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SynC · Historical revision

Wiring Devices

Revision7
EditedOct 2, 2026
StatusSuperseded
Contents

View changes in this revision   Revision history

Historical revision. This is editorial revision 7, kept so citations to it stay resolvable. It is not the current text of this standard — see the current revision.

SynC Standards Team — Specifier (Platform Standards) ✓ OfficialDiscloses employment SynC (SynC Platform Team)
Remade for neutrality: every choice explained, project facts as parameters, scope boundaries linked both ways

1 Scope

NOTE This standard governs the wiring device as a listed product and the work that puts it into service: the receptacle, the switch, the stand-alone dimmer and sensor, the plate that covers it, the termination of the branch-circuit conductors on it, its height, its orientation, its identification, and its testing. (1.1)
NOTE Wiring devices are the most numerous electrical products in a building and the only ones most occupants ever touch; a receptacle is plugged and unplugged thousands of times over its life and a switch is operated tens of thousands of times, so the device grade and the quality of the termination decide whether the device outlasts the building or loosens, overheats, and is replaced. (1.2)
NOTE The values that differ from one outlet to the next, including the configuration of a special-purpose receptacle, the arrangement of switches in a control scheme, and the height of a device over a counter, live on the contract drawings; the datasheet of this standard carries the policy that applies to every device on the project unless a drawing states otherwise for a location. (1.3)
NOTE The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: (1.4)
  • the location at which personnel ground-fault and arc-fault protection is provided, and the breakers that provide it at the panelboard, under PanelboardsPanelboardsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/panelboards
  • the branch-circuit conductors, their color, and their splices, under Conductors And CablesConductors and CablesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/conductors-and-cables
  • the outlet boxes, box fill, raceways, and surface raceways, under Raceways And ConduitRaceways and ConduitResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raceways-and-conduit
  • the equipment grounding conductor, the isolated grounding conductor, and the bonding of metal boxes, under Grounding And BondingGrounding and Bonding for Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/grounding-and-bonding
  • floor boxes and poke-through devices, their service fittings, and their covers, under Electrical Floor Boxes And Poke ThroughsFloor Boxes and Poke-Through DevicesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electrical-floor-boxes-and-poke-throughs
  • the electric vehicle supply equipment itself, cord-connected or hardwired, under Electric Vehicle ChargingElectric Vehicle Charging EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electric-vehicle-charging
  • rack power distribution units, busway plug-in units, and relocatable power taps, under Feeder Busway Plug In UnitsBusway Plug-In Units and Rack Power Distribution UnitsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/feeder-busway-plug-in-units
  • the stations, detectors, room controllers, and plug-load controllers of a lighting control system, and the means of operating controlled receptacles, under Lighting ControlsLighting ControlsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/lighting-controls
  • the luminaires and the dimming input of their drivers, under Lighting FixturesInterior Lighting Fixtures (Luminaires)Resolves to the current adopted revision.sync/lighting-fixtures
  • permanently connected surge protective devices and their coordination, under Surge Protective DevicesSurge Protective DevicesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/surge-protective-devices
  • the branches, transfer, and receptacle count of a healthcare essential electrical system, under Healthcare Essential Electrical SystemsHealthcare Essential Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems
  • enclosed switches and motor disconnecting means, under Enclosed Switches And DisconnectsEnclosed Switches and DisconnectsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/enclosed-switches-and-disconnects
  • temporary construction receptacles and their ground-fault protection, under Temporary Facilities And ControlsTemporary Facilities and ControlsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/temporary-facilities-and-controls
  • telecommunications outlets, jacks, and faceplates, under Structured CablingStructured Cabling SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/structured-cabling
  • panelboard directories, equipment nameplates, and system color coding, under Electrical IdentificationElectrical IdentificationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electrical-identification
1.5 Wiring devices shall comply with NFPA 70 Articles 404 and 406 and shall be listed and labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for the use and the location in which they are installed.
1.6 The location of every device, the circuit that serves it, and the load each switch controls shall be as indicated on the electrical plans.
1.7 Where a value stated on the drawings for a particular outlet differs from the datasheet selection under this standard, the drawing shall govern for that outlet.

2 Referenced Standards

2.1 Equipment, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
2.2 Where the contract documents, the Authority Having Jurisdiction, or two referenced standards impose conflicting requirements, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
Standard Title
NFPA 70 National Electrical Code (Articles 210, 250, 404, 406, 517, and 625)
NFPA 99 Health Care Facilities Code
UL 20 General-Use Snap Switches
UL 498 Attachment Plugs and Receptacles
UL 943 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupters
UL 1699 Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupters
UL 1449 Surge Protective Devices
UL 1472 Solid-State Dimming Controls
UL 773A Nonindustrial Photoelectric Switches for Lighting Control
UL 916 Energy Management Equipment
UL 514D Cover Plates for Flush-Mounted Wiring Devices
NEMA WD 1 General Color Requirements for Wiring Devices
NEMA WD 6 Wiring Devices, Dimensional Specifications
NEMA WD 7 Occupancy Motion Sensors Standard
NEMA SSL 7A Phase-Cut Dimming for Solid State Lighting: Basic Compatibility
FS W-C-596 Federal Specification, Connector, Plug and Receptacle, Electrical
FS W-S-896 Federal Specification, Switches, Toggle
ICC A117.1 Accessible and Usable Buildings and Facilities
2010 ADA Standards Standards for Accessible Design
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1 Energy Standard for Sites and Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings (Section 8)
IECC International Energy Conservation Code (Section C405)
NOTE The federal specifications no longer carry a grade designation of their own, but manufacturers still cite them as the test basis for the heavier straps and higher retention forces of specification-grade devices, and this standard cites them for that purpose only. (2.3)

3 Submittals

3.1 Action Submittals

3.1.1 The Contractor shall submit the following for review before any wiring device is procured:
  • product data for each device type, identifying the manufacturer, the catalog designation, the grade, the ampere and voltage rating, the NEMA WD 6 configuration of each receptacle, the listing standard, and the color
  • product data for each wall plate type, identifying the material, the finish, the size, and the opening
  • for each wall-box dimmer, the control method, the load types and the load rating it is listed for, and the derating for gang mounting
  • for each wall-box sensor, the detection technology, the coverage pattern, the control modes available, the time-delay range, and the listing
  • for each ground-fault, arc-fault, surge-protective, and USB receptacle, the listing and the functions furnished
  • a device and plate color schedule, by area, reconciled against the architectural finish schedule
  • one sample of each device type and each plate type in each color and finish selected
Action Submittalscheckbox
☑ Product data for each device type
☑ Product data for each wall plate type
☑ Dimmer control method, load rating, and derating data
☑ Sensor technology, coverage, modes, and time-delay data
☑ Listing and function data for protective, surge, and USB receptacles
☑ Device and plate color schedule by area
☐ Samples of each device and plate in each color and finish
3.1.2 Wiring devices and plates shall not be procured until the product data and the color schedule have been reviewed and returned.
NOTE The color schedule is the submittal that prevents the most rework, because a device color is chosen against a wall finish the electrical drawings do not show, and a building whose plates were ordered in one color against a finish schedule that calls for another is re-plated room by room after the paint is on. (3.1.3)

