We at Mike Holt Enterprises have begun our work on the 2017 NEC update to all of our products (and we have a lot of products). The following information contains the top sixteen most likely NEC rules to be change or added in the 2017 NEC that I consider important within Chapter 1 through 4. Underlined text is what is expected to change.

Please be aware that the text below is paraphrased by me, it is not the actual proposed NEC text. You can see the actions of the Code committees by visiting http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=70&tab=nextedition, but it appears that you must be a NFPA member (requires log-in).

Enjoy and God Bless,

Mike Holt

No. 1 – Proposed new definition to be added to cover Special Purpose GFCIs that will be required for 277/480V circuits.

Article 100. Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter, Special Purpose (SPGFCI). A device intended to protect people by de-energizing a circuit when a current imbalance has been detected that exceeds the value established for a “Class C, D, or E device.

Note: Class C, D and E special purpose ground-fault circuit interrupter opens the circuit when the imbalance current has a value of 20 mA or higher and doesn’t trip when the current to ground is less than 15 mA.

No. 2 – Tightening torque of terminals is proposed to be a requirement, rather than an Informational Note.

110.14(D) Where a tightening torque values are indicated on equipment or installation instructions, a calibrated torque tool must be used to achieve the indicated torque value.

No. 3 – New markings proposed to be required at service equipment.

110.24(B) Service equipment must contain the following markings:

(1) Nominal system voltage
(2) Arc flash boundary
(3) At least one of the following:
(a) Available incident energy and the corresponding working distance
(b) Minimum arc rating of clothing
(c) Site-specific level of PPE

Note 1: NFPA 70E-2012, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace provides guidance in determining severity of potential expo-sure, planning safe work practices, arc flash labeling, and personal protective equipment.

Note 2: ANSI Z535.4-1998, Product Safety Signs and Labels, provides guidelines for the design of safety signs and labels.

No. 4 – Proposed text to recognize the difficulties of work space above suspended ceilings and in crawl spaces.

110.26(A)(4) Limited Access.

(a) Equipment installed above a suspended ceiling must have an access opening not smaller than 22 in. × 22 in.; equipment installed in a crawl space must have an accessible opening not smaller than 22 in. × 30 in.
(b) The width of the working space must be a minimum of 30 in., but in no case less than the width of the equipment.
(c) The working space must permit equipment doors to open 90 degrees.
(d) The working space in front of the equipment must comply with the depth requirements of Table 110.26(A)(1), and the the height of the working space must be sufficient to install the equipment. Horizontal ceiling structural member are permitted in this space.

Permanent and conspicuous signs meeting 110.21(B) are required to warn against obstructions in the working space as follows:

NOTICE

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WORKING SPACE AND EGRESS AREA

NO OBSTRUCTION OR STORAGE ALLOWED

No. 5 – Proposed rule to require equipment operating between 601 – 1000 volts to be kept in locked spaces. This is going to be an issue for PV system installations.

110.26(F) Locked Electrical Equipment Rooms or Enclosures.

(2) The entrance to all buildings, vaults, rooms, or enclosures containing exposed live parts or exposed conductors operating at 601 to 1000 volts, nominal, must be kept locked unless the entrances are under the observation of a qualified person at all times.

No. 6 – Major proposed changes for GFCI – Dwelling Units, 250V receptacles to require GFCI protection, and Special Purpose GFCIs required for 277/480V single- and three-phase circuits.

210.8 For the purpose of this section, when determining distance from receptacles, the distance is measured as the shortest path the flexible cord of an appliance connected to the receptacle would follow without piercing a floor, wall, ceiling, or fixed barrier, or passing through a door, doorway, or window.

(A) Dwelling Units. Class A GFCI protection is required for all 15A and 20A, 125V and 250V receptacles installed in the following locations:

(B) Other than Dwelling Units. All 125V, 15A and 20A receptacles installed in the locations specified in 210.8(B)(1) through (8) shall have GFCI protection for personnel
(1) Class A Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection (GFCI). Class A GFCI protection is required for:
(a) All 50A or less, 125V receptacles.
(b) Three-phase 150V-to-ground or less receptacles, 100 amperes or less.
(2) Classes C, D, or E Special-Purpose Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection (SPGFCI). SPGFCI protection is required for:
(a) All single-phase receptacles rated more than 150 volts to ground and up to 600 volts between ungrounded conductors, 100 am-peres or less. (b) All three-phase receptacles rated more than 150 volts to ground and up to 600 volts between ungrounded conductors, 100 amperes or less, shall have special-purpose ground-fault circuit interrupter (SPGFCI) protection for personnel.

No. 7 – The light for the crawl space is proposed to be GFCI protected.

210.52(i) Crawl spaces. Lighting outlets in crawl spaces at or below grade level must be GFCI protected.

No. 8 – Receptacle placement for dwelling unit peninsular countertops again revised for clarity.

210.52(C)(3) Peninsular Countertop Spaces. At least one receptacle outlet must be installed at each peninsular countertop long dimension space with a long dimension of 2 ft or greater, and a short dimension of 1 ft or more, measured from the connected peninsular wall. A wall countertop space receptacle can serve as the receptacle for a peninsular countertop space where the spaces are contiguous and the receptacle is within 6 ft of the outside edge of the peninsular countertop.

No. 9 – Clarification on the placement of required service equipment receptacle proposed.

210.64. At least one 15A or 20A, 125V receptacle outlet must be installed within 25 ft of indoor service equipment. The required receptacle must be within the same room or area of indoor service equipment.

