Wiring Devices
Remade for neutrality: every choice explained, project facts as parameters, scope boundaries linked both ways
Showing changes from Rev 6
to Rev 7
in Wiring Devices.
---
title: Wiring Devices
category: Electrical
−toc_depth: 3
description: >
− When to use: Receptacles, switches, and related wiring devices rated 125V through 250V and 60A and below for commercial, institutional, and light-industrial interior and exterior applications. Covers device grade and quality, NEMA receptacle configurations, GFCI and AFCI protection, tamper-resistant and weather-resistant devices, USB and specialty receptacles, snap switches, occupancy and vacancy sensors, wall plates and finishes, and floor and poke-through devices, including device testing and installation.
+ When to use: The receptacles, snap switches, wall-box dimmers, wall-box occupancy and vacancy sensors, and wall plates installed in outlet boxes on branch circuits rated 250 V and below and 60 A and below, in commercial, institutional, industrial, multifamily, and residential buildings. Covers device grade, the ampere rating and NEMA WD 6 configuration of receptacles, hospital-grade, isolated-ground, controlled, USB, surge-protective, locking, and special-purpose receptacles, the ground-fault and arc-fault devices installed at the outlet, tamper-resistant and weather-resistant devices and their covers, switch types and ratings, stand-alone dimmers and sensors with no connection to a control system, device color and plate material and finish, mounting height and orientation, terminations, device identification, field testing, warranty, and spares.
− Not intended for: Branch-circuit overcurrent protection and panel-mounted GFCI/AFCI breakers (see [[sync/panelboards]]), the branch-circuit conductors and equipment grounding conductors feeding the devices (see [[sync/conductors-and-cables]]), the raceways, outlet boxes, and floor-box conduit systems beyond the device requirements stated here (see [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]]), lighting fixtures and integral fixture controls, networked or digital lighting-control systems and their relay panels, pin-and-sleeve and locking devices above 60A, low-voltage data and communications jacks, or devices in hazardous (classified) locations without application-specific modifications.
+ Not intended for: The decision whether ground-fault or arc-fault protection is provided at the panelboard or at the outlet, and the breakers that provide it at the panelboard (see [[sync/panelboards]]); the branch-circuit conductors that supply the devices (see [[sync/conductors-and-cables]]); the outlet boxes, raceways, and surface raceways that house them (see [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]]); the equipment grounding conductor and the isolated grounding conductor each device terminates (see [[sync/grounding-and-bonding]]); floor boxes and poke-through devices and their covers (see [[sync/electrical-floor-boxes-and-poke-throughs]]); the electric vehicle supply equipment itself, whether cord-connected or hardwired (see [[sync/electric-vehicle-charging]]); rack power distribution units, busway plug-in units, and relocatable power taps (see [[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 (see [[sync/lighting-controls]]); luminaires and their drivers (see [[sync/lighting-fixtures]]); permanently connected surge protective devices and point-of-use devices other than the receptacle form (see [[sync/surge-protective-devices]]); the branch arrangement and the receptacle count of a healthcare essential electrical system (see [[sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems]]); enclosed switches and motor disconnects (see [[sync/enclosed-switches-and-disconnects]]); temporary construction receptacles (see [[sync/temporary-facilities-and-controls]]); telecommunications outlets and jacks (see [[sync/structured-cabling]]); circuit directories and equipment nameplates (see [[sync/electrical-identification]]); pin-and-sleeve devices above 60 A; and devices in hazardous (classified) locations.
---
# Scope {toc}
−## This standard covers the materials, ratings, configuration, installation, and field testing of wiring devices for low-voltage branch circuits rated 125V through 250V and 60A and below. {note}
−## Wiring devices include receptacles, attachment-plug outlets, snap (toggle and decorator) switches, ground-fault and arc-fault protective devices, occupancy and vacancy sensors, wall plates, and floor and poke-through outlet devices. {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. {note}
−## Wiring devices are the most numerous, most visible, and most frequently handled electrical components in a building, and they are also the components most often value-engineered to failure. {note}
−## A receptacle is touched, plugged, and unplugged thousands of times over its life; a switch is actuated tens of thousands of times. {note}
−## The difference between a device that survives that duty cycle and one that loosens, overheats, or breaks is almost entirely a function of the device grade selected and the quality of the field termination. {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. {note}
−## Devices and their installation shall comply with NFPA 70 (National Electrical Code), principally Article 406 for receptacles, Article 404 for switches, 210.8 for ground-fault protection, and 210.12 for arc-fault protection.
+## 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. {note}
−## Devices shall be listed and labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory.
