement requirements for countertop surfaces, provided the bottom of the cabinet is no more than 20 in. above the countertop surface.

(2) In countertop or work surfaces: Receptacle outlet assemblies listed for use in countertop or work surfaces are permitted to be installed in countertops or work surfaces. Figure 01

Author’s Comment:
►Installing receptacles below the countertop was limited in the previous Code because of the increased possibility that a toddler could pull on an appliance cord and pull an appliance down on him or her thereby creating a burn or scalding hazard.
►A clearer distinction between a countertop and a work surface is not yet defined for an accurate and effective application of this rule. This is critical if “pop-up” type receptacles are used. There are several products listed for use in work surfaces, but as of this writing, only one is listed for use in a countertop.

(3) Below countertop or work surfaces: Receptacles must not be located more than 12 in. below the countertop or work surface. Receptacles installed below a countertop or work surface must not be located where the countertop or work surface extends more than 6 in. beyond its support base.

Receptacle outlets rendered not readily accessible by appliances fastened in place, located in an appliance garage, behind sinks, ranges, or cooktops [210.52(C)(1)(b) Ex], or supplying appliances that occupy assigned spaces, do not count as the required countertop surface receptacle outlets.

Author’s Comment:
►An “Appliance Garage” is an enclosed area on the countertop where an appliance can be stored and hidden from view when not in use. Receptacles installed inside an appliance garage do not count as a required countertop receptacle outlet.

Note 1: See 406.5(E) and 406.5(G) for installation of receptacles in countertops, 406.5(F) and 406.5(G) for installation of receptacles in work surfaces, and 380.10 for installation of multioutlet assemblies.

Q4. What is the Code receptacle rule for equipment requiring servicing?
A4. A 15A or 20A, 125V, single-phase receptacle outlet must be installed at an accessible location within 25 ft of equipment in accordance with the following [210.63]:

(A) Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Refrigeration Equipment. The required receptacle outlet must be located on the same level as the heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment and it is not permitted to be connected to the load side of the heating, air-conditioning, and refrigeration equipment’s disconnecting means.

Author’s Comment:
►These equipment service receptacles are required to be GFCI protected even if the equipment is installed in areas that would not typically require GFCI protection. [210.8(E)]
►The source of power for the receptacle must not be connected to the load side of the equipment’s branch-circuit disconnecting means. The intent of this requirement is to ensure that serviceable equipment receptacles remain energized whether or not the equipment itself is energized.

The outdoor 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle outlet required for dwelling units [210.52(E)(1)] can be used to satisfy this requirement.

(B) Other Electrical Equipment. In other than one- and two-family dwellings, a receptacle outlet must be installed in locations as follows:

(1) Indoor Service Equipment. A 15A or 20A, 125V, single-phase receptacle outlet must be installed at an accessible location within the same room or area as the service equipment.

(2) Indoor Switchboards, Switchgear, Panelboards, and Motor Control Centers. A 15A or 20A, 125V, single-phase receptacle outlet must be installed at an accessible location within the same room or area of switchboards, switchgear, panelboards, and motor control centers and may not be connected to the load side of the equipment disconnecting means.

Author’s Comment:
►A receptacle outlet is not required for ventilation equipment because it is not heating, air-conditioning, or refrigeration equipment.
►Ex: A receptacle outlet is not required at one- and two-family dwellings for the service of evaporative coolers.

Q5. What does the Code require for receptacles in meeting rooms?
A5. Meeting rooms not larger than 1,000 sq ft must have receptacle outlets for 15A or 20A, 125V receptacles in accordance with 210.65(B) [210.65(A)].

Where a room or space is provided with a movable partition(s), the room size must be determined with the partition(s) in the position that results in the smallest size meeting room.

Note 1: Meeting rooms are typically designed or intended for the gathering of seated occupants for conferences, deliberations, or similar purposes, where portable electronic equipment such as computers, projectors, or similar equipment is likely to be used.

Note 2: Examples of rooms that are not meeting rooms within the scope of 210.65 include auditoriums, school rooms, and coffee shops.

Number of Receptacle Outlets Required. The total number of receptacle outlets, including floor outlets and receptacle outlets in fixed furniture, must not be less than as determined in (1) and (2). [250. 65(B)]

(1) The required number of receptacle outlets must be determined in accordance with 210.52(A)(1) through (A)(4). The location of these receptacle outlets can be determined by the installer, designer, or building owner. 

(2) A meeting room with any floor dimension that is 12 ft or greater in any direction and has a floor area of at least 215 sq ft must have at least one floor receptacle outlet or floor outlet to serve a receptacle(s) located not less than 6 ft from any fixed wall for each 215 sq ft or major portion of floor space.

Informational Note 1: See 314.27(B) for floor boxes used for receptacles located in the floor.

Author’s Comment:
►The requirement for the floor receptacle to be at least 6 ft from the fixed walls is to provide clear egress passage in an emergency.
►The wording “12 feet or greater in any dimension” will permit a dimension less than 12 ft. How can the floor receptacle be at least 6 ft from any wall where the space has a dimension of less than 12 ft in one direction?