3 National Electrical Code Wiring Methods and Tips

There are at least 3 wiring methods and tips mentioned in the National Electrical Code (NEC). These include the use of grounding wires, the use of a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) with a 120-volt receptacle outlet and the creation of a dedicated circuit for certain equipment such as water heaters and furnaces. These wiring methods and tips help to ensure the safe use of electricity within the home and provide the home owner with protection from overheating circuits and a potential electrical fire from occurring.

These methods and tips, among others provided, are found in chapter 3 of the national Electrical Code. The NEC, which has been published since 1897 and adapted by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) as the ANSI/NFPA 70 building standard, is adopted by local communities as the minimum building standard for wiring. The NEC is updated every 3 years, with the last update taking place in 2007 for the 2008 edition of the NEC.

Using a Grounding Wire

The grounding wire is a third wire provided for in a circuit. It is usually a green wire or a green striped wire that makes it easy to identify. The ground wire provides the circuit to discharge stray arcs or trips in the electric circuit to prevent them from causing an electrical fire. The wiring method for grounding wires that is found in the NEC has been in place since the 1960s.

Using a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter Device

A ground fault circuit interrupter device or GFCI device is found in connection with a 120-volt receptacle that is found in standard wiring. The GFCI provides a circuit breaker for hot trips between the hot wire (red) and the neutral wire (black) in an electrical circuit. The GFCI is an important device in an electrical circuit and provides a way to prevent a hazardous fire from occurring.

Creating Dedicated Circuits

Water heaters and other appliances such as heat pumps, furnaces, stoves and air conditioners in the home require a lot of electricity in order to operate. This demand for power can cause a single circuit to overheat and create the potential for a fire. The NEC wiring methods mandates the use of a dedicated circuit for each of these pieces of equipment in order to avoid the potential for fire hazard. The dedicated circuit is usually attached to the circuit board for the home, designated by a switch and circuit breaker for each. This means that a singe dedicated circuit provides power to that equipment and that equipment piece only without having multiple units running off of the same circuit.

There are other wiring methods and tips provided for in the NEC. Reading chapter 3 of the code can provide you with these additional methods and how they are done in order to meet the required community standards. Additional wiring methods and tips that are specific to your community can also be found in your local building codes.