Residential
Electrical Codes
Loads:
1.
14/2 Maximum of 10 devices
2.
12/2 Maximum of 12 devices
Dedicated 12/2 GFI Line: (20 Amp)
1. Washing
Machine
2. Refrigerator
3. Garbage
Disposal
4. Sump
Pump
5. Sewage
Ejection
Dedicated Line:
1.
Dishwasher (15 Amp)
2.
Trash compactor (20 Amp)
3.
Microwave (20 Amp)
4.
Furnace
GFI Lines: (Maximum of 3 outlets in
series on load side)
1. Bathroom
Outlets (Allowed to group bathroom
outlets together from various locations)
a. 20
amp required with 12/2 cable
b. One
receptacle is required to be adjacent to each basin in every bathroom
2. Kitchen
Counter (Outlet
every 2 & required for wall counter 12 or wider)
a. 20
amp required with 12/2 cable
b. Only
4 or 6 outlets per circuit depends on county
c. Islands
12 or wider must have at least one receptacle
3. At
least 1 outlet in garage all must be on GFI
4. At
least 1 outlet required in front of the house
5. At
least 1 outlet required in back of the house
6. Outlet
required in attic & crawl space
7. Wet
bars
8. Sheds
Outlet Requirements:
1.
Outlet required on walls 2 or more
2.
Outlets required every 6 or 8 depending on
county
3.
Outlet required in hallway 10 or more
4.
At least 1 receptacle in unfinished basement. (GFI required.)
5.
No outlet may be installed over an electric
baseboard heater.
6.
Receptacles installed in the floor must be a
box/ receptacle combination designed specifically for that purpose. (Receptacles installed in the floor with 18 of the
walls may be used in place of the wall mounted outlet.)
Light Requirements:
1. At
least one wall switch-controlled outlet or light is required in every habitable
room (bathroom,
hallways, stairways, attached garage, detached garage
with electrical power, and outdoor entrances and exits.)
2. The
lighting outlet for interior stairways must have a wall switch at each floor
level where the difference between the floor level is
six steps or more.
3. Bathroom
Lights on dedicated circuit (Allowed to group bathroom lights together from various locations)
4. At
least one switch controlled light is required in attic, crawl space, utility
room, and any space used for storage or that contain equipment requiring
servicing.
Smoke Detectors:
1.
Smoke detectors in bedrooms, hallways,
living rooms, dens & basement (even if unfinished) must be on
bedroom circuit.
2.
Must be mounted within 12 of the peak of
the highest point of the ceiling.
3.
Must be mounted 12 from the wall.
General Requirements:
9. Staple
within 8 of plasic box and every 4-1/2 feet
thereafter.
10.
Staple within 12 of metal boxes,
utilizing approved connectors
11.
Staple within 8 of light can
12.
Cable must be 1-1/4 from the nearest
edge of the framing member where nails or screws may penetrate the cable, if
this distance cannot be maintained the cable must be protected by a steel plate
or sleeve at least 1/16 thick.
13.
Individual staple for 12/3 and 14/3 wires
14.
Allowed to group only 2 wires together of
12/2 and 14/2 (doesnt
matter which combination)
15.
Use 3M Stackers where more than 2 wires
are or when next to 12/3 or 14/3 wires.
16.
Bedrooms must be on ARC Fault breakers
17.
Three or more wires into a box must be
pig-tailed
18.
All service equipment and electrical
panels must have a clear area of 30 wide and 36 deep in front. (This clear area must extend
from floor to ceiling with no intrusions from other equipment, cabinets,
counters, appliances.)
19.
Panels are not allowed in clothes closets
or bathrooms.
20.
All service equipment must be large
enough to supply the connected load.
a. 100
AMPS use 4 AWG Copper or 2 AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
b. 125
AMPS use 2 AWG Copper or 1/0 AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
c. 150
AMPS use 1 AWG Copper or 2/0 AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
d. 175
AMPS use 1/0 AWG Copper or 3/0 AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
e. 200
AMPS use 2/0 AWG Copper or 4/0 AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
f.
225 AMPS use 3/0 AWG Copper or 250kcmil AL-AWG
Aluminum & Copper Clad
g. 250
AMPS use 4/0 AWG Copper or 300kcmil AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
h. 300
AMPS use 250kcmil AWG Copper or 350kcmil AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
i.
350 AMPS use 350kcmil AWG Copper or 500kcmil
AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
j.
400 AMPS use 400kcmil AWG Copper or 600kcmil
AL-AWG Aluminum & Copper Clad
21.
The main service equipment panel must be
mounted either outside or inside the dwelling as near as possible to the point
of entrance of the service conductors to the building.
22.
The main service equipment panel must be
grounded to a ground rod and to a water bond, which is the incoming water line.
23.
In main service equipment panels, the
neutral and equipment grounding conductors are bonded together.
24.
The neutral in the main service equipment
panel, must be bonded to the service enclosure, the bond screw must be green in
color, and the grounding electrode system.
25.
In sub-panels the neutral is isolated
from the ground.
a. #6
copper for 100 AMP
b. #4
copper for 200 AMP
26.
All cables must include a ground
conductor
27.
Requirements for Copper NM Cable type (aka romex)
a. #14
Copper NM Cable type for 15 ameres
b. #12
Copper NM Cable type for 20 ameres
c. #10
Copper NM Cable type for 30 ameres
d. #8
Copper NM Cable type for 50 ameres
e. #6
Copper NM Cable type for 65 ameres
f.
#4 Copper NM Cable type for 80 ameres
28.
All romex must
have a 90 degree conductor insulation rating.
a. #14
and #12 is used for lighting and receptacle circuits
b. 10/2
is used for electric water heaters.
c. 10/3
with ground for electrical dryers.
d. 8/3
is used for cooktops.
e. 6/3
with ground for ranges and wall mounted ovens.
f.
Ranges and clothes dryers must be wired with
four wires.
29.
Requirements for S.E. and S.E.R. Aluminum
Cable (Use
aluminum antioxidant on all aluminum connections.)
a. #8
S.E. and S.E.R. Aluminum Cable type for 40 ameres
b. #6
S.E. and S.E.R. Aluminum Cable type for 50 ameres
c. #4
S.E. and S.E.R. Aluminum Cable type for 60 ameres
d. #3
S.E. and S.E.R. Aluminum Cable type for 70 ameres
e. #2
S.E. and S.E.R. Aluminum Cable type for 90 ameres
1.
15 Amperes Maximum Wattage is 2,880 Watts
2.
20 Amperes Maximum Wattage is 3,840 Watts
3.
30 Amperes Maximum Wattage is 5,760 Watts