Check your knowledge of audible and visible notification appliance requirements of the 2016 NFPA 72.

Conductors and equipment covered by the National Electrical Code (NEC)—including prefabricated systems and installations—are required to be approved. NEC tables help Code users accurately apply the requirements. Rules that appear in tabular form and without exceptions provide precise values and information. Use of the tables requires gathering required information and determining the corresponding value within the applicable table.

In fiber optics, color codes relay a lot of vital information. They help electrical contractors determine which fiber, cable or connector they are working with and ensure the installation is correct. How well do you know fiber optic color codes?

To comply with OSHA regulations and other standards such as NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, lighting installed in temporary and permanent locations has to meet specific safety requirements.

Many new requirements have been added in the codes and standards for carbon monoxide (CO) detection in the last few years. Test your knowledge of CO gas and detection requirements.

August is the middle of hurricane season, and many communities face dangerous weather with excessive winds, torrential rains and flooding. So, take time to ensure you have emergency supplies available and travel plans in the event there is a hurricane or a declaration of evacuation. In case of an evacuation order, remember the six P’s: people, prescriptions, papers, pets, personal needs and priceless items.

Test your knowledge of the latest pathway survivability requirements from NFPA 72-2002.

Electrical wiring in hazardous (classified) locations is significantly more restrictive than wiring in general unclassified locations. Good design ingenuity for systems in these environments is to locate as much of the electrical wiring and equipment outside the classified location. The basic approach of addressing the hazardous (classified) location is to remove one or more components of the fire triangle—oxygen, fuel and an ignition source—to reduce the possibility of an explosion. Electrical installations present significant ignition sources for these environments.

How well do you know the requirements for duct smoke detectors? Requirements come from a number of different codes and standards. Take this quiz and test your knowledge.

Chapter 4 of the NEC, Equipment for General Use, includes the minimum requirements for equipment such as motors, transformers, appliances, heating equipment and more. According to Section 90.3, these rules are general in nature but could be amended by the specific requirements in chapters 5–7. Properly applying the NEC requires steady use and accurate navigation, so students of the Code are always learning.

Article 100 of the National Electrical Code (NEC) contains definitions that are used in more than two articles of the Code. Several revisions in the 2017 version of the NEC include both new and revised definitions. Check your Code proficiency using defined terms. All answers are based on the 2017 NEC.

According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction. During the first week of Electrical Safety Month, OSHA held its National Stand-Down to Prevent Falls. Test your fall-protection knowledge here.

Some safety issues are unique to working with fiber optics, while others are common to all aspects of cable installation. How well do you know the safety concerns for fiber optics?

How well do you know NFPA 72 requirements for fire alarm power supplies? Take this quiz and test your knowledge.

NEC Chapter 6, Special Equipment, covers photovoltaic systems, wind electrical systems, fuel cell systems, welders, IT equipment and more. As indicated in Section 90.3, the requirements in Chapter 6 can modify or amend the general rules in chapters 1–4, 5 and 7. Often the amendments or modifications are more restrictive than the general rules, but equal and effective safety requirements attained allow for the modifications by the later chapters.

What are the general voltage and current limitations on cables for electrical installations involving network cabling, low-voltage control systems, occupancy sensors and power over ethernet (PoE) cables? Refer to the National Electrical Code and other industry literature to perform a safe, efficient installation.

During the pandemic, many people worked and studied at home, all needing broadband internet to do so. Robust home internet is best achieved with fiber to the home (FTTH) using passive optical networks (PONs). How well do you understand FTTH using PONs?

How well do you know the characteristics for application and selection of fire alarm notification appliances? Try this quiz and see how well you know them.

Chapter 6, Special Equipment, addresses equipment installations such as fire pumps, electric signs, elevators and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE). In addition to the electrical general installation rules, Chapter 6 requirements often modify general rules in a more restrictive fashion.

Fiber optic communications has been around so long that we don’t think much about how it got started and developed into the powerful communications systems of today. Let’s test your knowledge of fiber optics history (and give you some trivia to impress your colleagues with).