3.2 Closeout Submittals

3.2.1 The Contractor shall submit the following before the wiring devices are accepted:
  • the receptacle test report, recording for every receptacle tested its location, its circuit, the result of each test, and the correction of every failure
  • the ground-fault and arc-fault device test report, recording every device tested and the result
  • the sensor and dimmer settings report, recording the control mode, sensitivity, time delay, and dimming limits as left for every wall-box sensor and dimmer
  • the record device schedule reflecting the device types, grades, and colors installed in each area
  • the manufacturer's warranty documentation for the devices
  • a signed receipt from the Owner for the spare devices delivered
Closeout Submittalscheckbox
☑ Receptacle test report
☑ Ground-fault and arc-fault device test report
☑ Sensor and dimmer settings as left
☐ Record device schedule by area
☑ Warranty documentation
☐ Spare device receipt

4 Quality Assurance

4.1 Listing and Labeling

4.1.1 Receptacles shall be listed to UL 498, snap switches to UL 20, ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacles to UL 943, outlet branch-circuit arc-fault devices to UL 1699, solid-state dimmers to UL 1472, surge-protective receptacles to UL 1449 and UL 498, and wall-box occupancy and vacancy sensors to UL 773A or UL 916.
4.1.2 Receptacle configurations shall conform to the dimensions of NEMA WD 6, and device colors shall conform to NEMA WD 1.
4.1.3 A device shall not be installed in an application, a location, or a load class beyond the ratings and the use for which it is listed.
NOTE The listing establishes the voltage, the current, the environmental fitness, and the load class a device is tested for, and a receptacle listed for general use that is installed in a wet location, or a dimmer listed for incandescent loads that is connected to LED drivers, is a code violation at inspection and a failure in service. (4.1.4)

4.2 Installer Qualifications

4.2.1 Wiring devices shall be installed by electricians working under a licensed electrical contractor, and each electrician shall have been instructed in the termination method and the torque the devices furnished require.
NOTE Termination quality is the largest field variable in device reliability, and the instruction is required because the torque and the conductor preparation differ between a side-wired screw, a back-wired clamp, and a push-in terminal, and an electrician trained on one applies it to the other. (4.2.2)

4.3 Source Limitation

4.3.1 The limitation on the sources of wiring devices and plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Source Limitationradio
○ All devices and plates from one manufacturer
○ Each device family and its plates from one manufacturer
○ No source limitation
NOTE A device and a plate from different manufacturers can both meet NEMA WD 6 and still misalign at the opening, and decorator devices from two manufacturers differ in the color of their faces under the same color name, so a single source for everything gives one color and one fit throughout the building and limits competition to the manufacturers that carry every product on the project; a single source within each family keeps the fit and color consistent among the devices that sit together while letting a sensor or a dimmer come from the manufacturer that makes it; no limitation opens every product to the lowest bidder and leaves the fit and color match to the color schedule review. (4.3.2)
4.3.3 Where a source limitation is selected, every device and plate within the limited group shall be a product of one manufacturer or shall be listed by that manufacturer as compatible with its devices and plates.

4.4 Regulatory Requirements

4.4.1 The installation shall comply with the edition of NFPA 70 adopted with Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code and with the amendments of the Authority Having Jurisdiction, and shall be made available for the inspections that authority requires.

5 Environmental and Service Conditions

5.1 Device Cover Enclosure Type

5.1.1 The enclosure type the device cover and plate shall provide at the finished surface shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Device Cover Enclosure Typeselect
NEMA Type 1
NEMA Type 3R
NEMA Type 4
NEMA Type 4X
NOTE A flush plate in a dry conditioned interior is the cover on most devices on most projects, which is why Type 1 is the default; the harsher locations named in the clauses that follow require the higher type at that location, and the rest of the project is not upgraded with it. A Type 3R cover sheds rain and is the weatherproof in-use cover of an exterior wall; a Type 4 cover is gasketed against hose-directed water and is the cover of a washdown area; a Type 4X cover adds corrosion resistance in a nonmetallic or stainless body and is the cover of a pool chemical room, a wastewater process area, or a coastal exterior. (5.1.2)
5.1.3 A receptacle installed in a wet location shall be furnished with a cover that is weatherproof whether or not an attachment plug is inserted, listed to UL 514D, of NEMA Type 3R or higher, and marked as extra-duty where NFPA 70 406.9(B) requires an extra-duty cover for the occupancy.
5.1.4 A receptacle installed in a damp location shall be furnished with a cover that is weatherproof when the cover is closed and no plug is inserted, in accordance with NFPA 70 406.9(A).
5.1.5 A device installed where it is exposed to hose-directed water or wash-down shall be furnished with a cover of NEMA Type 4 or Type 4X.
5.1.6 A device installed where it is exposed to salt air, chlorine, chemical vapor, or another corrosive agent shall be furnished with a cover of NEMA Type 4X.
5.1.7 Where the cover type these clauses require exceeds the datasheet selection at an installed location, the higher type shall be furnished at that location and the conflict reported to the Engineer of Record before procurement.

