NFPA 70®: National Electrical Code® (NEC®) Handbook, 2011 Edition

Contents

Preface

About the Editors

About the Contributors

Article 90 Introduction

Chapter 1 General

Article 100 Definitions

Article 110 Requirements for Electrical Installations

Chapter 2 Wiring and Protection

Article 200 Use and Identification of Grounded Conductors

Article 210 Branch Circuits

Article 215 Feeders

Article 220 Branch-Circuit, Feeder, and Service Calculations

Article 225 Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders

Article 230 Services

Article 240 Overcurrent Protection

Article 250 Grounding and Bonding

Article 280 Surge Arresters, Over 1 kV

Article 285 Surge-Protective Devices (SPDs), 1 kV or Less

Chapter 3 Wiring Methods and Materials

Article 300 Wiring Methods

Article 310 Conductors for General Wiring

Article 312 Cabinets, Cutout Boxes, and Meter Socket Enclosures

Article 314 Outlet, Device, Pull, and Junction Boxes; Conduit Bodies; Fittings; and Handhole Enclosures

Article 320 Armored Cable: Type AC

Article 322 Flat Cable Assemblies: Type FC

Article 324 Flat Conductor Cable: Type FCC

Article 326 Integrated Gas Spacer Cable: Type IGS

Article 328 Medium Voltage Cable: Type MV

Article 330 Metal-Clad Cable: Type MC

Article 332 Mineral-Insulated, Metal-Sheathed Cable: Type MI

Article 334 Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable: Types NM, NMC, and NMS

Article 336 Power and Control Tray Cable: Type TC

Article 338 Service-Entrance Cable: Types SE and USE

Article 340 Underground Feeder and Branch-Circuit Cable: Type UF

Article 342 Intermediate Metal Conduit: Type IMC

Article 344 Rigid Metal Conduit: Type RMC

Article 348 Flexible Metal Conduit: Type FMC

Article 350 Liquidtight Flexible Metal Conduit: Type

Article 352 Rigid Polyvinyl Chloride Conduit: Type PVC

Article 353 High Density Polyethylene Conduit: Type HDPE Conduit

Article 354 Nonmetallic Underground Conduit with Conductors: Type NUCC

Article 355 Reinforced Thermosetting Resin Conduit: Type RTRC

Article 356 Liquidtight Flexible Nonmetallic Conduit: Type LFNC

Article 358 Electrical Metallic Tubing: Type EMT

Article 360 Flexible Metallic Tubing: Type FMT

Article 362 Electrical Nonmetallic Tubing: Type ENT

Article 366 Auxiliary Gutters

Article 368 Busways

Article 370 Cablebus

Article 372 Cellular Concrete Floor Raceways

Article 374 Cellular Metal Floor Raceways

Article 376 Metal Wireways

Article 378 Nonmetallic Wireways

Article 380 Multioutlet Assembly

Article 382 Nonmetallic Extensions

Article 384 Strut-Type Channel Raceway

Article 386 Surface Metal Raceways

Article 388 Surface Nonmetallic Raceways

Article 390 Underfloor Raceways

Article 392 Cable Trays

Article 394 Concealed Knob-and-Tube Wiring

Article 396 Messenger-Supported Wiring

Article 398 Open Wiring on Insulators

Article 399 Outdoor Overhead Conductors over 600 Volts

Chapter 4 Equipment for General Use

Article 400 Flexible Cords and Cables

Article 402 Fixture Wires

Article 404 Switches

Article 406 Receptacles, Cord Connectors, and Attachment Plugs (Caps)

Article 408 Switchboards and Panelboards

Article 409 Industrial Control Panels

Article 410 Luminaires, Lampholders, and Lamps

Article 411 Lighting Systems Operating at 30 Volts or Less

Article 422 Appliances

Article 424 Fixed Electric Space-Heating Equipment

Article 426 Fixed Outdoor Electric Deicing and Snow-Melting Equipment

Article 427 Fixed Electric Heating Equipment for Pipelines and Vessels

Article 430 Motors, Motor Circuits, and Controllers

Article 440 Air-Conditioning and Refrigerating Equipment

Article 445 Generators

Article 450 Transformers and Transformer Vaults (Including Secondary Ties)

Article 455 Phase Converters

Article 460 Capacitors

Article 470 Resistors and Reactors

Article 480 Storage Batteries

Article 490 Equipment, Over 600 Volts, Nominal

Chapter 5 Special Occupancies

Article 500 Hazardous (Classified) Locations, Classes I, II, and III, Divisions 1 and 2

Article 501 Class I Locations

Article 502 Class II Locations

Article 503 Class III Locations

Article 504 Intrinsically Safe Systems

Article 505 Zone 0, 1, and 2 Locations

Article 506 Zone 20, 21, and 22 Locations for Combustible Dusts or Ignitible Fibers/Flyings

