The purpose statement of the NEC , section 90.1(A) states, “The purpose of this Code is the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity.” In other words, it all comes back...

With the addition of new Section 725.144 and the accompanying Table 725.144 in the 2017 NEC covering transmission of power and data to a powered device comes the requirement for a special marking of the cable used for these...

Since moving south in June, I have paid a lot more attention to thunderstorms. Thunderstorms in the Southeast are more powerful and frequent than I experienced in the Northeast. The most severe thunderstorms generate...

Jim Dollard has an extensive background in codes and standards. If you have a query about the National Electrical Code, Jim will help you solve it. Send questions to codefaqs@gmail.com . Answers are based on the 2017 NEC ....

Two recent headlines caught my attention. The first one is from June 29, 2019: “Fire breaks out in transformer at Providence power plant.” The report indicated that thick, black smoke caused a major traffic jam on Interstates...

For the past few national electrical code cycles, there has been a growing concern in the electrical industry with a phenomenon called electric shock drowning (ESD) occurring in and around marinas, boatyards, floating...

Jim Dollard has an extensive background in codes and standards. If you have a query about the National Electrical Code (NEC), Jim will help you solve it. Send questions to codefaqs@gmail.com . Answers are based on the 2017...

According to the 2018 edition of NFPA 70E, the definition of electrical safety is “identifying hazards associated with the use of electrical energy and taking precautions to reduce the risk associated with those hazards.”...

Jim Dollard has an extensive background in codes and standards. If you have a query about the National Electrical Code (NEC), Jim will help you solve it. Send questions to codefaqs@gmail.com . Answers are based on the 2017...

We all remember our first fire alarm system installation. Good or bad, we learned from it. On my first installation, I remember going back to my office to speak with the “engineer” we relied on for information. He actually...

UPDATE: OSHA has delayed the deadline by an additional two weeks until Dec. 15. Click here for the official announcement from OSHA. This December 1 is the deadline set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration...

Grounding methods and requirements for systems operating at more than 1,000 volts (V), such as 5- and 15-kilovolt (kV) systems, differ slightly from those for systems of 1,000V or less. Systems in these voltage ranges are...

Those of us who use the National Electrical Code (NEC) on a regular basis and are familiar with the words as well as the intent of the text can often overlook the most obvious interpretations by the rest of the electrical...

Jim Dollard has an extensive background in codes and standards. If you have a query about the National Electrical Code (NEC), Jim will help you solve it. Questions can be sent to codefaqs@gmail.com . Answers are based on the...

There are many reasons for motor failures, such as overloading, bearing failures, rotor failures, worn shafts, and short circuits or ground faults within the motor windings, and contaminants that may enter the motor, causing...

Article 240 in the National Electrical Code (NEC) provides general requirements for overcurrent protection and overcurrent protective devices. When sizing conductors, the rating of the overcurrent device must be considered....

Protecting conductors For a 1,200-ampere (A), three-phase, 120/208-volt (V) service, can I run three sets of 500 kcmil underground from the transformer pad to the main 1,200A switch, or does it have to be 600 kcmil? Table 310...