+## The following are governed elsewhere and are outside this standard: {note}
−## Device grade is treated as a primary engineering decision rather than an afterthought, because the installed cost difference between grades is small relative to the cost of replacing failed devices in an occupied building. {note}
+- the location at which personnel ground-fault and arc-fault protection is provided, and the breakers that provide it at the panelboard, under [[sync/panelboards]]
+- the branch-circuit conductors, their color, and their splices, under [[sync/conductors-and-cables]]
+- the outlet boxes, box fill, raceways, and surface raceways, under [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]]
+- the equipment grounding conductor, the isolated grounding conductor, and the bonding of metal boxes, under [[sync/grounding-and-bonding]]
+- floor boxes and poke-through devices, their service fittings, and their covers, under [[sync/electrical-floor-boxes-and-poke-throughs]]
+- the electric vehicle supply equipment itself, cord-connected or hardwired, under [[sync/electric-vehicle-charging]]
+- rack power distribution units, busway plug-in units, and relocatable power taps, under [[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 [[sync/lighting-controls]]
+- the luminaires and the dimming input of their drivers, under [[sync/lighting-fixtures]]
+- permanently connected surge protective devices and their coordination, under [[sync/surge-protective-devices]]
+- the branches, transfer, and receptacle count of a healthcare essential electrical system, under [[sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems]]
+- enclosed switches and motor disconnecting means, under [[sync/enclosed-switches-and-disconnects]]
+- temporary construction receptacles and their ground-fault protection, under [[sync/temporary-facilities-and-controls]]
+- telecommunications outlets, jacks, and faceplates, under [[sync/structured-cabling]]
+- panelboard directories, equipment nameplates, and system color coding, under [[sync/electrical-identification]]
−## The branch circuit that supplies a device, including its conductors and equipment grounding conductor, is governed by [[sync/conductors-and-cables]]; the outlet box, raceway, and floor-box rough-in that house the device are governed by [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]]; panel-mounted GFCI and AFCI breakers are governed by [[sync/panelboards]]; and the equipment grounding connection every device depends upon is governed by [[sync/grounding-and-bonding]]. This standard governs the device itself, its plate, and the requirements for terminating and testing it. {note}
+## 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.
−## Device locations, mounting heights, circuiting, and the assignment of switches to controlled loads shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the electrical drawings]].
+## The location of every device, the circuit that serves it, and the load each switch controls shall be as indicated on [[drawing: the electrical plans]].
+## 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.
+
# Referenced Standards {toc}
−## Devices, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of the following standards and codes.
+## Equipment, materials, and installation shall comply with the latest adopted edition of each of the following unless a specific edition is cited.
+## 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 110, 210, 250, 404, 406, 314, 517, 680) |
−| NFPA 70E | Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace |
+| 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 1472 | Solid-State Dimming Controls |
−| UL 773 | Plug-In, Locking Type Photocontrols for Use with Area Lighting (and UL 773A, Nonindustrial Photoelectric Switches) |
| UL 1449 | Surge Protective Devices |
−| UL 514A | Metallic Outlet Boxes |
−| UL 514B | Conduit, Tubing, and Cable Fittings |
−| UL 514C | Nonmetallic Outlet Boxes, Flush-Device Boxes, and Covers |
+| 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 6 | Wiring Devices, Dimensional Specifications |
| NEMA WD 7 | Occupancy Motion Sensors Standard |
−| FS W-C-596 | Federal Specification, Connector, Plug and Receptacle, Electrical (device grade references) |
−| FS W-S-896 | Federal Specification, Switches, Toggle (device grade references) |
+| 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) |
−## Where the contract documents, the adopted building code, or a referenced standard conflict, the more stringent requirement shall govern unless the Engineer of Record directs otherwise in writing.
+## 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. {note}
# Submittals {toc}
## Action Submittals {toc}
−### Contractor shall submit the following for the Engineer's review prior to procurement:
+### The Contractor shall submit the following for review before any wiring device is procured:
−- Product data for each device type, grade, ampere and voltage rating, NEMA configuration, and color, including receptacles, switches, GFCI and AFCI devices, sensors, wall plates, and floor and poke-through assemblies
−- Documentation of listing and labeling for each device, identifying the applicable UL standard and, for receptacles, the NEMA WD 6 configuration designation
−- For occupancy and vacancy sensors, the sensing technology, coverage pattern and range, time-delay range, and the wiring topology (line-voltage versus low-voltage with a separate power pack)
−- For floor and poke-through devices, the assembly fire-resistance rating where installed in a fire-rated floor, the service openings provided (power, low-voltage), and the finish
−- A device color and finish schedule coordinating device color, plate material, and plate finish with the architectural finish schedule
+- 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
```datasheet
−label: Action Submittals Required
+label: Action Submittals
type: checkbox
options:
− - "Product data for each device type and grade"
− - "Listing/labeling documentation (UL standard and NEMA configuration)"
− - "Occupancy/vacancy sensor coverage and technology data"
− - "Floor / poke-through assembly data (fire rating, services, finish)"
− - "Device color and plate finish schedule"
−default: "Product data for each device type and grade"
+ - "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"
+default:
+ - "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"
```
−### Devices shall not be ordered until the corresponding submittals are reviewed and returned.