5.2 Location-Driven Device Characteristics

5.2.1 A receptacle installed in a damp or a wet location shall be a listed weather-resistant receptacle, in accordance with NFPA 70 406.9.
5.2.2 A receptacle installed in a location NFPA 70 406.12 lists shall be a listed tamper-resistant receptacle.
5.2.3 A receptacle installed outdoors or in an unconditioned space shall be listed for operation across the range from Site Ambient Temperature MinimumSite Ambient Temperature MinimumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-minimum to Site Ambient Temperature MaximumSite Ambient Temperature MaximumParameterEach project supplies its own value.site-ambient-temperature-maximum.
NOTE Weather resistance and tamper resistance are independent characteristics that the code requires in two different sets of locations, and a receptacle on a covered patio outside a child care room needs both; a device that carries one marking does not carry the other unless it is listed and marked for both. (5.2.4)

6 Device Grade

NOTE Grade is not a marketing term: it is the set of construction differences, including the strap thickness, the contact alloy and its retention force, the face material, and the terminal design, that UL 498 and UL 20 test for and that the manufacturer's catalog separates into residential, specification, industrial, and hospital lines. The installed cost difference between grades is small against the cost of replacing a failed device in an occupied room. (6.1)

6.2 Receptacle Grade

6.2.1 The grade of the general-purpose receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Receptacle Graderadio
○ Residential grade
● Commercial specification grade
○ Industrial specification grade
○ Hospital grade
NOTE A residential-grade receptacle meets the minimum UL 498 tests and is the lowest-cost device, and it is the grade of a dwelling unit where a receptacle sees a few cycles a week; a commercial specification-grade receptacle carries a heavier strap, a nylon face, higher contact retention, and back-wired clamp terminals, and it is the grade carried on the large majority of non-residential projects, which is why it is the default; an industrial specification-grade receptacle adds a thicker strap, an impact-resistant face, and a higher retention and cycle rating, and it is bought for shops, kitchens, loading docks, laboratories, and any location where plugs are pulled by the cord; a hospital-grade receptacle passes the UL 498 grounding-reliability, assembly-integrity, and abrupt-removal tests in addition, carries the green dot, and is required by code in patient care spaces, and it is bought project-wide where a facility wants one device throughout a clinical building. (6.2.2)
6.2.3 Receptacles installed in patient care spaces where NFPA 70 517.18 or 517.19 requires them shall be listed hospital-grade receptacles identified by the green dot, regardless of the grade selected in the datasheet.
6.2.4 Receptacles on the branches of a healthcare essential electrical system shall be of the grade, the color, and the count Healthcare Essential Electrical SystemsHealthcare Essential Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems requires for the space they serve.

6.3 Switch Grade

6.3.1 The grade of the snap switches shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Switch Graderadio
○ Residential grade
● Commercial specification grade
○ Industrial specification grade
NOTE A residential-grade switch meets the minimum UL 20 endurance test and suits a switch operated a few times a day; a commercial specification-grade switch carries a heavier strap, a higher contact rating, and an endurance rating many times the residential figure, and it is the grade carried on the large majority of non-residential projects, which is why it is the default; an industrial specification-grade switch adds a stronger mechanism and a higher horsepower and inductive rating, and it is bought where a switch controls a motor load or is operated with gloved hands. (6.3.2)

7 Receptacles

7.1 General-Purpose Receptacle Rating and Configuration

7.1.1 The ampere rating of the general-purpose 125 V receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
General-Purpose Receptacle Ampere Ratingrange
A
1520
NOTE A 20 A receptacle accepts both 15 A and 20 A attachment plugs, and on a 20 A branch circuit NFPA 70 210.21(B) permits either a 15 A or a 20 A receptacle where two or more receptacles share the circuit; the 20 A device is the one carried on the large majority of non-residential projects because it is the same specification-grade product with a T-slot and it costs little more, which is why it is the default, and a 15 A device is selected where the branch circuits are 15 A or where the lower cost of the device matters across a large count. (7.1.2)
7.1.3 General-purpose receptacles shall be NEMA WD 6 configuration 5-15R or 5-20R, as follows from the ampere rating selected, and shall be rated 125 V.
7.1.4 A receptacle shall not be installed on a branch circuit whose rating exceeds what NFPA 70 210.21(B) permits for the receptacle rating, and a single receptacle on an individual branch circuit shall have a rating not less than the branch-circuit rating.
7.1.5 General-purpose receptacles shall be duplex devices unless a single or a two-gang receptacle arrangement is indicated on the electrical plans for an outlet.
7.1.6 The face style of the general-purpose receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Receptacle Face Styleradio
● Standard duplex face
○ Decorator-opening duplex face
NOTE A standard duplex face is the receptacle of most projects, which is why it is the default; a decorator-opening receptacle shares the rectangular plate opening of decorator switches, dimmers, and sensors, so a wall where the devices are ganged carries one plate style, and it is selected where the switches are decorator and the Owner wants the receptacles to match. (7.1.7)

7.2 Special-Purpose and Locking Receptacles

7.2.1 Receptacles rated above 20 A, receptacles rated 250 V, and locking receptacles shall be of the NEMA WD 6 configuration indicated on the electrical plans for each outlet.
NOTE The configuration of a special-purpose receptacle follows from the equipment it serves rather than from a project policy: a 6-20R or 6-30R serves a 250 V single-phase appliance, a 14-30R or 14-50R serves a four-wire range or dryer circuit, a 6-50R serves a welder, and an L5-20R, L5-30R, L6-30R, or L14-30R locking configuration holds a plug against vibration or pull on a rooftop, in a mechanical room, at a stage or audiovisual position, or at portable equipment. The configuration is the thing that makes a receptacle accept only the plug it is meant for, which is why it is stated for each outlet rather than left to the catalog. (7.2.2)
7.2.3 Receptacles serving a range, a dryer, or other utilization equipment that NFPA 70 250.140 covers shall be four-wire configurations with a separate equipment grounding contact.
7.2.4 A receptacle installed for cord-and-plug-connected electric vehicle supply equipment under Electric Vehicle ChargingElectric Vehicle Charging EquipmentResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electric-vehicle-charging shall be of the configuration indicated on the electrical plans for that outlet and shall have the ground-fault protection NFPA 70 625.54 requires.

