2. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CODE
McGraw-Hill’s National Electrical code 2020 handbook is based
on the 2020 edition of the National Electrical Code as developed
by the National Electrical Code Committee of the American
National Standards institute (ANSI), sponsored by the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The national electrical code
is identified by the designation NFPA no. 70-2020.
3. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CODE
The NFPA adopted the Code at the NFPA Technical meeting
held in June , 2019 and the Standards Council officially issued
it in August, 2019.
The National Electrical Code, as its name implies, is a
nationally accepted guide to the safe installation of electrical
wiring and equipment.
4. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CODE
The committee sponsoring its development includes all parties of
interest having technical competence in the field, working
together with the sole objective of safeguarding the public in its
utilization of electricity. The procedures under which the code is
prepared provide for the orderly introduction of new
developments and improvements in the art,
5. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CODE
- With particular emphasis on safety from the standpoint of its end
use.
The rules of the procedure under which the National Electrical
Code Committee operates are published in each official edition of
the code and its separate pamphlet form so that all concerned may
have full information and free access to the operating procedures
6. INTRODUCTION TO THE NATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CODE
of the sponsoring committee. The Code has been a big factor
in the growth and wide acceptance of the use of electrical
energy of light and power and for heat, radio, television,
signaling, and other purposes from the date of its first
appearance (1897) to this present.
7. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
The national Electrical Code was originally drawn in 1897 as
a result of the united efforts of various insurance, electrical,
architectural, and allied interest. The original Code was
prepared by National Conference on Standard Electrical
Rules, composed of delegates from various interested national
association of fire engineers.
8. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
In 1881 resolution of the National Association of Fire
Engineers’ meeting held in Richmond, Virginia, a basis for the
first Code was suggested to such items as identification of the
white wire, the use of single disconnect devices, and the use
of insulated conduit.
9. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
In 1911, the Natonal Conference of Standard Electrical Rules
was disbanded, and since that year, the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) has acted as sponsor of the
National Electrical Code. Beginning with the 1920 edition,
the National Electrical Code has been under the further
auspices of the American Standards Institute (and its
predecessor organizations,
10. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
United States of America Standards Institute, and the
American Standards Association), with the NFPA continuing
in its role Administrative Sponsor. Since that date, the
committee has been identified as “ANSI Standards
Committee C1” (formerly “USAS C1” or “ASA C1”).
11. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
Major milestones in the continued updating of successive
issues of the National Electrical Code since 1911 appeared in
1923, when the code was rearranged and rewritten; in 1937,
when it was editorially revised so that all the general rules
would appear in the first chapters followed by the
supplementary rules in the following chapters; and in 1959,
when it was editorially revised to incorporate a new
numbering system under which each section of each article is
identified bu the article number preceding the section number.
12. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
The 1937 edition also included an introduction for the first
time, and many of its most important provisions survive,
almost vertabrim, in Art. 90 today. That article number,
together with much of what is familiar about the Code today,
began with the 1959 organizational changes.
13. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
In addition to an extensive revision, the 1975 NEC was the
first Code to be dated for the year following its actual release.
That is, although it was released in September of 1974,
instead of being called the 1974 Code as was done for the
1971 all all previous edition of NEC, this code was done for
the 1975 Code. That’s the reason there appears to be 4 year,
instead of the usual 3, bet. The 1971 and 1975 editions, the
purpose was to have the named code year agree with the
effective dates of adoption In, at least, the early adopting
jurisdiction.
14. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
Due to proliferation of premises-owned medium-voltage
systems, the 1999 Code notably moved those requirements
out of the old Art. 710 and into chapter 1 through 4. the 2005
NEC made a notable reorganization of almost all of chapter 3,
resulting in the new article numbers for almost every wiring
method.
15. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
The 2020 edition contains four new articles, three which simply
reorganize technical material in a more usable way. Article 242 is
largely a combination and relocation of former art 280. (Surge
arrestors, over 1000V) and art. 285 (surge protective devices,
1000V and less). Article 311 separtaes medium-voltage coverage
from 310, and in the process incorporates coverage of medium-
voltage cables formerly carried as Art.
16. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
for many years, the National Electrical Code was published
by the National Board of Fire Underwriters (now American
Insurance Association), and this public service of the National
Board helped immensely in bringing about the wide public
acceptance that the code now enjoys. It is recognized as the
most widely adopted Code of standard practices in the US.
17. HISTORY OF THE TOPIC
The National Fire Protection Association first printed the
document in pamphlet form in 1951 and has, since that year,
supplied all through the American National Standards
Institute. The National Electrical Code also appears in the
national fire codes, issued annually by the National Fire
Protection Association.
18. The 2020 edition of the NEC fits solidly into that tradition,
and features important changes related to emergency
disconnects, ground fault circuit interrupter protection, surge
protection, and myriad and other topics related to electrical
safety.
19. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Frederic P. Hartwell is a working electrician, is president of
Hartwell Electrical Services, Inc. and has been certified by the
international Association of Electrical Inspectors as a
Certified Master Electrical Inspector. He is the senior member
of NEC, CMP 9. and his Co-author of McGraw-Hill’s
American Electricians’ handbook, 17th Edition.
20. RULES AND REGULATION
They regulate this National Electrical Code for the safe
electrical design, installation and inspection to protect people
and property form electrical hazards. And also to implies the
practical safeguarding of person and property from hazards
arising from the use of electricity.
21. IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC
The importance of National Electrical Code is a set of
regularly updated standards for the safe installation of electric
wiring in the United States, First published in 1897, the NEC
is updated once every three years. The NEC provides
guidelines for electrical installation in order to prevent fi.res
and other electrical accident
22. IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC
It’s is important to have a basic understanding oh how the NEC
code organized and how to use it. As a preeminent electrical code
in the country, it establishes the basics of Electrical safety. The
significance of the code reaches a new level when adopted into
law by local jurisdiction. And for the compliance with the code
makes it easier to ensure that power installation and free hazards.
23. IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC
The purpose of the NEC has always been to protect people
and property from hazards of using electricity. The NEC was
never intended to be all-encompassing instruction manual or
“how to” book for new electricians.
24. IMPORTANCE OF THE TOPIC
National Electrical Code is created because the main purpose
is to create a universal electrical safety standard to keep new
buildings and renovations free from electrical hazards.