+### Wiring devices and plates shall not be procured until the product data and the color schedule have been reviewed and returned.
+### 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. {note}
+
## Closeout Submittals {toc}
−### Contractor shall provide the following at substantial completion:
+### The Contractor shall submit the following before the wiring devices are accepted:
−- Field test reports for receptacle wiring verification and GFCI/AFCI functional testing, identifying any device replaced as a result of testing
−- Operation and maintenance data for occupancy/vacancy sensors and any programmable devices, including time-delay and sensitivity settings as left
−- Warranty documentation for devices carrying a manufacturer warranty
−- A record device schedule reflecting the as-installed device types, grades, and colors by area
+- 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
```datasheet
−label: Closeout Submittals Required
+label: Closeout Submittals
type: checkbox
options:
− - "Field test reports (receptacle wiring, GFCI/AFCI functional)"
− - "O&M data for sensors and programmable devices (settings as left)"
+ - "Receptacle test report"
+ - "Ground-fault and arc-fault device test report"
+ - "Sensor and dimmer settings as left"
+ - "Record device schedule by area"
- "Warranty documentation"
− - "Record device schedule (types, grades, colors by area)"
+ - "Spare device receipt"
default:
− - "Field test reports (receptacle wiring, GFCI/AFCI functional)"
− - "O&M data for sensors and programmable devices (settings as left)"
+ - "Receptacle test report"
+ - "Ground-fault and arc-fault device test report"
+ - "Sensor and dimmer settings as left"
- "Warranty documentation"
− - "Record device schedule (types, grades, colors by area)"
```
# Quality Assurance {toc}
−## Installer Qualifications {toc}
+## Listing and Labeling {toc}
−### Termination quality is the single largest field variable affecting device reliability. {note}
+### 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.
−### Wiring devices shall be installed by electricians experienced in device termination and supervised by a licensed electrical contractor.
+### Receptacle configurations shall conform to the dimensions of NEMA WD 6, and device colors shall conform to NEMA WD 1.
−### Personnel shall be familiar with the correct preparation and torque of the terminal type specified for each device.
+### 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.
−## Listing and Labeling {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### Every wiring device shall be listed and labeled by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory for its specific use.
+## Installer Qualifications {toc}
−### Receptacles and attachment plugs shall be listed to UL 498.
+### 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.
−### Ground-fault circuit-interrupter devices shall be listed to UL 943.
+### 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. {note}
−### Arc-fault devices shall be listed to UL 1699.
+## Source Limitation {toc}
−### Solid-state dimmers shall be listed to UL 1472.
+### The limitation on the sources of wiring devices and plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### A device shall not be installed in any application beyond the ratings and use for which it is listed.
+```datasheet
+label: Source Limitation
+type: radio
+options:
+ - "All devices and plates from one manufacturer"
+ - "Each device family and its plates from one manufacturer"
+ - "No source limitation"
+```
−## Source Limitations {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### A receptacle from one manufacturer and a plate from another frequently do not align cleanly even when both meet NEMA WD 6 dimensions; sourcing devices and plates as a coordinated set avoids visible misalignment. {note}
+### 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.
−### All wiring devices of a given type and grade on a project should be furnished by a single manufacturer so that color, plate fit, and replacement-part interchangeability are consistent throughout the building.
−
## Regulatory Requirements {toc}
−### Devices and their installation shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local codes, including the adopted edition of NFPA 70 and any state or local amendments.
+### The installation shall comply with the edition of NFPA 70 adopted with [[parameter: adopted-building-code]] and with the amendments of the Authority Having Jurisdiction, and shall be made available for the inspections that authority requires.
−### Work shall be subject to inspection by the Authority Having Jurisdiction.
−
# Environmental and Service Conditions {toc}
−## The location of a device dictates several mandatory device characteristics under the NEC, independent of any designer preference. {note}
−## The selection below records the governing condition for each device group so that the correct device characteristics are carried through procurement. {note}
+## Device Cover Enclosure Type {toc}
−## The governing environmental condition — indoor dry, indoor damp, or outdoor/wet — shall be specified for each device group.
+### The enclosure type the device cover and plate shall provide at the finished surface shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Device Location Class
+label: Device Cover Enclosure Type
type: select
−drawing_ref: "electrical drawings"
options:
− - "Indoor dry — general interior, climate-controlled"
− - "Indoor damp — unconditioned interior, high-humidity areas"
− - "Outdoor / wet — exposed to weather or washdown"
−default: "Indoor dry — general interior, climate-controlled"
+ - "NEMA Type 1"
+ - "NEMA Type 3R"
+ - "NEMA Type 4"
+ - "NEMA Type 4X"
+default: "NEMA Type 1"
```
−## A device in a damp or wet location shall be weather-resistant and shall be protected by an appropriate cover.
+### 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. {note}
−## A device in a location listed in NEC 406.12 shall be tamper-resistant.
+### 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.
−## A device in a location listed in NEC 210.8 shall have ground-fault protection.
