NEC Replacement Receptacles GFCI & AFCI Protection

[Francis Vineyard]

"There are a number of points to consider before replacing non-grounding receptacles. One point is that the Code is non-retroactive, which begs the question of whether 250.114 applies at all in the case of receptacle replacements where the installation is not new.

What if the manufacturer’s instructions state that the equipment must be plugged into a receptacle with an equipment ground? Section 110.3(B) mandates that the instructions included in the listing and labeling of the equipment be followed. Therefore, if the listing of an appliance includes instructions that state it must be plugged into a grounded receptacle, then simply replacing a non-grounding type receptacle with a GFCI-protected grounding type receptacle is not compliant with 110.3(B).

Finally, the 2011 NEC revised receptacle replacement requirements for arc-fault circuit-interrupter (ACFI’s). If a branch circuit in a new installation required AFCI protection then a replacement in similar branch circuit in an existing installation beginning on January 1, 2014 is required to provide AFCI protection. This is consistent with GFCI receptacle replacements which require GFCI-protected receptacles where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are otherwise required by the NEC to be protected for a new installation."

2011 NEC Revisions for Receptacle Replacement and 2014 Requirement

Francis

 

[Gregg Harris]

250.114 Equipment Connected by Cord and Plug

. Under any of the conditions described in 250.114(1) through (4), exposed, normally non-current-carrying metal parts of cord-and-plug-connected equipment shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor.

Exception: Listed tools, listed appliances, and listed equipment covered in 250.114(2) through (4) shall not be required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor where protected by a system of double insulation or its equivalent. Double insulated equipment shall be distinctively marked.

In hazardous (classified) locations (see Articles 500 through 517)

Where operated at over 150 volts to ground

Exception No. 1: Motors, where guarded, shall not be required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor.

Exception No. 2: Metal frames of electrically heated appliances, exempted by special permission, shall not be required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor, in which case the frames shall be permanently and effectively insulated from ground.

In residential occupancies:

Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners

Clothes-washing, clothes-drying, dish-washing machines; ranges; kitchen waste disposers; information technology equipment; sump pumps and electrical aquarium equipment

Hand-held motor-operated tools, stationary and fixed motor-operated tools, and light industrial motor-operated tools

Motor-operated appliances of the following types: hedge clippers, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and wet scrubbers

Portable handlamps

In other than residential occupancies:

Refrigerators, freezers, and air conditioners

Clothes-washing, clothes-drying, dish-washing machines; information technology equipment; sump pumps and electrical aquarium equipment

Hand-held motor-operated tools, stationary and fixed motor-operated tools, and light industrial motor-operated tools

Motor-operated appliances of the following types: hedge clippers, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and wet scrubbers

Portable handlamps

Cord-and-plug-connected appliances used in damp or wet locations or by persons standing on the ground or on metal floors or working inside of metal tanks or boilers

Tools likely to be used in wet or conductive locations

Exception: Tools and portable handlamps likely to be used in wet or conductive locations shall not be required to be connected to an equipment grounding conductor where supplied through an isolating transformer with an ungrounded secondary of not over 50 volts.

 

[Francis Vineyard]

What of all the knob and tube, & 2-wire still in existance performs as intended when it was installed?

Francis

 

[jumper]

For the most part, unless you are a FM, OSHA, or similar official inspecting a commercial or industrial site enforcement of 250.114 is impossible. While an inspector can insure that a new building wire branch circuit and receptacle has an EGC, what equipment actually gets plugged into later in a swap out is usually out of his/her control.

As far as resi - forget it. Happy HO is gonna do whatever he/she wants. He/she will do the GFCI route to replace 2 prong to 3 prong receptacles and plug whatever he/she wants into it.

While this is regrettable, there is really no way to enforce the rule.

 

[Yikes]

I'm trying to wrap my brain around this in a real-world example. If I have an existing 1960s era apartment building, and in 2014 I decide to change out all the existing bedroom and living room switches and receptacles with new ones (either because they've worn out, or just for cosmetic purposes), does that mean I have to install AFCI circuit breakers?

Or AFCI outlets like this? Leviton AFTR1-W 15A TR AFCI - OneStopBuy.com

 

[Gregg Harris]

I'm trying to wrap my brain around this in a real-world example. If I have an existing 1960s era apartment building, and in 2014 I decide to change out all the existing bedroom and living room switches and receptacles with new ones (either because they've worn out, or just for cosmetic purposes), does that mean I have to install AFCI circuit breakers?Or AFCI outlets like this? Leviton AFTR1-W 15A TR AFCI - OneStopBuy.com

Here is the way that I see it, If a receptacle needs to be replaced and its location requires it to be either GFCI or AFCI or combination of both then these are the requirements;

2011 406.(4) (D)(4) effective January 1st 2014

(4) Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection. Where a receptacle outlet is supplied by a branch circuit that requires arc-fault circuit interrupter protection as specified elsewhere in this Code, a replacement receptacle at this outlet shall be one of the following:

Changed From 2008

406.4(D)(4): Added new requirement covering replacement of a receptacle at a location where arc-fault circuit interruption protection of the branch circuit is required.

(1) A listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter receptacle

(2) A receptacle protected by a listed outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter type receptacle

(3) A receptacle protected by a listed combination type arc-fault circuit interrupter type circuit breaker

This requirement becomes effective January 1, 2014.

2011 406 (D) (3) effective 2011

(3) Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupters. Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protected receptacles shall be provided where replacements are made at receptacle outlets that are required to be so protected elsewhere in this Code.