To play this game, you need a sharp eye, a quick mind and a 2014 National Electrical Code book.
(Fill-in-the-blank questions are looking for the exact word(s) used in the NEC.)
The Questions
1) Three-way and four-way switches shall be wired so that all switching is done only in the __________ circuit conductor.
- Neutral
- Grounded
- Ungrounded
- Re-identified
2) An individual office furnishing or groups of interconnected individual office furnishings shall not contain more than __________ 15-ampere, 125-volt receptacle outlets.
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
3) A fixed storage-type water heater that has a capacity of __________ or less shall be considered a continuous load for the purposes of sizing branch circuits.
- 115 L (30 gal)
- 190 L (50 gal)
- 450 L (120 gal)
- 570 L (150 gal)
4) Storage batteries in a solar photovoltaic system shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of __________.
- Article 450
- Article 480
- Article 690
- Article 705
5) Receptacles rated 20 amperes or less and designed for the direct connection of __________ conductors shall be marked CO/ALR.
- copper
- insulated
- aluminum
- copper-clad aluminum
6) For cord-connected equipment such as __________ air conditioners, household refrigerators and freezers, drinking water coolers, and beverage dispensers, a separable connector or an attachment plug and receptacle shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means.
- Room
- Space
- Window
- Portable
7) The phase arrangement on 3-phase horizontal common power and vertical buses shall be __________ from front to back, top to bottom, or left to right, as viewed from the front of the industrial control panel. The B phase shall be that phase having the higher voltage to ground on 3-phase, 4-wire, delta-connected systems.
- A, B, C
- B, C, A
- C, B, A
- Labeled
8) Control circuit devices with screw-type pressure terminals used with 14 AWG or smaller copper conductors are required to be torqued to a minimum of 0.8 N·m (7 lb-in.) unless identified for a different torque value.
- True
- False
9) Energized equipment parts for fire pump installations are required to be located at least 450 mm (18 in.) above floor level.
- True
- False
10) Fuses installed as part of service equipment panelboards in accordance with the provisions of 230.94 are prohibited from being installed on the load side of the service switch.
- True
- False
Bonus Question
[WpProQuiz 9]
The Answers
1) C, Ungrounded. This requirement is found in Section 404.2(A), and additionally requires that if the circuit is in a metal raceway or metal-armored cable, the wiring must comply with 300.20(A). Therefore, all circuit conductors, including the grounded and equipment grounding conductors must be grouped together if the raceway or cable armor is ferrous metal.
2) D, 13. Article 605 covers electrical equipment, lighting accessories, and wiring systems used to connect, contained within, or installed on office furnishings. In 605.9(C), receptacle outlets that are part of the office furnishing are limited to no more than 13, and multiwire circuits are prohibited in (D).
3) C, 450 L (120 gal). This requirement is located in Section 422.13. Article 422 covers electrical appliances used in any occupancy, and 422.10 requires that continuous loads be calculated at 125% for the purposes of determining the rating of the branch circuit.
4) B, Article 480. This language is found in 690.71(A), located in Part VIII, which contains rules for storage batteries used with photovoltaic systems. Article 480 applies to all stationary installations of storage batteries, and the language underwent significant revision in the 2014 NEC.
) C, Aluminum. Section 406.3(C) requires the CO/ALR marking for receptacles of 20 amps or less when used with aluminum conductors. Larger receptacles suitable for use with aluminum conductors will be marked “AL/CU”, “AL7CU”, “AL9CU”, or a similar marking indicating that they are acceptable for use with aluminum conductors.
6) A, Room. This language is found in Section 440.13, and additional requirements for the disconnecting means for room air conditioners are found in 440.63: “An attachment plug and receptacle or cord connector shall be permitted to serve as the disconnecting means for a single-phase room air conditioner rated 250 volts or less if (1) the manual controls on the room air conditioner are readily accessible and located within 1.8 m (6 ft) of the floor, or (2) an approved manually operable disconnecting means is installed in a readily accessible location within sight from the room air conditioner.”
7) A, A, B, C. Section 409.102(B) covers phase arrangement for industrial control panels utilizing busbars. For additions to existing installations, the NEC allows other busbar arrangements, and requires that the phases be permanently marked.
8) A, True. This requirement is found in 430.9(C), and it applies to motor control circuit devices. Specific torque requirements are rare in the NEC, although Annex I includes default values to be used in certain cases where the manufacturer’s information is lacking. Where torque values are included in the listing and labeling information provided by a manufacturer, 110.3(B) requires that the connections be installed to that torque value.
9) B, False. Fire pump equipment location requirements are found in 695.12, with the requirement in (D) that energized equipment parts must be installed at least 12 inches above the floor. Fire pump controller and power transfer switches must also be located or protected against damage by water escaping from pumps or pump connections.
10) B, False. Section 408.39 requires that fuses of any type be installed on the load side of any switches in panelboards, with an exception allowing fuses that are part of service equipment to be installed on the line side of the service switch. There is no prohibition against fuses being installed on the load side of the service switch.