+### 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).
−## These location-driven requirements are not optional and are addressed in the product sections that follow. {note}
+### 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.
−# Device Grade and Quality {toc}
+### 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.
−## The grade of a wiring device, established by its construction and by the durability and retention tests it passes under UL 498, is the primary determinant of how long the device will function in service. {note}
−## Grade is not a marketing term; it corresponds to measurable differences in contact material, contact pressure, strap thickness, and terminal robustness, and historically to the federal device-grade references FS W-C-596 for receptacles and FS W-S-896 for switches. {note}
+### 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.
−## Receptacle Grade {toc}
+## Location-Driven Device Characteristics {toc}
−### Commercial grade provides substantially higher contact retention and strap durability than residential-grade devices at a small premium, and it is the grade that survives the plug-and-unplug cycling of an occupied building without developing loose, heat-generating connections. {note}
+### A receptacle installed in a damp or a wet location shall be a listed weather-resistant receptacle, in accordance with NFPA 70 406.9.
−### Commercial (specification) grade shall be the default for commercial, institutional, and tenant-improvement work unless a higher or lower grade is indicated.
+### A receptacle installed in a location NFPA 70 406.12 lists shall be a listed tamper-resistant receptacle.
+### A receptacle installed outdoors or in an unconditioned space shall be listed for operation across the range from [[parameter: site-ambient-temperature-minimum]] to [[parameter: site-ambient-temperature-maximum]].
+
+### 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. {note}
+
+# Device Grade {toc}
+
+## 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. {note}
+
+## Receptacle Grade {toc}
+
+### The grade of the general-purpose receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
label: Receptacle Grade
type: radio
options:
− - "Residential / general use"
− - "Commercial / specification grade"
− - "Heavy-duty / industrial grade"
− - "Hospital grade (UL 498, green dot)"
−default: "Commercial / specification grade"
+ - "Residential grade"
+ - "Commercial specification grade"
+ - "Industrial specification grade"
+ - "Hospital grade"
+default: "Commercial specification grade"
```
−### Residential/general-use grade should be limited to dwelling units and light-duty locations where cost governs and duty is low.
+### 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. {note}
−### Heavy-duty/industrial grade should be specified for shops, kitchens, equipment rooms, and any location subject to heavy or abusive plug cycling.
+### 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.
−### Hospital-grade receptacles, identified by the green dot required under UL 498 and tested to additional grounding-reliability, assembly-integrity, and abrupt-removal requirements, shall be used in patient care spaces and wherever else required by NEC Article 517, and may be specified for other critical-equipment locations where maximum grounding reliability is required.
+### Receptacles on the branches of a healthcare essential electrical system shall be of the grade, the color, and the count [[sync/healthcare-essential-electrical-systems]] requires for the space they serve.
## Switch Grade {toc}
−### A specification-grade switch is rated for a far greater number of mechanical operations than a residential switch; switch grade follows the same logic as receptacle grade. {note}
+### The grade of the snap switches shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### A specification-grade switch shall be the default for commercial spaces, where a single switch may be actuated many times per day for decades.
−
```datasheet
label: Switch Grade
type: radio
options:
− - "Residential / general use"
− - "Commercial / specification grade"
− - "Heavy-duty / industrial grade"
−default: "Commercial / specification grade"
+ - "Residential grade"
+ - "Commercial specification grade"
+ - "Industrial specification grade"
+default: "Commercial specification grade"
```
−## Switch and Receptacle Ampere Rating {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### The 20A receptacle accepts both 15A and 20A attachment plugs; a 20A switch is similarly preferred for commercial work because its higher contact rating extends life under inductive lighting loads. {note}
+# Receptacles {toc}
−### A 20A device shall be the default for commercial branch circuits, which are commonly wired as 20A circuits.
+## General-Purpose Receptacle Rating and Configuration {toc}
+### The ampere rating of the general-purpose 125 V receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: General-Purpose Device Ampere Rating
−type: radio
+label: General-Purpose Receptacle Ampere Rating
+type: range
unit: A
options:
− - "15 A"
− - "20 A"
−default: "20 A"
+ min: 15
+ max: 20
+ setpoints: [15, 20]
+default: 20
```
−### A 20A receptacle is required where a single receptacle is the only outlet on a 20A circuit.
+### 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. {note}
−### The device ampere rating shall not exceed the branch-circuit rating, and a receptacle's rating shall be coordinated with the circuit per NEC 210.21(B).
+### 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.
−# Receptacles and NEMA Configurations {toc}
+### 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.
−## The physical configuration of a receptacle — the arrangement of its slots and ground contact — is standardized by NEMA WD 6, which assigns a designation (for example 5-15R, 5-20R, 6-20R, L5-30R) encoding the voltage class, the ampere rating, and whether the device is straight-blade or locking. {note}
−## Specifying the correct NEMA configuration is what guarantees that the receptacle physically accepts only the intended attachment plug and rejects others, which is itself a safety function. {note}
+### General-purpose receptacles shall be duplex devices unless a single or a two-gang receptacle arrangement is indicated on [[drawing: the electrical plans]] for an outlet.