7.3 Receptacles on Isolated-Ground Circuits

7.3.1 Where an isolated-ground circuit is designated under Grounding And BondingGrounding and Bonding for Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/grounding-and-bonding, the receptacle on it shall be a listed isolated-ground receptacle of the grade selected under this standard, with its grounding terminal insulated from its mounting strap, and shall carry the identification that standard requires.
NOTE The isolated-ground receptacle is the device half of a circuit whose grounding conductor is routed separately from the box and raceway grounding path; the receptacle alone, installed on an ordinary circuit, provides nothing, which is why the circuit designation lives with the grounding standard and only the device lives here. (7.3.2)

8 Ground-Fault and Arc-Fault Devices at the Outlet

NOTE Whether personnel ground-fault protection and arc-fault protection are provided at the panelboard or at the outlet is decided under PanelboardsPanelboardsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/panelboards; this section governs the devices furnished when that decision places the protection at the outlet. (8.1)

8.2 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Receptacles

8.2.1 Where the protection location selected under PanelboardsPanelboardsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/panelboards places personnel ground-fault protection at the outlet, each outlet NFPA 70 210.8 requires to be protected shall be served by a ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle listed to UL 943 as a Class A device, or by the load terminals of such a receptacle where feed-through protection is permitted under this standard.
8.2.2 Ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacles shall be of the self-testing type that UL 943 requires, and a device whose self-test detects that it can no longer interrupt a ground fault shall deny power to its face and load terminals or shall give the distinct indication its listing provides.
8.2.3 The use of the load terminals of a ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle to protect downstream outlets shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
GFCI Receptacle Feed-Through Protection of Downstream Outletsradio
○ Permitted
○ Not permitted
NOTE Feed-through protection lets one device protect every receptacle downstream of it on the circuit, which saves a device at every outlet and is the arrangement of a residential bathroom or a row of exterior receptacles; the cost is that a trip at the first device darkens outlets in other rooms, the person at the dead outlet cannot see what tripped, and a downstream receptacle with no ground-fault device on its face is indistinguishable from an unprotected one unless it is marked. A device at every protected outlet costs a device per outlet and puts the reset where the person who tripped it is standing, which is what a kitchen, a laboratory, or a healthcare space with a reset expected by staff is served with. (8.2.4)
8.2.5 Where feed-through protection is used, each downstream receptacle protected through the load terminals shall be marked "GFCI Protected" on its face or plate with the marking the ground-fault device manufacturer furnishes for that purpose, and the outlets protected by each device shall be recorded on the receptacle test report.
8.2.6 A ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle shall be installed where its reset is readily accessible as NFPA 70 210.8 requires, and shall not be installed behind an appliance, above a ceiling, or where furniture or equipment must be moved to reach it.

8.3 Outlet Branch-Circuit Arc-Fault Devices

8.3.1 Where the arc-fault protection means selected under PanelboardsPanelboardsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/panelboards places protection at the first outlet, the device at that outlet shall be an outlet branch-circuit arc-fault circuit-interrupter listed to UL 1699, installed as the first outlet on the branch circuit, with every downstream outlet on the circuit supplied through its load terminals.
8.3.2 Where a branch circuit requires both arc-fault and ground-fault protection at the outlet, a dual-function receptacle listed to both UL 1699 and UL 943 may be furnished in place of two devices.
NOTE An outlet device protects only what is downstream of it, which is why the panelboard standard restricts the wiring method of the run from the panelboard to the first outlet when this arrangement is selected, and why the device is installed at the first outlet rather than at the most convenient one. (8.3.3)

9 Tamper-Resistant, Controlled, USB, and Surge-Protective Receptacles

9.1 Tamper-Resistant Receptacles

9.1.1 The extent of tamper-resistant receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Tamper-Resistant Receptacle Extentradio
○ Where NFPA 70 406.12 requires
○ All 15 A and 20 A, 125 V and 250 V nonlocking receptacles
NOTE A tamper-resistant receptacle carries a shutter that opens only when both blades of a plug enter together, and NFPA 70 406.12 requires it in dwelling units, guest rooms, child care facilities, and a growing list of other occupancies; limiting the devices to those locations buys the lower cost of the ordinary device everywhere else at the risk that a non-resistant device lands in a location that required one, while a project-wide election costs a small premium per device and removes the location question from the installation. (9.1.2)
9.1.3 Tamper-resistant receptacles shall be listed and marked "TR" on the face, and a receptacle that is also in a damp or wet location shall be listed and marked for both tamper resistance and weather resistance.

9.2 Controlled Receptacles

9.2.1 Where Adopted Energy CodeAdopted Energy CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-energy-code requires automatic receptacle control, the receptacles designated as controlled under Lighting ControlsLighting ControlsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/lighting-controls shall be furnished as marked controlled receptacles of the form indicated in the datasheet.
Controlled Receptacle Device Formradio
○ Half-controlled duplex, one controlled and one uncontrolled receptacle in one device
○ Fully controlled duplex
○ Separate controlled duplex adjacent to an uncontrolled duplex
NOTE A half-controlled duplex gives every outlet location one controlled and one uncontrolled receptacle in one box, which satisfies a code that counts receptacles, but it brings a controlled leg and an uncontrolled leg into every box and makes each device a split-wired device the installer has to break the tab on; a fully controlled duplex is an ordinary device on a controlled circuit, so the controlled outlets are whole devices on their own circuits and the uncontrolled outlets are other devices, at the cost of a second outlet wherever an occupant needs both; a separate controlled duplex beside an uncontrolled one gives the occupant the choice at every workstation with two whole devices and two boxes. (9.2.2)
9.2.3 Each controlled receptacle shall be permanently marked with the controlled-receptacle symbol and the word "controlled" in accordance with NFPA 70 406.3(E), on the face of the device at each controlled receptacle, and a half-controlled duplex shall be marked at the controlled receptacle only.
NOTE The marking is the whole protection an occupant has against plugging a refrigerator or a server into an outlet that turns off at night, which is why it is on the device face rather than on the plate, where it is lost when the plate is replaced. (9.2.4)

9.3 USB Charging Receptacles

9.3.1 Receptacles with integral USB charging ports shall be furnished where indicated on the electrical plans, and their USB port configuration shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
USB Charging Port Configurationselect
None furnished
Two Type-A ports
Two Type-C ports
One Type-A and one Type-C port
NOTE Type-A ports charge the cables most occupants still carry and deliver the lower current of that connector; Type-C ports with power delivery charge a laptop as well as a phone and are the connector new devices ship with; one of each serves both populations at the cost of a lower total output on most devices; and a project whose plans show no USB receptacles records that here so the field does not read as an omission. The charging electronics have a service life shorter than the receptacle contacts and date the installation as the connectors change, which is why USB receptacles are placed at the lounge, the guest room, the lobby, and the conference table rather than throughout the building. (9.3.2)
9.3.3 The total USB charging output of each USB receptacle shall be not less than the value indicated in the datasheet.
Minimum USB Charging Output per Receptaclerange
W
151821304560
NOTE A 15 W to 21 W output charges phones at both ports at once; a 30 W output charges a tablet or a small laptop at a power-delivery port; a 45 W or 60 W output charges a full-size laptop and is bought where the receptacle is meant to replace the laptop's power adapter. No output is the norm, because the output follows what the Owner expects occupants to plug in, so the field carries no default. (9.3.4)
9.3.5 A USB receptacle shall be listed to UL 498 as a receptacle and shall carry the grade, the tamper resistance, the weather resistance, and the ground-fault protection its location requires, in the same manner as the receptacle it replaces.

