Nec- National Electric Code 2008

Hi all, this is my first post, so...my kitchen was just renovated and the electrical outlets are on the walls and I wanted them in plugmold under the cabinet. Why didn't it happen?  Long story, but I'm doing it myself now.  The electrical receptacles are on 2 separate circuits with a gfci receptacle on each and neither circuit has a receptacle outside the kitchen where I can put the gfci's, so I'm putting gfci breakers in the panel instead. I've run into a different problem on each circuit that'd like some advice on.



Circuit 1: this is a 20 amp circuit.  I have to plug this circuit's neutral wire into the gfci breaker, but I couldn't see which neutral wire matched the hot wire (buried in mess of wires) and I don't have a continuity tester so I just pulled one neutral at a time (tedious) until the circuit failed, but it never failed. So I did this again for every neutral...same result. This circuit shares a few boxes with other circuits so I'm wondering if the neutrals on different circuits are tied together somewhere, and if so I'm pretty sure, but not completely, that that's not going to work with the gfci breaker.  So I didn't install that gfci breaker since I'm not confident it would actually gfci (yep i verbified gfci).  What do you think?



Circuit 2:  this is a 20 amp circuit.  This circuit currently has the refrigerator, gas stove and range hood, and then a gfci in front of 3 electrical receptacles, which already sounds bad since I thought the kitchen receptacles required 2 dedicated circuits. I replaced that breaker with no problem, but it tripped after a few minutes and continued to trip every few minutes. I haven't changed anything else on that circuit yet and it's never tripped before, but now it is, so I put the old breaker back for now. The current gfci receptacle is only protecting the 3 outlets since the appliances are ahead of it. I know you wouldn't normally want the appliances gfci protected, so do you think the refrigerator motor may be a problem?  Do I need the appliances on a separate circuit?  What would you suggest I do?



Thanks, and if you're wondering "why all the effort?", it's partly because I'm meddlesome, partly because I'm bored, and partly because the backsplash tile is to be on showcase, not the electrical receptacles.
      

I am going to try and shed some much needed light on doing your own electrical work in The Great Police State of New Jersey. I will continue to add to this thread as time permits. Please do not PM me as I would rather respond to your questions and comments in this thread so that others may benefit as well.



Currently New Jersey is using the 2008 NEC for all new construction.

For any work falling under the Rehab Subcode - 2005 NEC.

The 2011 NEC has not been adopted yet.



The NEC as written is not the the electrical code for NJ. The Electrical Subcode can be found in the Uniform Construction Code of New Jersey (UCC). Currently the UCC has adopted the 2008 NEC with modifications which can be found here on page 67. While none of the modifications are severe changes from what is in the book, it still needs to be stated.



One of the modifications reads as follows;



3. Chapter 2 of the electrical subcode, entitled "Wiring and Protection," is amended as follows:

i. Section 210.8 (A)(2) and (5) of Article 210, entitled Branch Circuits, is deleted; it is replaced by Section 210.8(A)(2) and (5) and the exceptions in the National Electrical Code 2005 as follows:

"210.8(A)(2) - Garages, and also accessory buildings that have a floor located at or below grade level not intended as habitable rooms and limited to storage areas, work areas, and areas of similar use.

Exception No. 1 to (2) - Receptacles that are not readily accessible.

Exception No. 2 to (2) - A single receptacle or a duplex receptacle for two appliances located within dedicated space for each appliance that, in normal use, is not easily moved from one place to another and that is cord-and-plug connected in accordance with 400.7(A)(6), (A)7, or (A)(8).

Receptacles installed under the exceptions to 210.8(A)(2) shall not be considered as meeting the requirements of 210.52(G).

210.8(A)(5) - Unfinished basements: For purposes of this section, unfinished basements are defined as portions or areas of the basement not intended as habitable rooms and limited to storage areas, work areas, and the like.

Exception No. 1 to (5) - Receptacles that are not readily accessible.

Exception No. 2 to (5) - A single receptacle or a duplex receptacle for two appliances located within dedicated space for each appliance that, in normal use, is not easily moved from one place to another and that is cord-and-plug connected in accordance with 400.7(A)(6), (A)7, or (A)(8).

Exception No. 3 to (5) - A receptacle supplying only a permanently installed fire alarm or burglar alarm system shall not be required to have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection."



What this means is that we are reverting back to the 2005 NEC for these sections when wiring a new building.



When wiring an existing building the Rehab Subcode needs to be reviewed. Currently all work being performed under the Rehab Subcode must comply with the 2005 NEC. This includes the installation of AFCI devices, which in most cases are not required.



Permits and inspections are regulated under the UCC. Everything anyone needs to know about the Construction Department can be found in the UCC. The Rehab Subcode can also be found in the UCC.



THe Rehab Subcode comes into play if you are performing work on an existing structure.



To check if someone has an EC license go here.



For electrical contractor licensing requirements go here. New Jersey does not reciprocate with any other state.



Electrical contractors laws and regulations here.



List of inspectors by municipality here.



Online permit forms and application here. Note: All municipalties are required to accept these forms. If a town refuses them, call the DCA @ Phone: (609) 292-7898, (609) 292-7899, Fax: (609)-633-6729 and complain.



Assorted DCA forms here.



Home Improvement Contractors information here. List of licensed HI contractors here.



Fire Alarm, Burglar Alarm and Locksmith info here.



Home Inspectors here.



After reading this perhaps you will have a new found respect for what contractors go through everyday in order to work in this great state.





To be continued...,



I would like to know if this information has helped anyone. Please post a thanks if it does. Thanks
      

Hi all,



I have two outdoor receptacles that are wired into a junction box in the crawlspace under my house. They are actually ran into a spare bedroom's circuit...therefore not gfi protected.  There is a switch above the access (indoors) to the crawlspace that powers these outlets and also light that runs off of the junction point also.