−## Configurations shall be specified by their NEMA WD 6 designation, never by appearance or by a manufacturer catalog number.
+### The face style of the general-purpose receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## General-Purpose Receptacle Configuration {toc}
−
−### The 5-20R, 125V 20A straight-blade configuration is the workhorse of commercial construction and is the correct default for general convenience receptacles on 20A circuits. {note}
−### The 5-15R is appropriate for 15A circuits and residential general use. {note}
−### The 6-series 250V configurations serve dedicated 240V single-phase equipment. {note}
−### The locking blade prevents the plug from being pulled out under load or vibration. {note}
−
−### Locking (twist-lock) configurations shall be specified where an accidental disconnection would be hazardous or disruptive — portable equipment, temporary power, rooftop and mechanical equipment, and stage or audiovisual power.
−
```datasheet
−label: General-Purpose Receptacle NEMA Configuration
−type: select
+label: Receptacle Face Style
+type: radio
options:
− - "5-15R — 125V, 15A, straight blade"
− - "5-20R — 125V, 20A, straight blade"
− - "6-15R — 250V, 15A, straight blade"
− - "6-20R — 250V, 20A, straight blade"
− - "L5-20R — 125V, 20A, locking"
− - "L5-30R — 125V, 30A, locking"
− - "L6-20R — 250V, 20A, locking"
− - "L6-30R — 250V, 30A, locking"
−default: "5-20R — 125V, 20A, straight blade"
+ - "Standard duplex face"
+ - "Decorator-opening duplex face"
+default: "Standard duplex face"
```
−## Receptacle Configuration — Single vs. Duplex {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### A duplex receptacle is the default general-purpose device. {note}
−### Quad assemblies are appropriate at workstations and equipment racks where outlet density is high. {note}
+## Special-Purpose and Locking Receptacles {toc}
−### A single receptacle shall be used where a dedicated piece of equipment requires the entire circuit, where a single receptacle is installed on an individual branch circuit and must therefore be rated not less than the circuit per NEC 210.21(B)(1), or where codes restrict the outlet to one device.
+### Receptacles rated above 20 A, receptacles rated 250 V, and locking receptacles shall be of the NEMA WD 6 configuration indicated on [[drawing: the electrical plans]] for each outlet.
−```datasheet
−label: Receptacle Device Type
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Duplex (two receptacles per device)"
− - "Single (one receptacle per device)"
− - "Quad (four receptacles, two ganged duplexes)"
−default: "Duplex (two receptacles per device)"
−```
+### 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. {note}
−## Controlled and Marked Receptacles {toc}
+### 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.
−```datasheet
−label: Controlled Receptacle Marking (energy code)
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not required"
− - "Automatically controlled receptacles marked per energy code"
−default: "Not required"
−```
+### A receptacle installed for cord-and-plug-connected electric vehicle supply equipment under [[sync/electric-vehicle-charging]] shall be of the configuration indicated on [[drawing: the electrical plans]] for that outlet and shall have the ground-fault protection NFPA 70 625.54 requires.
−### Where the adopted energy code requires that a portion of receptacles be automatically controlled (switched off when a space is unoccupied), the controlled receptacles shall be permanently marked with the distinctive symbol that identifies them as controlled, so that occupants do not connect equipment requiring continuous power to a controlled outlet.
+## Receptacles on Isolated-Ground Circuits {toc}
−### The controlled and uncontrolled receptacles, and which are switched, shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the drawings]].
+### Where an isolated-ground circuit is designated under [[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.
−# Ground-Fault and Arc-Fault Protection {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−## Ground-fault and arc-fault protection may be provided at the device (a GFCI or AFCI receptacle) or upstream at the panelboard (a GFCI or AFCI breaker, per [[sync/panelboards]]).
−## Both satisfy the code requirement; the choice affects cost, the extent of wiring protected, and the location at which a tripped device is reset. {note}
−## This standard governs the device-level option. {note}
+# Ground-Fault and Arc-Fault Devices at the Outlet {toc}
−## Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (GFCI) Protection {toc}
+## Whether personnel ground-fault protection and arc-fault protection are provided at the panelboard or at the outlet is decided under [[sync/panelboards]]; this section governs the devices furnished when that decision places the protection at the outlet. {note}
−### NEC 210.8 requires ground-fault protection for personnel on receptacles in a broad and expanding set of locations, including bathrooms, kitchens and other areas with sinks or food-preparation provisions, garages, outdoors, rooftops, crawl spaces, and unfinished basements, and the protected range now extends through 250V at the specified locations. {note}
+## Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Receptacles {toc}
−### A GFCI receptacle at the point of use is the common default because it protects the connected equipment, is reset locally, and isolates a trip to a single outlet. {note}
−### A GFCI breaker at the panelboard additionally protects the branch-circuit wiring and is preferred where the wiring is exposed to damage or where local reset is impractical. {note}
+### Where the protection location selected under [[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.