Ex: The service equipment receptacle outlet isn’t required for one- and two-family dwellings.

No. 10 – Entirely new section proposed to address receptacle requirements for Meeting Rooms.

210.71 Meeting Rooms.

(A) General. Each meeting room in other than dwelling units, must have nonlocking-type, 15A or 20A, 125V receptacles installed in accordance with 210.71(B) through (E). Where a room or space is provided with movable partition(s), the room size must be deter-mined with the partition in the position that results in the smallest size meeting room.

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

(B) Receptacle Outlets in Fixed Walls. In meeting rooms having a floor area of 760 sq. ft or less, receptacle outlets must be installed in accordance with 210.52(A) (A)(1) through (A)(4). These receptacles outlets must be in addition to any receptacle outlets that are located within cabinets or cupboards, or located more than 5 ½ ft above the floor.

(C) Floor Receptacle Outlets. A meeting room that is at 12ft or more wide with a floor area of at 225 sq. ft and more but not greater than 760 sq. ft must have at one duplex-type receptacle located in the floor at a distance not less than 6 ft from any fixed wall.

(D) Receptacle Outlets at Moveable Room Partitions. At least one floor receptacle outlet must be installed for each 12 linear ft or major fraction thereof of movable wall measured horizontally along the floor line. These receptacle outlets must be located within 18 in. of the partition.

(E) Receptacle Outlet Placement. In applying this section, the total number of receptacle outlets must not be less than as determined in (B), (C), and (D). The receptacle outlets required by this section can be located in accordance with municipal, state, federal, or other codes and regulations, or as determined by the designer/building owner.

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

No. 11 – Vegetation is proposed to not permit its use to support service equipment.

230.10. Trees or other vegetation must not be used for the support of overhead service conductor spans or service equipment.

No. 12 – Equipment grounding conductor size for parallel installation significantly revised.

250.122(F) If circuit conductors are installed in parallel as permitted by 310.10(H), an equipment grounding conductor must be installed for each parallel conductor set in accordance with (F)(1) or (F)(2), but it’s not required to be larger than the ungrounded conductor within the raceway or cable.

(1) Raceways or Cable Trays.

(a) Single Raceway or Cable Tray. The equipment grounding conductor in each raceway or cable tray must be sized in accordance with Table 250.122, based on the rating of the circuit overcurrent device, but it’s not required to be larger than the largest ungrounded conductor.

(b) Multiple Raceways. The equipment grounding conductor in each raceway must be sized in accordance with Table 250.122, based on the rating of the circuit overcurrent device, but it’s not required to be larger than the largest ungrounded conductor within the raceway.

(2) Multiconductor Cables

(a) The equipment grounding conductor in each cable must be sized in accordance with Table 250.122, based on the rating of the circuit overcurrent device, but it’s not required to be larger than the largest ungrounded conductor within the cable.

(b) If multiconductor cables are installed in parallel in a cable tray, a single equipment grounding conductor sized in accordance with 250.122, based on the rating of the circuit overcurrent device is permitted in combination with the cable equipment grounding conductors and all equipment grounding conductors must be connected together.

No. 13 – Rooftop temperature adder for ambient temperature ampacity correction proposed to be removed if the raceway is installed at least 1” above the roof.

310.15(B)(?)(c) Raceways and Cables Exposed to Sunlight on Rooftops. Where raceways or cables are exposed to direct sunlight and located less than 7/8 in. from the roof, a temperature adder of 60°F/33°C is to be combined with the outdoor ambient temperature to determine the ambient temperature for the application of the ampacity correction in accordance with Table 310.15(B)(2)(a).

No. 14 – Requirements for tamper resistance receptacles proposed to include preschools, elementary schools, medical hallways, bus stops, gyms, skating rinks, auditoriums, and dormitories (what is a dormitory?).

406.12(D) Preschools and Elementary Education Facilities. All nonlocking-type, 15A and 20A receptacles in preschools and elemen-tary education facilities must be listed tamper-resistant.

406.12(E) Business Offices, Corridors, Waiting Rooms and the Like in Clinics, Medical and Dental Offices and Outpatient Facilities. All nonlocking-type, 15A and 20A receptacles located in business offices, corridors, waiting rooms, and the like in clinics, medical and dental offices, and outpatient facilities must be listed tamper-resistant.

406.12(F) Subset of Assembly Occupancies Described in Article 518.2 to Include Places of Waiting Transportation, Gymnasiums, Skating Rinks, and Auditoriums. All nonlocking-type, 15A and 20A receptacles located in places of waiting transportation, gymnasiums, skating rinks, and auditoriums must be listed tamper-resistant.

406.?(G) Dormitories. All nonlocking-type, 15A and 20A receptacles must be listed tamper-resistant receptacles.

No. 15 – New rule proposed to consolidate and expands GFCI protection requirements to apply to three-phase as well.

422.5(A) The following appliances rated 250 volts or less and 60 amperes or less, single or 3-phase, must be provided with GFCI protection.

(1) Automotive vacuum machines provided for public use
(2) Boat hoists
(3) Drinking water coolers
(4) Dwelling unit dishwashers
(5) High-pressure spray washing machines
(6) Tire inflation machines provided for public use
(7) Vending machines

No. 16 – Proposed rule to require and equipment grounding conductor in EMT when it’s placed on the roof for A/C equipment.

440.9 Where equipment is installed on a roof, an equipment grounding conductor of the wire type must be installed in outdoor portions of EMT.