National Electrical Code®, Electronic Edition
2005 Edition.
What's New in this Edition?
I. Format Changes:
• New headings at top of each two-page spread (PDF version) identify first and last Code section on the pages, to help in locating sections.
• Bullets in margin used to indicate where paragraphs have been deleted between the 2002 and 2005 editions
II. New Articles:
• Article 353 - High Density Polyethylene Conduit: Type HDPE Conduit
• Article 409 - Industrial Control Panels
• Article 506 - Zone 20, 21, and 22 Locations for Combustible Dusts, Fibers, and Flyings
• Article 682 - Natural and Artificially Made Bodies of Water
III. Article Relocation:
• Article 80 - Administration and Enforcement relocated as Annex G
• Article 527 - Temporary Installations relocated to Article 590
IV. Significant Technical Changes:
• Chapter 1:
o New Definitions for
§ System Bonding Jumper
§ Grounding Electrode
§ Handhole Enclosure
§ Supplementary Overcurrent Device
o Revised requirement for number of entrances/exits to working spaces containing large electrical equipment
• Chapter 2:
o New requirements for identification of ungrounded branch circuit conductors
o Revised requirement for disconnecting ungrounded conductors of multiwire branch circuits
o New GFCI requirements for dwelling unit laundry and utility sinks, for outdoor receptacles installed at occupancies other than dwelling units, and for boat hoists
o Revised AFCI requirement
o New requirement for identification of ungrounded feeder conductors
o Reorganization of Article 220
o New requirement covering engineered series rated systems in existing occupancies
o Revised requirements concerning the use of system bonding jumpers
o New requirements covering the use of concrete-encased grounding electrodes
• Chapter 3
o Revised requirements on protection against corrosion and deterioration of electrical equipment
o New requirements on the use of unshielded insulated conductors in systems operating over 2000 volts
o New requirements on the installation of handhole enclosures
o Relocation of conduit bending radius table from Article 344 to Chapter 9, Table 2
o Revised requirements on the installation of cable assemblies in raceways
o New requirement on the use of power distribution blocks in metal wireways
• Chapter 4
o New requirement on the installation of flexible cord in raceways in industrial establishments
o New provision for use of GFCI protection where equipment grounding means is not available in switch enclosure
o Revised requirement on the protection of receptacles installed in wet locations
o New provision for the use of GFCI protection for luminaires where equipment grounding conductor is not available at outlet
o New GFCI requirement for cord-and-plug-connected vending machines
o New Article 430, Part X, on Adjustable-Speed Drive Systems
o New requirement for short-circuit current rating marking of air-conditioning equipment controller or control panel
• Chapter 5
o New provision to use non-explosionproof seals in Class I, Division 2 locations
o Revised requirement on hazardous (classified) locations in commercial garages
o Revised requirement on sealing of conduit installed underground below the classified locations at a motor-fuel dispensing facility
o New requirement covering the number of recreational vehicle sites that are required to have 50-ampere receptacles
o New requirement on motor fuel dispensing at marinas and boatyards
o New requirement for listing of decorative (holiday) lighting equipment
• Chapter 6
o New definition for section sign and new requirement for field-installed secondary wiring of section signs.
o Revised requirements on insulation of equipment grounding conductor for swimming pool pump motors
o New requirement on accessibility of wet-niche luminaires
o Revised swimming pool bonding requirements with new rules on installing an alternate means for bonding at pools
o New definition of Building Integrated Photovoltaics
o New requirements on the installation of ungrounded photovoltaic power systems
o New rules on PV systems using utility-interactive inverters
o New requirement on location of disconnecting means in a fire pump supply circuit
• Chapter 7
o New provision permitting fuel cells as source of power for emergency and legally required standby systems
o New requirement for selective coordination of emergency and legally required standby overcurrent protective devices
o New permission to use non-power-limited wiring methods and power-limited wiring methods in the same fire alarm circuit
o New provisions for the use of circuit integrity (CI) cables in fire alarm systems
o Revised requirement on the mechanical execution of work for optical fiber cables and raceways
• Chapter 8
o New definition of communications equipment
o New requirements on mechanical execution of work for communications circuits, CATV systems, and network-powered broadband communications systems
o New provisions for the use of circuit integrity (CI) cable in communications systems
o New requirements covering the use of CATV raceways
o New cable types and permitted substitutions of network-powered broadband communications systems
• Chapter 9
o Relocation of conduit and tubing bending radius table from Article 344 to Chapter 9, Table 2
• Annexes
o New Example D3(a) on Industrial Feeders in a Common Raceway
o Revised Annex E with additional information on building construction types for use with application of Article 334