−### Where NEC 210.8 applies, the method of GFCI protection shall be specified as a receptacle, panelboard breaker, or feed-through installation.
+### 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.
+### The use of the load terminals of a ground-fault circuit-interrupter receptacle to protect downstream outlets shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: GFCI Protection Method (where 210.8 applies)
+label: GFCI Receptacle Feed-Through Protection of Downstream Outlets
type: radio
options:
− - "GFCI receptacle at the point of use"
− - "GFCI breaker at the panelboard (protects branch-circuit wiring)"
− - "First GFCI receptacle feeding downstream protected receptacles"
−default: "GFCI receptacle at the point of use"
+ - "Permitted"
+ - "Not permitted"
```
−### Where a receptacle is in a location listed in NEC 210.8, it shall be GFCI-protected by a listed GFCI device.
+### 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. {note}
−### Where a single upstream GFCI receptacle feeds downstream conventional receptacles on its load terminals, every downstream receptacle so protected shall be marked "GFCI Protected" and "No Equipment Ground" only where applicable, and the downstream extent shall be clear so that a future trip can be diagnosed.
+### 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.
−### GFCI devices for personnel protection shall be Class A, listed to UL 943, which trips on a ground-fault current of 6 mA and does not trip below 4 mA.
+### 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.
−### Devices of other classes, which trip at higher currents, protect equipment but not people and shall not be substituted where personnel protection is required.
+## Outlet Branch-Circuit Arc-Fault Devices {toc}
−### GFCI devices shall incorporate the self-test and end-of-life functions required by the current edition of UL 943.
+### Where the arc-fault protection means selected under [[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.
−### A GFCI that can no longer protect shall deny power or provide a distinct indication rather than continuing to pass power as an ordinary receptacle.
+### 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.
−## Arc-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (AFCI) Protection {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### NEC 210.12 requires combination-type arc-fault protection on 120V, 15A and 20A branch circuits supplying outlets in dwelling units, dormitories, guest rooms, and similar residential occupancies. {note}
+# Tamper-Resistant, Controlled, USB, and Surge-Protective Receptacles {toc}
−### A combination AFCI breaker at the panelboard is the cleanest method because it protects the entire branch circuit including the homerun, and it is the default where AFCI is required. {note}
−### The outlet AFCI device is used where an existing branch-circuit homerun cannot be protected at the panel. {note}
−### AFCI is not generally required in commercial occupancies. {note}
+## Tamper-Resistant Receptacles {toc}
−### AFCI protection may be provided by a combination AFCI breaker at the panelboard or, where permitted, by an outlet-branch-circuit AFCI device at the first outlet.
+### The extent of tamper-resistant receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### The Engineer may specify AFCI for commercial areas with concentrated plug loads and extension-cord use as a proactive fire-prevention measure.
−
```datasheet
−label: AFCI Protection (where 210.12 applies)
+label: Tamper-Resistant Receptacle Extent
type: radio
options:
− - "Not required (non-residential occupancy)"
− - "Combination AFCI breaker at panelboard"
− - "Outlet-branch-circuit AFCI device at first outlet"
−default: "Not required (non-residential occupancy)"
+ - "Where NFPA 70 406.12 requires"
+ - "All 15 A and 20 A, 125 V and 250 V nonlocking receptacles"
```
−## Dual-Function Devices {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−```datasheet
−label: Dual-Function (AFCI + GFCI) Device
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not used"
− - "Dual-function device where both AFCI and GFCI are required"
−default: "Not used"
−```
+### 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.
−### A dual-function device provides both Class A GFCI and AFCI protection in a single receptacle and may be used at the first outlet of a residential circuit that requires both, avoiding two stacked devices.
+## Controlled Receptacles {toc}
−# Tamper-Resistant and Weather-Resistant Devices {toc}
+### Where [[parameter: adopted-energy-code]] requires automatic receptacle control, the receptacles designated as controlled under [[sync/lighting-controls]] shall be furnished as marked controlled receptacles of the form indicated in the datasheet.
−## Tamper resistance and weather resistance are independent device characteristics, each required by the NEC in its own set of locations, and a device may need to be both.
−## They are not interchangeable and shall not be confused.
−
−## Tamper-Resistant (TR) Receptacles {toc}
−
−### NEC 406.12 requires that 15A and 20A, 125V and 250V nonlocking receptacles be listed tamper-resistant in a wide range of dwelling and now non-dwelling locations, including guest rooms, child care facilities, and many educational, health-care, and assembly spaces. {note}
−### A tamper-resistant receptacle incorporates an internal shutter mechanism that opens only when both contacts are engaged simultaneously by a plug, preventing the insertion of a single foreign object into one slot. {note}
−### The default here follows code minimum, but project-wide TR is a common and reasonable election. {note}
−
−### The extent of tamper-resistant receptacle coverage shall be specified as code-minimum per NEC 406.12 or project-wide.