9.4 Surge-Protective Receptacles

9.4.1 Surge-protective receptacles shall be furnished where indicated on the electrical plans, shall be listed to UL 1449 as Type 3 surge protective devices and to UL 498 as receptacles, and shall be applied as point-of-use devices in the coordinated arrangement Surge Protective DevicesSurge Protective DevicesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/surge-protective-devices requires.
9.4.2 A surge-protective receptacle shall indicate by a visible means on its face whether its surge protection remains functional, and a receptacle whose protection has reached end of life shall indicate that state while the device continues to pass power.
NOTE A point-of-use surge device supplements the service and panel devices rather than replacing them, and a depleted suppressor that passes power without an indicator gives the equipment plugged into it a protection that no longer exists, which is why the indicator is required and why the coordination with the upstream devices is governed by the surge standard. (9.4.3)

10 Switches

10.1 Switch Rating and Type

10.1.1 The ampere rating of the general-use snap switches shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Snap Switch Ampere Ratingrange
A
152030
NOTE A switch is rated for the current it interrupts, not for the circuit it is on, and NFPA 70 404.14 governs the loads a general-use AC snap switch is permitted to control at its rating; a 20 A switch is the specification-grade product most manufacturers build their commercial line around and is the switch on the large majority of non-residential projects, which is why it is the default, a 15 A switch is selected where the branch circuits are 15 A or the load is small and the count is large, and a 30 A switch is selected where a single switch controls a load near the limit of a 30 A circuit. (10.1.2)
10.1.3 Snap switches shall be AC general-use snap switches rated 120/277 V, listed to UL 20, with a rating not less than the load they control and not less than the branch-circuit rating where NFPA 70 404.14 requires it.
10.1.4 The pole and throw arrangement of each switch, including single-pole, three-way, four-way, double-pole, and momentary-contact switches, shall be as the control scheme indicated on the electrical plans requires for that location.
10.1.5 Key-operated switches, pilot-light switches whose indicator is lit when the controlled load is on, and locator switches whose handle is lit when the load is off shall be furnished where indicated on the electrical plans.
NOTE A pilot-light switch and a locator switch behave oppositely, the first showing that a load the operator cannot see is running and the second showing where the switch is in a dark room, and the two are confused on drawings often enough that the plan symbol for each is worth checking before the submittal. (10.1.6)
10.1.7 A grounded conductor shall be provided at every switch location where NFPA 70 404.2(C) requires one, so that an electronic switch, a dimmer, or a sensor installed at that location now or later has a return path that is not the equipment grounding conductor.

10.2 Switch Actuator Style

10.2.1 The actuator style of the switches shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Switch Actuator Styleradio
○ Toggle
○ Decorator rocker
NOTE The actuator style is the device family of the project: a toggle switch carries the traditional plate opening and is the switch of industrial, back-of-house, and historic work, and a decorator rocker carries the rectangular opening that dimmers, sensors, USB receptacles, and most electronic devices share, so a wall where those devices gang with switches carries one plate style only when the switches are decorator. Neither is the norm across projects, so the field carries no default. (10.2.2)
10.2.3 Dimmers, wall-box sensors, and electronic switches shall be of the actuator style selected here so that every device in a multi-gang plate shares one opening and one plate.

11 Wall-Box Dimmers

NOTE This section governs dimmers installed as stand-alone wiring devices that dim the luminaires on their own circuit with no connection to a lighting control system; a dimmer that is a station on a control system is governed by Lighting ControlsLighting ControlsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/lighting-controls. (11.1)

11.2 Dimmer Control Method

11.2.1 The control method of the wall-box dimmers shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall-Box Dimmer Control Methodselect
Forward-phase line-voltage dimming
Reverse-phase line-voltage dimming
Phase dimming selectable at the device
0–10 V control with an integral line-voltage switch
Derived — the dimming input of the luminaire drivers furnished under [[sync/lighting-fixtures]] (by default)
NOTE The dimmer follows the driver: a forward-phase dimmer cuts the leading edge of each half-cycle and is what magnetic low-voltage and the older LED drivers accept, a reverse-phase dimmer cuts the trailing edge and is what electronic low-voltage and most current LED drivers dim smoothly on, a dimmer selectable between the two is configured to whichever driver arrives, and a 0–10 V wall-box dimmer sends a control signal on a separate pair to a driver with a 0–10 V input while switching the line voltage at the device. A dimmer of the wrong method on a driver produces flicker, a narrow dimming range, audible noise, or a load that will not turn off at the bottom of the slide, so the method is derived from the driver rather than chosen here. (11.2.2)
11.2.3 Wall-box dimmers shall be listed to UL 1472, shall be rated for the load type and the load wattage connected, and where they phase-dim LED loads shall be compatible with the drivers under NEMA SSL 7A or shall be listed on the driver manufacturer's published compatibility list for the driver furnished.
11.2.4 The load rating of a dimmer installed in a multi-gang box with another dimmer shall be derated as the manufacturer publishes for the number of adjacent dimmers and the fins removed, and the derated rating shall be not less than the connected load.
11.2.5 A 0–10 V wall-box dimmer shall sink the control signal in the manner the drivers require, and its control conductors shall be installed with the separation from the line-voltage conductors NFPA 70 requires for the class of the control circuit.
11.2.6 Each wall-box dimmer shall have a low-end trim adjustment, and the trim shall be set at startup to the lowest level at which every luminaire on the circuit remains lit without flicker.

12 Wall-Box Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors

NOTE This section governs sensors that replace a wall switch and control the lighting on their own circuit with no connection to a lighting control system; a sensor that reports to a control system or a power pack is governed by Lighting ControlsLighting ControlsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/lighting-controls. (12.1)

12.2 Sensor Control Mode

12.2.1 The control mode of each wall-box sensor shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall-Box Sensor Control Moderadio
○ Vacancy, manual-on and automatic-off
○ Occupancy, automatic-on and automatic-off
○ Partial-on, automatic to a reduced level and manual to full
○ Selectable at the device
Per drawings — the lighting plans (deferred by default)
NOTE The mode is decided room by room on the lighting plans, because a private office and a janitor closet in the same building need different answers: manual-on is the mode most energy codes require in enclosed offices, conference rooms, and classrooms and saves the energy of a room entered briefly or already daylit; automatic-on suits a restroom, a storage room, or a corridor entered with full hands; partial-on raises the lighting to a reduced level on entry and asks for a manual action for full output, which the codes accept in place of manual-on; a device selectable in the field is set to one of the three at startup and changed later without replacement. (12.2.2)
12.2.3 Where a space is required by Adopted Energy CodeAdopted Energy CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-energy-code to have manual-on or partial-on control, the wall-box sensor in that space shall not be configured for automatic-on to full output.