Article 510 Hazardous (Classified) Locations — Specific

Article 511 Commercial Garages, Repair and Storage

Article 513 Aircraft Hangars

Article 514 Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities

Article 515 Bulk Storage Plants

Article 516 Spray Application, Dipping, and Coating Processes

Article 517 Health Care Facilities

Article 518 Assembly Occupancies

Article 520 Theaters, Audience Areas of Motion Picture and Television Studios, Performance Areas, and Similar Locations

Article 522 Control Systems for Permanent Amusement Attractions

Article 525 Carnivals, Circuses, Fairs, and Similar Events

Article 530 Motion Picture and Television Studios and Similar Locations

Article 540 Motion Picture Projection Rooms

Article 545 Manufactured Buildings

Article 547 Agricultural Buildings

Article 550 Mobile Homes, Manufactured Homes, and Mobile Home Parks

Article 551 Recreational Vehicles and Recreational Vehicle Parks

Article 552 Park Trailers

Article 553 Floating Buildings

Article 555 Marinas and Boatyards

Article 590 Temporary Installations

Chapter 6 Special Equipment

Article 600 Electric Signs and Outline Lighting

Article 604 Manufactured Wiring Systems

Article 605 Office Furnishings (Consisting of Lighting Accessories and Wired Partitions)

Article 610 Cranes and Hoists

Article 620 Elevators, Dumbwaiters, Escalators, Moving Walks, Platform Lifts, and Stairway Chairlifts

Article 625 Electric Vehicle Charging System

Article 626 Electrified Truck Parking Spaces

Article 630 Electric Welders

Article 640 Audio Signal Processing, Amplification, and Reproduction Equipment

Article 645 Information Technology Equipment

Article 647 Sensitive Electronic Equipment

Article 650 Pipe Organs

Article 660 X-Ray Equipment

Article 665 Induction and Dielectric Heating Equipment

Article 668 Electrolytic Cells

Article 669 Electroplating

Article 670 Industrial Machinery

Article 675 Electrically Driven or Controlled Irrigation Machines

Article 680 Swimming Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations

Article 682 Natural and Artificially Made Bodies of Water

Article 685 Integrated Electrical Systems

Article 690 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Systems

Article 692 Fuel Cell Systems

Article 694 Small Wind Electric Systems

Article 695 Fire Pumps

Chapter 7 Special Conditions

Article 700 Emergency Systems

Article 701 Legally Required Standby Systems

Article 702 Optional Standby Systems

Article 705 Interconnected Electric Power Production Sources

Article 708 Critical Operations Power Systems (COPS)

Article 720 Circuits and Equipment Operating at Less Than 50 Volts

Article 725 Class 1, Class 2, and Class 3 Remote-Control, Signaling, and Power-Limited Circuits

Article 727 Instrumentation Tray Cable: Type ITC

Article 760 Fire Alarm Systems

Article 770 Optical Fiber Cables and Raceways

Chapter 8 Communications Systems

Article 800 Communications Circuits

Article 810 Radio and Television Equipment

Article 820 Community Antenna Television and Radio Distribution Systems

Article 830 Network-Powered Broadband Communications Systems

Article 840 Premises-Powered Broadband Communications Systems

Chapter 9 Tables 1305

Table 1 Percent of Cross Section of Conduit and Tubing for Conductors

Table 2 Radius of Conduit and Tubing Bends

Table 4 Dimensions and Percent Area of Conduit and Tubing (Areas of Conduit or Tubing for the Combinations of Wires Permitted in Table 1, Chapter 9)

Table 5 Dimensions of Insulated Conductors and Fixture Wires

Table 5A Compact Copper and Aluminum Building Wire Nominal Dimensions and Areas

Table 8 Conductor Properties

Table 9 Alternating-Current Resistance and Reactance for 600-Volt Cables, 3-Phase, 60 Hz, 75°C (167°F) — Three Single Conductors in Conduit

Table 10 Conductor Stranding

Table 11(A) Class 2 and Class 3 Alternating-Current Power Source Limitations

Table 11(B) Class 2 and Class 3 Direct-Current Power Source Limitations

Table 12(A) PLFA Alternating-Current Power Source Limitations

Table 12(B) PLFA Direct-Current Power Source Limitations

Annexes

Informative Annex A Product Safety Standards

Informative Annex B Application Information for Ampacity Calculation

Informative Annex C Conduit and Tubing Fill Tables for Conductors and Fixture Wires of the Same Size

Informative Annex D Examples

Informative Annex E Types of Construction

Informative Annex F Availability and Reliability for Critical Operations Power Systems; and Development and Implementation of Functional Performance Tests (FPTs) for Critical Operations Power Systems

Informative Annex G Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

Informative Annex H Administration and Enforcement

Informative Annex I Recommended Tightening Torque Tables from UL Standard 486A-B

Index

Important Notices and Legal

Disclaimer