−
```datasheet
−label: Tamper-Resistant (TR) Receptacles
+label: Controlled Receptacle Device Form
type: radio
options:
− - "TR where required by NEC 406.12"
− - "TR for all 15A/20A 125V receptacles (project-wide)"
− - "Not required (no 406.12 locations)"
−default: "TR where required by NEC 406.12"
+ - "Half-controlled duplex, one controlled and one uncontrolled receptacle in one device"
+ - "Fully controlled duplex"
+ - "Separate controlled duplex adjacent to an uncontrolled duplex"
```
−### Specifying tamper-resistant receptacles project-wide for all standard 15A and 20A 125V outlets is a defensible simplification that eliminates the risk of a non-TR device being installed in a location that requires TR, at negligible added cost. {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. {note}
−## Weather-Resistant (WR) Receptacles {toc}
+### 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.
−### NEC 406.9 requires that receptacles installed in damp or wet locations be listed weather-resistant. {note}
−### A weather-resistant receptacle uses materials and a construction that withstand exposure to moisture, humidity, and temperature extremes without the contact corrosion and material degradation that would occur in an ordinary device. {note}
−### A combined WR/TR device satisfies both requirements in one part. {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. {note}
−### A receptacle that is in a wet or damp location and also in a location listed in NEC 406.12 shall be both weather-resistant and tamper-resistant.
+## USB Charging Receptacles {toc}
+### Receptacles with integral USB charging ports shall be furnished where indicated on [[drawing: the electrical plans]], and their USB port configuration shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Weather-Resistant (WR) Receptacles
−type: radio
+label: USB Charging Port Configuration
+type: select
options:
− - "WR at all damp and wet locations (NEC 406.9)"
− - "Not applicable (no damp/wet receptacle locations)"
−default: "WR at all damp and wet locations (NEC 406.9)"
+ - "None furnished"
+ - "Two Type-A ports"
+ - "Two Type-C ports"
+ - "One Type-A and one Type-C port"
```
−## In-Use (Bubble) Covers for Wet Locations {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### This requires an "in-use" or "bubble" cover for any wet-location receptacle that may have a cord connected while exposed to weather, because a flat weatherproof cover is weatherproof only when closed and open to the weather whenever a cord is plugged in.
+### The total USB charging output of each USB receptacle shall be not less than the value indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Wet-Location Receptacle Cover
−type: radio
+label: Minimum USB Charging Output per Receptacle
+type: range
+unit: W
options:
− - "In-use (bubble) cover, weatherproof with plug inserted"
− - "Flush/flat weatherproof cover (damp location, no continuous cord use)"
−default: "In-use (bubble) cover, weatherproof with plug inserted"
+ min: 15
+ max: 60
+ setpoints: [15, 18, 21, 30, 45, 60]
```
−### Receptacles in a wet location shall be provided with an enclosure that is weatherproof whether or not a plug is inserted, in accordance with NEC 406.9(B).
+### 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. {note}
−# USB and Specialty Receptacles {toc}
+### 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.
−## USB-Integrated Receptacles {toc}
+## Surge-Protective Receptacles {toc}
−### A USB-integrated receptacle combines a standard duplex receptacle with one or more integral USB charging ports. {note}
−### The integral electronics have a shorter service life than the receptacle contacts and may date the installation as charging standards evolve.
+### Surge-protective receptacles shall be furnished where indicated on [[drawing: 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 [[sync/surge-protective-devices]] requires.
−```datasheet
−label: USB-Integrated Receptacles
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not used"
− - "Provided at designated locations (duplex receptacle with integral USB)"
−default: "Not used"
−```
+### 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.
−### Where specified, the device shall be listed and the USB port types and output rating shall be coordinated with current charging standards.
+### 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. {note}
−### USB-integrated receptacles should be specified only at locations where charging convenience is part of the program (hospitality, conference, lobby, and similar).
+# Switches {toc}
−### USB receptacles shall not be relied upon where a code requirement (GFCI, TR, WR) applies unless the specific device is listed for that requirement.
+## Switch Rating and Type {toc}
−## Surge-Suppression Receptacles {toc}
+### The ampere rating of the general-use snap switches shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### A surge-suppression receptacle incorporates a Type 3 point-of-use surge protective device listed to UL 1449 and provides localized transient protection for connected electronic equipment. {note}
−### A depleted suppressor that still passes power gives a false sense of protection. {note}
−
−### A surge-suppression receptacle supplements, and does not replace, the service- or panel-level surge protection specified in [[sync/panelboards]].
−
−### A surge-suppression receptacle shall include a status indicator showing whether its protection remains functional.
