The installation of electrical systems in the United States is subject to local building codes. As a rule, these requirements are based on the National Electrical Code (NEC). (Canadians use the Canadian Electrical Code, or CEC.) The NEC carries no enforcement power and is written as an advisory document only, but for all intents and purposes, this is the main set of rules on which local codes are based. The NEC is the guiding authority for electricians and is not exactly bedtime reading for the rest of us. Local codes might be more stringent in some areas. As a homeowner or an electrician, you have to be aware of any specific rules that your local codes might impose.
Electrical codes spell out, among other things …
* Lighting requirements
* Receptacles needed per square foot of living space
* How the system should be grounded
* Circuit sizes
* Required wire gauge or size per individual circuit
* Special stipulations for kitchens, bathrooms, hot tubs, pools, fountains, and outdoors
Codes are like personal relationships: Everything can be going along just fine until there’s a misunderstanding or a misinterpretation of something someone has said. Then all interested parties have a problem. Electrical inspectors and electricians, both professional and do-it-yourselfers, sometimes have different interpretations of the code. For this reason, you want to be absolutely sure your work is done in the most straightforward manner possible, even if it means a little more expense or work on your part. After all, regardless of your interpretation, it’s the inspector who makes the final ruling. The authority having jurisdiction of the code will have the responsibility for making interpretations of the rules (Article 90-4). Leave literary license to wayward authors.
* Lighting requirements
* Receptacles needed per square foot of living space
* How the system should be grounded
* Circuit sizes
* Required wire gauge or size per individual circuit
* Special stipulations for kitchens, bathrooms, hot tubs, pools, fountains, and outdoors
Codes are like personal relationships: Everything can be going along just fine until there’s a misunderstanding or a misinterpretation of something someone has said. Then all interested parties have a problem. Electrical inspectors and electricians, both professional and do-it-yourselfers, sometimes have different interpretations of the code. For this reason, you want to be absolutely sure your work is done in the most straightforward manner possible, even if it means a little more expense or work on your part. After all, regardless of your interpretation, it’s the inspector who makes the final ruling. The authority having jurisdiction of the code will have the responsibility for making interpretations of the rules (Article 90-4). Leave literary license to wayward authors.
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