Would I be able to replace the switch with a dead front gfci switch to get these outlets protected. Would doing this be safe and up to code?



Would I be better off undoing all of the previous owner's work and putting these on a dedicated gfci circuit?



House was built in '87 and I am in the US.
      

I am new to the forum so kindly bear with me.  I live in Mesa, AZ and have just had a PEX repipe done to bypass my copper hot water lines.  (God don't ask!  A real problem here with slab foundations.  I already had my kitchen jack hammered once.  It is NOT pretty!).

It seems really odd to me that just because it is a dedicated circuit  that code would not require that circuit to be GFCI protected.

I have a dedicated 20 amp duplex 12 AWG wire outlet under the sink and it is within a few inches of the water lines.  The outlet serves a switch for the garbage disposal and serves my dishwasher which is always hot. 

  Now that I have all my maple cabinets pulled out I thought I might change the outlet to a GFCI just to be safe.  I have a ground wire, a red wire, a black wire and a white wire.  As it is dedicated I think I should use the LINE sided instead of the LOAD side but I am not sure where the wires should go.

Could someone give me info on this?  It would be greatly appreciated.  Thank you.
      

Summary of what I'm doing:



Adding 2 outlets for above and below cabinet lighting.  Lights are line-level and plug into an outlet.  I want to install a single double-rocker switch to control each of these outlets.



All of the double rockers I can find are 15-amp.  The circuit I am planning to use for power is a 20a.  Am I sunk?  Will I need to install 2 single 20a switches?  I would only put 15a outlets in, obviously, but this doesn't seem like the right way.  Are there 20a switches that I just can't seem to find?



This is what I'm looking for:





One other thing, the circuit I am using for this is GFCI protected.  Should the lighting part of this circuit go to the load (to be GFCI protected) or is it advisable to put the lights before the GFCI?
      

I completed my whole house rewire last Fall (took 2 years and severely tested my wife's patience). I read 5 wiring books in the early stages but read Rex Cauldwell's Wiring a House with his above code suggestions near the end of the project and now im obsessing about some of the stuff I didnt do. What do you guys think of some of the suggestions, specifically,



1. Driving 8 ground rods and the wire must be continuous (I drove 4 but the #6 copper wire from the panel to rod 1 is 1 wire and the #6 wire from rod 1 through rod 4 is another wire but both are properly clampled to rod 1 with an acord clamp). Funny, even with 4 rods there is almost no current through the rods versus 2-3 amps through the traditional cold water pipe ground



2. 1 circuit for each duplex receptacle in bathrooms. Since I have a quad in each of the batchrooms, that would be 4 circuits instead of 1 (code allows an unlimited number of bathroom receptacles on one circuit which does seem odd)



3. Nothing shared with kitchen counter receptacles (ie kitchen wall and dining room on their own)



4. Dedicated circuits for everything - I added dedicted circuit for fridge, microwave and dishwasher/disposer, but did not separate the dishwasher disposer onto 2 circuits. There used to be what I called "Circuit X" which did kitchen counter, microwave, dishwasher, disposer, fridge, 2 kitchen counter outlets, dining room and 1 outside outlet. Wife frequently blew that one. Circuit X was divided into at least 5 circuits during the rewire



5. No switch loops - did 5 of these to save on carpentry/avoid certain box fill problems. Now 2011 code says no switch loops without a neutral. Oops?



Just wondering what you guys think.
      

We are just beginning to start with our kitchen remodel. Today, I mapped out all the circuits and this is what I found.



Circuit # 7 - 20 amp circuit to 1 back splash outlet then to 3 kitchen wall outlets, then to a closet outlet and closet ceiling light and then to a side  porch light!



Circuit # 8 - 20 amp to Dishwasher and Disposal



Circuit # 9 - 20 amp circuit to microwave and kitchen ceiling lights. 2 patio recessed lights and dining room ceiling light.



Circuit # 12 - 20 amp circuit to another back splash outlet then to 2 dining room wall outlets.



Circuit # 14 - 20 amp to Refrigerator only



Circuit # 18 - 15 amp to GFCI outlet in garage then that feeds 3 outlets for 3 bathroom outlets and 1 outside patio outlet.



I going to have to add 1 more back splash outlet due to increase in counter space. I'll put the microwave on a dedicated circuit. So I need 2 additional breakers but I only have 1 blank spot in the breaker panel. I guess I can add one of those slim tandem breakers.



So my question, is it ok to have additional wall outlets on the same circuit as a back splash outlet?  If it's ok I'll lighten up circuit # 7 by putting some of those wall outlets on the additional back splash outlet.

Oh, I have 2 20 amp circuits I did not get identified yet! I'll get to those tomorrow.



thanks!
      

I have this cirucit with a GFCI outlet, then two regular outlets off the load.  None of them work.  The GFCI reset button was out, push it in, it pops back out. 



I replaced the GFCI with a new one and it seems to be fine.  (GFCI outlet and load outlets are working).



Is this common?  (I mean that a GFCI would go bad, and display this for behavior?)



Thank you, and if this is a stupid question, you may electronically "dope slap" me!
      

Can an outside receptacle be protected by a GFCI on the inside of my garage or must the recep. outside be a GFCI aslo?
      

Anyone that can explain the apparent contradiction in this label would be appreciated. I have a box of GFCI's with a label on the side reading as follows:



NOTICE Not intended for use in wet and damp locations as defined by 2008 NEC 506.8 requirements.



Soo... um, they're saying I can't use this GFCI in the locations where GFCI is required??