12.3 Sensor Detection Technology

12.3.1 The detection technology of the wall-box sensors shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall-Box Sensor Detection Technologyselect
Passive infrared
Ultrasonic
Dual-technology, passive infrared and ultrasonic
Passive infrared with acoustic hold-on
NOTE A passive infrared sensor sees the movement of a warm body across its field of view and needs a clear line of sight from the switch location, which a small enclosed room gives it; an ultrasonic sensor fills the room with sound and sees around a partition or into a stall, and can also see a diffuser's airflow or a door in the corridor; a dual-technology sensor requires both to turn on and either to hold on, which suppresses the false-off of a still occupant and the false-on of a passing draft and is what a room with obstructions is served with; acoustic hold-on keeps a passive infrared sensor on while it hears an occupant it cannot see. No technology is the norm across a project, because the rooms a wall-box sensor serves differ, so the field carries no default. (12.3.2)
12.3.3 Wall-box sensors shall comply with NEMA WD 7, shall have a field-adjustable sensitivity on every detection technology they carry, and shall be furnished with a grounded conductor at the switch box in accordance with NFPA 70 404.2(C) rather than returning current on the equipment grounding conductor.
12.3.4 The coverage pattern of each wall-box sensor shall include the entire occupied area of the room it serves from the switch location, and where the room's shape or furniture leaves an occupied area outside that pattern the condition shall be reported to the Engineer of Record before the device is installed.

12.4 Sensor Time Delay

12.4.1 The time delay from the last detection of occupancy to automatic shutoff shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall-Box Sensor Time Delayrange
minutes
1510152030
NOTE The delay trades nuisance shutoff against wasted operation: a short delay turns the lighting off on an occupant sitting still and produces the complaints that get a sensor taped over, and a long delay keeps an empty room lit. The model energy codes cap the delay at 20 minutes, a 15-minute setting is common in offices, a 5-minute setting in restrooms and storage rooms, and a 30-minute setting is available only where the adopted code permits it, so no value is the norm and the field carries no default. (12.4.2)
12.4.3 The time delay shall not exceed the maximum that Adopted Energy CodeAdopted Energy CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-energy-code permits for the space, shall be set in the field to the value selected, and shall be adjustable at the device without replacing it.

13 Device Color and Wall Plates

13.1 Device Color

13.1.1 The color of the general-purpose devices and of the nonmetallic plates that cover them shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Device Colorselect
White
Light almond
Ivory
Gray
Black
Brown
Red
Blue
Orange
NOTE White is the color on most projects built today and the one every manufacturer carries in every device, which is why it is the default; light almond and ivory are selected against warm wall finishes and in renovations that match existing devices; gray, black, and brown are selected against dark finishes, in industrial work, and where the architecture wants the devices to recede; red, blue, and orange are carried in every line because they are the colors designated circuits are identified by, and selecting one as the general color is done only where the identification convention of the project assigns that color no meaning. (13.1.2)
13.1.3 Receptacles supplied by an emergency system or by a branch of a healthcare essential electrical system shall be of a color distinct from the general device color, red unless Electrical IdentificationElectrical IdentificationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electrical-identification assigns that system another color, so that an occupant can identify the outlets that remain powered during a normal-power outage.
13.1.4 Where a color is used to identify a circuit type, including an emergency, an isolated-ground, a surge-protected, or an uninterruptible-power circuit, that color shall be reserved for that circuit type throughout the project and shall not be used for the general devices.
13.1.5 Device colors shall conform to NEMA WD 1, and devices and plates of the same color name shall be from the color schedule submitted and reviewed under this standard.

13.2 Wall Plate Material

13.2.1 The material of the wall plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall Plate Materialselect
Nylon
Thermoset urea plastic
Stainless steel
Brass
Aluminum
Painted steel
NOTE A nylon plate is impact-resistant, color-stable, and molded in every device color, and it is the plate on most non-residential projects, which is why it is the default; a thermoset urea plate is the lowest-cost plate and the one of residential work, and it cracks under impact; a stainless steel plate is cleanable, scratch-resistant, and specified in kitchens, healthcare, laboratories, and corridors that carts strike; a brass plate is an architectural finish; an aluminum plate is lighter than steel and anodized to a finish the architecture selects; a painted steel plate matches a wall color or a metal finish and chips where it is struck. (13.2.2)
13.2.3 Plates installed in damp or wet locations shall be the weatherproof covers required under this standard rather than the plates selected here.
13.2.4 A metal plate installed on a device shall be grounded through the device strap or by a bonding jumper in accordance with NFPA 70 404.9(B) and 406.6(B), and a plate shall not depend for its grounding on a mounting screw contacting a painted strap.
13.2.5 The finish of metal plates shall be satin or brushed unless the interior finish schedule indicates another finish, and plate screws shall match the plate in color and finish.

13.3 Wall Plate Size

13.3.1 The size of the wall plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Wall Plate Sizeradio
● Standard
○ Oversized
NOTE A standard plate covers a box opening cut to the device in a finished wall and is the plate of most projects, which is why it is the default; an oversized plate covers a rough or chipped opening in masonry, tile, or an existing wall where the box cannot be set to the finish, and it is selected for renovation work and for walls where the opening cannot be cut cleanly. (13.3.2)
13.3.3 Plates shall be listed to UL 514D, shall completely cover the box opening, and shall seat flat on the finished surface without rocking; where a plate cannot seat flat because of the wall finish or the box setback, the condition shall be corrected under Raceways And ConduitRaceways and ConduitResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raceways-and-conduit before the plate is installed.

