Mark C. Ode

One of my passions, other than the National Electrical Code (NEC), has been fire alarm systems, as covered by NFPA 72, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code. When I was a licensed electrical contractor in the Phoenix area in...

Both the National Electrical Code (NEC) and NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace, use the phrase “arcing current.” It is located in 240.87(B)(5) and (B)(6) in the NEC and in many places within NFPA 70E....

Can a manual transfer switch, a trapped key interlock system (commonly known as a Kirk Key system), an emergency automatic transfer switch and a permanently mounted generator be used at an industrial installation to provide...

Electrical systems age, usage increases and people upgrade their homes and offices. This combination is pushing many electrical systems to their limits. Enhancing a home or office’s electrical service requires an informed...

General requirements for conductor connections, terminations, splices and terminal temperatures are covered in 110.14 of the National Electrical Code (NEC). Since 1990, there have been some very substantial changes in 110.14...

I recently received an email from a homeowner who was installing a high-end media room and had questions about his home’s electrical system and the new circuits for the audio/video equipment. Before doing the installation,...

Transformer installations are common throughout residential, commercial and industrial applications. Most electricians, electrical contractors, electrical engineers and electrical inspectors are familiar with installation...

Each National Electrical Code (NEC) revision cycle seems to result in a multitude of changes in Article 210, Part III, which covers required lighting and receptacle outlets. There are so many changes in each new Code that...

Does the National Electrical Code (NEC) recognize reconditioned electrical equipment, and is such equipment safe? There are many different considerations in this question, and the acceptance of reconditioned electrical...

Two sections in the National Electrical Code (NEC) provide methods of calculating loads for existing installations. One deals exclusively with existing dwelling units, while the other deals with any existing dwellings,...

A friend recently sent me an email with this picture (right) of a manual fire alarm pull station mounted on the side of an electrical panelboard. My friend was inspecting the fire alarm system and was accompanied by the...

For years, Article 516 of the National Electrical Code (NEC)— covering spray applications, dipping and coating processes using flammable liquids, combustible liquids and combustible powders—did not seem to change much, if at...