The National Electrical Code (NEC) updates one time every three years. In this article, we are going to introduce the four changes for this code cycle (2023 edition of the NEC) that impact lighting are as follow:
Horticultural Lighting
To avoid some certain potential hazards happen in the horticultural lighting industry, Sec. 410.184 clarifies that GFCI protection is required where the horticultural lighting is connected with flexible cords using separable connectors or attachment plugs. A new Exception allows lighting equipment supplied with circuits over 150V to be protected with a listed special-purpose ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) that trips at 20mA instead of 6mA.
Wiring and Equipment Installed Above Hazardous (Classified) Locations
Section 511.17 has a significant transformation as it is now reorganized into a list format with additional requirements for listed fittings and equipment grounding conductors (EGCs) added to the mix. The term “Class I” is replaced by “Hazardous (Classified)” in five locations, including the title of this Section, as the zone classification system no longer uses the “Class I” designation. This Section is also reorganized from a long paragraph into nine list items for usability, and requirements were added to most of the wiring methods.
Receptacles, Luminaires, and Switches
The requirements for ground fault circuit interrupter protection of receptacles in (A)(4) were expanded this cycle in Sec. 680.22 to include all receptacles rated 60A or less within 20 ft of a pool wall. This previously only applied to 15A and 20A, 125V receptacles. This Section requires GFCI protection for specific equipment installed in the area between 5 ft and 10 ft horizontally from the inside walls of a pool as well. New language in (B)(4) expands the required protection by adding an SPGFCI requirement that will allow equipment operating above 150V to ground to also be protected.
Class-2-Powered Emergency Lighting Systems
A new Sec. 700.11 for Class 2 wiring provides the requirements for these lighting systems. This new Section addresses technologies such as PoE and other emergency lighting systems that utilize Class 2 power. Other rules in this Article address line voltage systems, and this new Section provides requirements for low-voltage emergency systems.
Post time: Apr-04-2023