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NEC 2020 Question on GFCI Protection

jar546

jar546

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In the 2020 NEC, Section 210.8(F) introduced GFCI protection for equipment in certain areas. Which of the following best describes the specifics of this requirement in relation to HVAC equipment and its applicability to receptacles?

A) GFCI protection is only required for HVAC equipment connected to 125-volt receptacles, regardless of location.

B) GFCI protection is required for all HVAC equipment, but only when connected to receptacles located outdoors.

C) GFCI protection is required for HVAC equipment connected to 125-volt through 250-volt receptacles, when the equipment is located outdoors.

D) There is no specific GFCI protection required for HVAC equipment in the 2020 NEC.
 
California Electrical Code 2022

(E) Equipment Requiring Servicing
GFCI protection shall be provided for the receptacles required by 210.63.

(F) Outdoor Outlets
All outdoor outlets for dwellings, other than those covered in 210.8 (A)(3), Exception to (3), that are supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts to ground or less, 50 amperes or less, shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel. This requirement shall become effective on January 1, 2023, for mini-split-type heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment and other HVAC units employing power conversion equipment as a means to control compressor speed.
Informational Note: Power conversion equipment is the term used to describe the components used in HVAC equipment that is commonly referred to as a variable speed drive. The use of power conversion equipment to control compressor speed differs from multistage compressor speed control.
 
SCBO1 said:
I can't enforce a TIA (Tenative Interim Amendment)
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The TIA I remembered was only till 2023. I suspect that we are in a similar situation since we adopted the 2020 NEC effective January 1st 2023 - the next edition of the code comes out, and then we are largely stuck with rules we know will change in the next edition.

We are not totally stuck, it's just a major pain to get changes officially adopted mid-code cycle, especially after all of the work we put in up front training contractors about the new code cycle..
 
mark handler said:
California Electrical Code 2022

(E) Equipment Requiring Servicing
GFCI protection shall be provided for the receptacles required by 210.63.

(F) Outdoor Outlets
All outdoor outlets for dwellings, other than those covered in 210.8 (A)(3), Exception to (3), that are supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts to ground or less, 50 amperes or less, shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel. This requirement shall become effective on January 1, 2023, for mini-split-type heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment and other HVAC units employing power conversion equipment as a means to control compressor speed.
Informational Note: Power conversion equipment is the term used to describe the components used in HVAC equipment that is commonly referred to as a variable speed drive. The use of power conversion equipment to control compressor speed differs from multistage compressor speed control.
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Can you provide a section number please.

My California Electrical Code has this:

210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel shall be provided as required in 210.8(A) through (F). The ground-fault circuit interrupter shall be installed in a readily accessible location.
(F) Outdoor Outlets. All outdoor outlets for dwellings, other than those covered in 210.8(A) (3), Exception to (3), that are supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts to ground or less, 50 amperes or less, shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel.

Exception: Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection shall not be required on lighting outlets other than those covered in 210.8(C ).


I had a conversation with an Edison employee. The subject of electrocution came up. He stated that the only Edison employee that he was aware of having been electrocuted was a meter reader. Apparently the meter reader touched an A/C condenser that had a ground fault and no EGC. The condenser was placed below and in front of the meter so the meter reader touched both the condenser and the meter enclosure.

It made sense to include HVAC under the umbrella of GFCI.

I have encountered dozens of installations that looked like this:

IMG_3708.JPG
 
I can say a GFCI receptacle within 25ft of an A/C unit was sometimes hard to enforce. In fact I was getting ready to remove the requirement then I asked an HVAC contractor his thoughts and he said I wouldn't do that, their has been times the only receptacle he could find for his compressor was on a deck several feet high or out the front bedroom window. It was best to leave it in was his response.
 
Beniah Naylor said:
We are not totally stuck, it's just a major pain to get changes officially adopted mid-code cycle, especially after all of the work we put in up front training contractors about the new code cycle..
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Run through legislative body most likely, addendum to the code that was passed. Sometimes the state passes something that requires an addendum to the code adoption. Here the state does not require residential structures to have fire suppression systems however the contractor is suppose to ask the client if they want them installed.

jar546 said:
What about errata?
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I believe that could fly due to the intent or error of omission. Probably should go back through the legislative body for approval as an addendum which could be the way a TIA could get passed.
 
ICE said:
Up.codes has a version of the CEC that I am not familiar with.
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What source do you use for the CEC?

I'm not a huge fan of upcodes, I rely on the hard copy of my code books when it counts, purchased as a set through ICC, and I personally insert the supplements/errata. I will admit though that for casual looking it is easier to browse on the computer. So far I have not found any discrepancies. I also go to the building standards commission website periodically to check their published versions for new errata and supplements. It is my understanding that what they publish on their website is the most definitive source.
 
Well I have to take my last statement back, just double checked and discovered that this is indeed an upcodes discrepancy.

"This requirement shall become effective on January 1, 2023, for mini-split-type heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment and other HVAC units employing power conversion equipment as a means to control compressor speed."

Does not exist in my hard copy, and does not exist in the BSC published version. I would say that this is not valid. I am very curious where this came from.
 
TIA 20-13 2020 National Electrical Code, Article 210, Section 210.8(f)
Background
Pursuant to Section 5 of the NFPA Regulations Governing the Development of NFPA
Standards, the NFPA has issued the following TIA to NFPA 70®, NEC, 2020 edition.
The TIA 20-13 was processed by the National Electrical Code Panel 2, and the NEC
Correlating Committee, and was issued by the Standards Council on August 26, 2021,
with an effective date of September 15, 2021.
This expansion of GFCI protection in the 2020 NEC, for the purpose of
covering exterior outlets through 250-volts at dwelling units, is a necessary
enhancement for electrical safety. Code Making Panel 2 supported the expansion of
GFCI protection to cover these outdoor outlets based on the electrocution of a young
boy who came into contact with the energized enclosure of an outdoor HVAC unit.
The purpose of this TIA is not to eliminate the GFCI protection for all HVAC outdoor
equipment, but to extend the date of enforcement for the circuit supplying the HVAC
units employing power conversion equipment.
Revise Section 210.8(f) to read as follows:
210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel.
…
(F) Outdoor Outlets. All outdoor outlets for dwellings, other than those covered in
210.8 (A)(3), Exception to (3), that are supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated
150 volts to ground or less, 50 amperes or less, shall have ground-fault circuit-
interrupter protection for personnel. This requirement shall become effective on January
1, 2023, for mini-split-type heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment and
other HVAC units employing power conversion equipment as a means to control
compressor speed.

Informational Note: Power conversion equipment is the term used to describe the
components used in HVAC equipment that is commonly referred to as a variable speed
drive. The use of power conversion equipment to control compressor speed differs from
multistage compressor speed control.

Exception: Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection shall not be required on lighting
outlets other than those covered in 210.8(C).
 
While a TIA or an errata may be of interest they cannot be enforced until the entity that adopted the code has taken formal action to modify the code.
 
Mark K said:
While a TIA or an errata may be of interest they cannot be enforced until the entity that adopted the code has taken formal action to modify the code.
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Oh you'd be surprised to know the truth about that. Hell's Bells, I even made a few of my own.

Pay attention to how government works. The elected officials come and go. The bureaucrats are there for a lifetime. The elected officials are made to feel important as long as they stay out of the way. The decision making is done behind closed doors. New laws, old laws, they all need the cooperation of the bureaucrats.
 
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