14 Installation

14.1 Mounting Height

14.1.1 The mounting height of switches, dimmers, and wall-box sensors, measured from the finished floor to the centerline of the device, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Switch Mounting Height to Centerlinerange
in.
3648
Derived — the high reach limit of the accessibility standard adopted with Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code, applied to the operable part of the device (by default)
14.1.2 The mounting height of general-purpose receptacles, measured from the finished floor to the centerline of the device, shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Receptacle Mounting Height to Centerlinerange
in.
1548
Derived — the low reach limit of the accessibility standard adopted with Adopted Building CodeAdopted Building CodeParameterEach project supplies its own value.adopted-building-code, applied to the lowest operable part of the device (by default)
NOTE The heights follow from the reach range of the accessibility standard the building code adopts, which caps the operable part of a switch at the high reach limit and floors the lowest slot of a receptacle at the low reach limit, so a project that adopts the reach range gets a switch centerline near 44 in. and a receptacle centerline near 18 in. without choosing either; a project enters a value only where it mounts devices elsewhere by convention, as a renovation that matches existing devices does. (14.1.3)
14.1.4 Where the drawings indicate a mounting height at a particular location, the indicated height shall govern at that location.
14.1.5 Receptacles above a counter, a workbench, or a lavatory shall be mounted at the height indicated on the casework elevations, with the operable part within the reach range the accessibility standard permits over an obstruction of that depth, and centered in the backsplash where one is present.
14.1.6 No switch shall be installed with the center of its grip more than 6 ft 7 in. above the floor or working platform, in accordance with NFPA 70 404.8(A), except where that section permits a higher location.
14.1.7 Devices in a space the accessibility standard requires to be accessible shall be operable with one hand without tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist, and with a force not exceeding the limit that standard sets.
14.1.8 Switches controlling the lighting of a room shall be located on the latch side of the entry door unless the electrical plans indicate another location.

14.2 Receptacle Orientation

14.2.1 The orientation of vertically mounted receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Receptacle Orientationradio
● Grounding slot down
○ Grounding slot up
NOTE NFPA 70 is silent on orientation and both are listed installations: grounding slot down is the orientation of most buildings and the one most plug-in devices with a fixed cord angle are shaped for, which is why it is the default; grounding slot up is selected where a metal object falling across a partially inserted plug would strike the grounding blade first, and some healthcare and institutional owners require it for that reason. (14.2.2)
14.2.3 Receptacles mounted horizontally, including those in a backsplash, shall be mounted with the grounded conductor slot up, and the orientation shall be the same at every horizontal receptacle on the project.
14.2.4 Every vertically mounted receptacle shall be installed in the selected orientation, and a device found installed in the other orientation shall be reinstalled before the plate is applied.

14.3 Terminations

14.3.1 The termination methods permitted on wiring devices shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Permitted Device Termination Methodscheckbox
☑ Side-wired screw terminals
☑ Back-wired clamp terminals, screw-actuated pressure plate
☐ Push-in spring terminals
NOTE A side-wired screw terminal clamps a conductor formed into a hook under the screw head and is on every grade of device; a back-wired clamp terminal drives a pressure plate against a straight conductor under the screw, grips the full conductor cross-section, and accepts the 10 AWG conductor a side screw does not, and it is on specification-grade and higher devices; a push-in spring terminal holds a straight conductor on a spring contact with no screw, is limited by its listing to 14 AWG solid copper, and holds the conductor on a contact area small enough that it is the termination most often found loose and heated when a receptacle fails. Most projects permit the two screw methods and exclude the spring terminal, which is why the default reads that way. (14.3.2)
14.3.3 Unless the datasheet permits them, push-in spring terminations shall not be used on any device.
14.3.4 Every screw-actuated termination shall be tightened to the torque the device manufacturer marks on the device or publishes for it, using a calibrated torque screwdriver, in accordance with NFPA 70 110.14(D).
14.3.5 Where a conductor larger than the device terminal accepts serves an outlet, the device shall be connected by a pigtail of the conductor size the terminal accepts, spliced to the branch-circuit conductor with a listed connector under Conductors And CablesConductors and CablesResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/conductors-and-cables.
14.3.6 Receptacles on a circuit that continues to other outlets shall be connected by pigtails so that the continuity of the circuit does not depend on the device, and the grounded conductor shall not be spliced through the device terminals.
NOTE An under-torqued termination loosens and heats under load and an over-torqued one strips the terminal or nicks the conductor, and both produce the same high-resistance connection; the torque marked on a specification-grade device is the manufacturer's tested value for that terminal and is not the same from one device line to another. (14.3.7)

14.4 Grounding Connections at the Device

14.4.1 Each device with a grounding terminal shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor of its branch circuit, and the equipment grounding conductor and its termination in the box shall comply with Grounding And BondingGrounding and Bonding for Electrical SystemsResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/grounding-and-bonding.
14.4.2 Where a device is installed in a metal box, the grounding connection between the device strap and the box shall be made by a bonding jumper from the device grounding terminal to the box, or by a self-grounding device listed for the purpose where NFPA 70 250.146 permits it, and the contact between a painted strap and the box mounting screws shall not be relied upon.
14.4.3 A device installed in a surface-mounted metal box with direct metal-to-metal contact between the device yoke and the box may be grounded through that contact where NFPA 70 250.146(A) permits, and in every other case the jumper or the self-grounding device is required.

14.5 Device Installation

14.5.1 Devices shall be installed plumb, square to the wall, and flush with the finished surface, with the yoke bearing on the box or on the finished surface so that the device does not move when a plug is inserted or a switch is operated.
14.5.2 The branch-circuit conductors shall be formed into the box so that the device seats without pinching a conductor against the box edge or the device strap, and a conductor whose insulation is damaged in forming shall be cut back and re-terminated.
14.5.3 Devices shall not be installed until the wall finish is complete and the space is clean and dry, and a device that must be installed before painting shall be covered so that paint does not enter the device or coat the strap.
14.5.4 A device contaminated by paint, joint compound, or another finish material shall be replaced, not cleaned in place, at the Contractor's cost.
14.5.5 Where a device is installed in an existing wall under a renovation, the outlet box shall be verified for fill and support under Raceways And ConduitRaceways and ConduitResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/raceways-and-conduit before the device is installed, and a box that cannot support a device shall be replaced.

