Page 38 - IEC Insights Jan-Feb2020

FEATURE

units, and not meant to be opened, taken have an emergency disconnect on the Q: What sets this publication
apart, and fixed. Manufacturers were outside of every dwelling unit. It’s for apart from others?
remanufacturing parts that were never firefighter safety. Firefighters now have
intended to be remanufactured. In the a way to shut off power on the outside. A: Like our previous comprehensive
2017, subject matter experts added a little guides, this book has a lot of real-world
bit of language about reconditioning but Q: What topics should our readers photographs. Sometimes it's nice to have
not much. In the 2020 code, this issue pay close attention to and why? a drawing and we do have drawings in
was addressed on a global scale. The the book when appropriate. I have found
code now states what can and cannot be A: Emergency disconnect and GFCI that people want to see what the product
reconditioned and when it's appropriate. protection are topics that people need actually looks like in real-life applications.
to know about. You don't want to be Someone who resides on the East Coast
I think the biggest changes are in Article surprised by it in the field. If you miss can see the techniques that someone on
210. The changes for GFCIs in the 2020 GFCI protection when working on a the West Coast applies and vice versa.
code are just absolutely huge. We have house, you're out ten dollars and labor
been reviewing GFCIs in the code since costs. If you miss having a disconnect In comparison to other code changes
1971, increasing protection requirements on the outside of your building, books, ours covers the equal number of
but never to this extent. Now everything you're out a few thousand dollars. the changes. We do not spend a lot of
has to be GFCI protected, even if it's in time addressing changes that directly
a basement. Also, everyone is talking For example, you don't have to have affect the manufacturer. It’s important
about GFCI protection for outdoor those service disconnects on the outside, to keep our audience in mind. We’re
equipment for dwelling units. Any but you have to have an emergency talking to electricians and there is no
equipment outdoors other than lights disconnect. Usually you are going to need cover a lot of things that are
have to be GFCI protected for residential. install the service disconnect on the manufacturer-specific. Also, most people
In my opinion, this is one of the biggest outside. If you didn't know about that, don't want a thousand-page textbook
changes we’ve seen in decades. you're now looking at not just adding that covers every single change in as
a disconnect on the outside but also much depth as humanly possible. We
Q: What can we look forward grounding and bonding, and re-routing cover the same number of changes as
to in A Complete Guide to the all of your grounding electric conductors anybody else, but we don't get into
2020 NEC® Changes book? outdoors. Missing that rule cascades into some of the minute details. I limited
a whole host of problems. Even if you're myself to a couple of paragraphs per
A: Emergency power disconnects not adopting the code immediately, change. I didn’t spend page after page
for dwellings is a hot thing to discuss it's worth knowing about the major talking about the mundane. It goes
right now depending on what part of changes. If you do have a schedule to rather quickly within those 400 pages,
the country you're in. If you're in the adoption date, you're going to want to given the amount of material. Readers
Eastern part of the country, you may know about these many changes as soon will be very happy at how quickly
have never seen a house disconnect as possible before you can adopt it. they can get through the material.
on the outside. If you're in the Western
states, it's very common. You’re going to
Lauren is the Events Manager
for IEC National.

36 Insights Magazine | January/February 2020 | www.ieci.org