Receptacles
Nightmare at about a foot and a half
(with apologies to The Twilight Zone and William
Shatner)
• Receptacles
• Tamper Resistant
• GFCI
• AFCI
• Controlled by Dimmers
• Controlled by energy management
systems
Receptacles- Tamper
Resistant
• Receptacles- Tamper
Resistant
Tamper Resistant Receptacles first
appeared in the National Electrical
Code (NEC, or Code)in 1981 for
pediatric wards in hospitals. In 1984
the requirement for them was
expanded to psychiatric wards. In
1993, the requirement to use them in
psychiatric wards was dropped.
• Receptacles- Tamper
Resistant
In 2008 the NEC started requiring
Tamper Resistant receptacles to be
used in:
•Dwellings
•Guest Rooms/Suites
•Child Care Facilities
• Receptacles- Tamper
Resistant
The substantiation showed that there
had been 24,000 visits to emergency
rooms, over a ten year period, by
children who had been shocked by
inserting items into receptacles.
The shutters stay closed until there is equal
pressure applied to both of them at the same
time.
• Receptacles
•
Tamper Resistant
• GFCI
•
•
•
AFCI
Controlled by Dimmers
Controlled by energy management systems
• Receptacles
• GFCI - Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupter
Should be called a Current Imbalance
Detector
Notice that current does not go to ground, but there
might be a path through ground to get back to the
source.
In 2008, the definition of “Ground” was changed to
“The Earth”
The text above “..current to ground…” is as it appears in Article 100 of the Code.
It should say “…when the imbalance current has a value…”
In fact, 406.4(D) allows non-grounding receptacles (two-prong) to be replaced with
GFCI receptacles. The sticker “no equipment ground” shall be applied.
• Receptacles
•
•
Tamper Resistant
GFCI
• AFCI
•
•
Controlled by Dimmers
Controlled by energy management systems
• Receptacles
• AFCI - Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter
AFCIs first appeared in the 1999 Code. At that time, it stated
that AFCIs would be required in dwelling unit bedrooms and
that the requirement would become effective on 1.Jan.2002
As of the 2014 Code, they are required on the majority of 120
Volt, 15 and 20 Ampere circuits in dwellings.
An “outlet” is “a point on the wiring system at which current is taken
to supply utilization equipment.” So the wires in a junction box above
a light fixture is the lighting “outlet.”
An AFCI circuit breaker. Until very recently, AFCI protection was only
available with circuit breakers
It is now available in receptacles but, for all practical purposes, the Code
only allows AFCI receptacles as replacements.
Note the Tamper Resistant shutters.
AFCI circuit breaker
Arc Fault with standard breaker upstream
Arc Fault with AFCI breaker upstream
• Receptacles
•
•
•
Tamper Proof
GFCI
AFCI
• Controlled by Dimmers
•
Controlled by energy management systems
406.15 Dimmer-Controlled Receptacles.
A receptacle supplying lighting loads
shall not be connected to a dimmer
unless the plug/receptacle combination
is a nonstandard configuration type that
is specifically listed and installed for
each such unique configuration.
The lamp/fixture being plugged in to the dimming receptacle must have its
factory cord cap removed and replaced with a cord cap that matches the
rejection receptacle.
• Receptacles
•
•
•
•
Tamper Proof
GFCI
AFCI
Controlled by Dimmers
• Controlled by energy management
systems
I only bring this up as an awareness issue. Perhaps, one day, you’ll be
working for a facility that has these and someone will wonder why the
clock, or refrigerator, keeps turning off on the weekends.
Questions?