15 Device Identification

15.1 The plates that shall be marked with the panelboard and circuit number serving the device shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Plates Marked with Panelboard and Circuitcheckbox
☐ Receptacle plates
☐ Switch plates
☐ Plates of receptacles serving designated equipment
15.2 The method of marking the plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Plate Marking Methodselect
Engraved and filled plate
Machine-printed adhesive label on the plate face
Machine-printed adhesive label inside the plate
NOTE A circuit number on the plate is what lets a technician find the breaker for a dead outlet without a tracer and what lets an occupant report the right circuit, and it costs a label per device; receptacle plates are marked on most projects that mark anything, switch plates less often because the switch is next to the load it controls, and a project that marks only the receptacles serving copiers, refrigerators, and other designated equipment marks the outlets that are reported most. An engraved plate is permanent and is ordered with the plate; a label on the face is applied in the field after the circuits are verified and is visible to the occupant; a label inside the plate is read by the technician who removes it and leaves the face unmarked for the architecture. (15.3)
15.4 The panelboard designation and circuit number marked on a plate shall match the panelboard directory under Electrical IdentificationElectrical IdentificationResolves to the current adopted revision.sync/electrical-identification and shall be applied after the circuit is verified at testing, not from the design drawings.
15.5 A receptacle protected through the load terminals of an upstream ground-fault device, a controlled receptacle, and an isolated-ground receptacle shall carry the marking this standard and NFPA 70 406 require for it, in addition to any plate marking selected here.

16 Field Testing

16.1 Receptacle Wiring Verification

16.1.1 The receptacles tested for wiring correctness shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Receptacle Wiring Verification Scoperadio
● Every receptacle
○ A sample of receptacles on each branch circuit
NOTE A reversed polarity, an open ground, or a bootleg ground is invisible until a person is shocked or a piece of equipment is damaged, and the test takes a few seconds per outlet with a plug-in tester, which is why testing every receptacle is the practice on most projects and the default; a sample is accepted where the count is very large and the Owner accepts the chance that an untested outlet is miswired, and it is expanded to every receptacle on a circuit where a sample on that circuit fails. (16.1.2)
16.1.3 Each receptacle tested shall be verified after installation and before the plate is applied for correct polarity, continuity of the equipment grounding connection, the absence of a reversed, open, or bootlegged connection, and the correct voltage, using a receptacle tester and a voltmeter appropriate to the configuration.
16.1.4 Where a sample is selected, the sample on each branch circuit shall include not fewer than one receptacle and the last receptacle on the circuit, and a failure at any sampled receptacle shall require every receptacle on that circuit to be tested.
16.1.5 A receptacle that fails any test shall be corrected and retested, and the cost of the correction and of every repeated test shall be borne by the Contractor.

16.2 Ground-Fault and Arc-Fault Device Tests

16.2.1 Every ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle shall be tested by operating its test button and by applying a ground-fault current with a listed external tester, and the test shall confirm that the device trips, that its face and every outlet protected through its load terminals are de-energized when it trips, and that its reset restores power.
16.2.2 Every outlet branch-circuit arc-fault device and every dual-function receptacle shall be tested by operating its test button, and the test shall confirm that the device trips and that every outlet protected through its load terminals is de-energized when it trips.
16.2.3 A ground-fault or arc-fault device that fails to trip, that trips without de-energizing its protected outlets, or whose self-test indicates end of life shall be replaced at the Contractor's cost and the replacement retested.
NOTE The external tester is required because the test button checks the device's own trip mechanism through an internal resistor and does not confirm that the branch circuit and its grounding path will carry a real fault to the device. (16.2.4)

16.3 Sensor and Dimmer Startup

16.3.1 Every wall-box sensor shall be walk-tested after the room is finished and furnished to confirm that it detects occupancy throughout the room without a dead area and does not respond to traffic in the corridor or to air movement, and its sensitivity, control mode, and time delay shall be set to the values selected under this standard and recorded.
16.3.2 Every wall-box dimmer shall be operated through its full range with the luminaires connected to confirm that the luminaires dim smoothly to the low-end trim without flicker, dropout, or audible noise, and the trim shall be set and recorded.
16.3.3 A sensor or dimmer that fails its test shall be corrected, re-aimed, or replaced and retested at the Contractor's cost.

17 Delivery, Storage, and Handling

17.1 Wiring devices and plates shall be delivered in the manufacturer's original packaging with the listing marks intact, and shall be inspected at receipt for damage and for conformance with the reviewed submittal.
17.2 Devices and plates shall be stored indoors in a dry space within the manufacturer's published storage temperature range, off the floor, and protected from dust, paint, and construction debris until they are installed.
17.3 Devices shall remain in their packaging until the outlet is ready for them, so that a device is not soiled, painted over, or damaged during finish work.
17.4 A device that is damaged, soiled, or shows a broken or missing listing mark at receipt or at installation shall be rejected and replaced at no cost to the Owner.

18 Warranty

18.1 The manufacturer shall warrant every wiring device and plate against defects in materials and workmanship for the period indicated in the datasheet, measured from the date of substantial completion.
Manufacturer's Device Warranty Periodrange
years
123510
NOTE Manufacturers warrant residential devices for one or two years and specification-grade devices for periods that run from two years to ten across the market, and the period an Owner asks for depends on whether it maintains its own devices or expects the manufacturer to replace them, so no period is the norm and the field carries no default; the longer periods are bought for hospital-grade and industrial devices and for the electronics of ground-fault, USB, and sensor devices, which fail before the contacts do. (18.2)
18.3 Where a warranty period is not selected in the datasheet, the manufacturer's standard warranty shall apply, and its term shall be stated in the product data.
18.4 The Contractor shall warrant the installation, including every termination, the device grounding, the plate fit, and the results of the field tests, for the project warranty period, and shall correct a device that fails, loosens, overheats, or does not perform its test during that period at no cost to the Owner.
18.5 A device replaced under warranty shall be warranted for a full new term equal to the original period from the date of replacement, or for the remainder of the original period, whichever ends later.

19 Spare Parts

19.1 The Contractor shall deliver spare devices and plates of each type furnished, in the quantity indicated in the datasheet as a percentage of the installed count of each type, grade, configuration, and color, and shall obtain a signed receipt for them.
Spare Devices and Plates Furnishedrange
% of installed count of each type and color
2510
19.2 The spare device types to be furnished shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
Spare Device Typescheckbox
☐ General-purpose receptacles, each grade and color
☐ Ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacles
☐ Special-purpose and locking receptacles, each configuration
☐ Snap switches, each type and color
☐ Wall-box dimmers and sensors, each type
☐ Wall plates, each type, size, and finish
NOTE A spare quantity is sized to the installed count and to the Owner's maintenance program, so no quantity is the norm and the field carries no default; spares matter most where the devices are a color or a finish that is ordered rather than stocked, because a replacement in a near-match color is visible on the wall for the life of the building, and a zero records that the Owner stocks nothing and replaces from the catalog. (19.3)
19.4 Spare devices and plates shall be identical to the installed items in manufacturer, grade, configuration, color, and finish, shall be delivered in their original packaging, and shall be labeled with the device type and the area they serve.