−
```datasheet
−label: Surge-Suppression Receptacle
−type: radio
+label: Snap Switch Ampere Rating
+type: range
+unit: A
options:
− - "Not used"
− - "Provided at designated sensitive-equipment locations"
−default: "Not used"
+ min: 15
+ max: 30
+ setpoints: [15, 20, 30]
+default: 20
```
−# Switches {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−## A snap switch controls a lighting or other load by interrupting one or more conductors. {note}
−## The switch type is determined by how many control points the load is operated from, and the actuator style is a finish decision. {note}
−## Switch ratings, like receptacle ratings, are governed by UL 498 and the device grade. {note}
+### 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.
−## Switch Type {toc}
+### 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 [[drawing: the electrical plans]] requires for that location.
−### A single-pole switch controls a load from one location and is the default. {note}
−### Three-way switches are used in pairs to control one load from two locations; four-way switches are inserted between a pair of three-ways to add control locations. {note}
−### A double-pole switch interrupts both ungrounded conductors of a 240V single-phase load. {note}
+### 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 [[drawing: the electrical plans]].
−### The switch type at each location is determined by the control scheme and shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the drawings]].
+### 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. {note}
−```datasheet
−label: Switch Type (control points)
−type: select
−options:
− - "Single-pole (one control location)"
− - "Three-way (two control locations)"
− - "Four-way (three or more control locations)"
− - "Double-pole (switches both ungrounded conductors of a 240V load)"
− - "Momentary / centre-off (low-voltage or pilot control)"
−default: "Single-pole (one control location)"
−```
+### 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.
−### Where the grounded (neutral) conductor is required at switch locations by NEC 404.2(C) to supply electronic switches and sensors, the neutral shall be provided in the switch box.
+## Switch Actuator Style {toc}
−## Actuator Style {toc}
+### The actuator style of the switches shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### Decorator (paddle) style is the prevailing commercial standard and coordinates with the decorator opening used by most sensors and electronic controls; toggle is selected where a traditional appearance is desired. {note}
−### Mixing toggle and decorator styles within a space requires different plates and looks inconsistent. {note}
−
−### Actuator style shall match the device family selected for the project so that switches, dimmers, and sensors share a consistent appearance and a common plate opening.
−
```datasheet
label: Switch Actuator Style
type: radio
options:
- "Toggle"
− - "Decorator (paddle / rocker)"
−default: "Decorator (paddle / rocker)"
+ - "Decorator rocker"
```
−## Pilot-Light and Illuminated Switches {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### A pilot-light switch illuminates when the controlled load is energized and is used where the load is not visible from the switch (exhaust fans, remote equipment). {note}
−### An illuminated-handle switch glows when the load is off so the switch can be found in a dark room. {note}
+### 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.
−### Where load-status indication or dark-room location is required, the switch type shall be specified as pilot-light or illuminated-handle.
+# Wall-Box Dimmers {toc}
−```datasheet
−label: Pilot-Light / Illuminated Switches
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Not used"
− - "Pilot-light switch where load status indication is required"
− - "Illuminated (lighted-handle) switch for locating in the dark"
−default: "Not used"
−```
+## 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 [[sync/lighting-controls]]. {note}
−### The pilot-light switch and the illuminated-handle switch are opposite in behavior and shall not be confused on the drawings.
+## Dimmer Control Method {toc}
−## Dimmer Switches {toc}
+### The control method of the wall-box dimmers shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### Dimmer-load compatibility is the most common dimming failure. {note}
−
−### Where dimming is provided by a wall-box device rather than by a networked lighting-control system, the dimmer shall be a solid-state dimmer listed to UL 1472 and shall be compatible with the connected load type.
−
−### The dimmer shall be listed and rated for the specific load technology it controls (for example, LED drivers of the forward- or reverse-phase type used on the project).
−
```datasheet
−label: Dimmer Switches
−type: radio
+label: Wall-Box Dimmer Control Method
+type: select
+derived: "the dimming input of the luminaire drivers furnished under [[sync/lighting-fixtures]]"
options:
− - "Not used"
− - "Solid-state dimmers at designated locations (UL 1472)"
−default: "Not used"
+ - "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"
+default: derived
```
−### The dimmer's load rating shall be derated for gang installation where adjacent dimmers share a multigang box, because grouped dimmers cannot dissipate full rated heat.
+### 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. {note}
−### The load type and dimming method shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the lighting drawings]].
+### 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.
−# Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors {toc}
+### 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.
−## An occupancy sensor turns a load on automatically when it detects presence and off after an interval of no detection; a vacancy sensor turns a load off automatically but requires a manual on. {note}
−## Vacancy (manual-on) control is required by many energy codes in specific space types precisely because it does not energize lighting in a briefly entered or daylit space. {note}
+### 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.
−## The distinction between occupancy and vacancy operation is a code-driven control decision, not a hardware difference alone, and shall be specified per space.
+### 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.
−## Sensors shall meet the testing requirements of NEMA WD 7.
+# Wall-Box Occupancy and Vacancy Sensors {toc}
+## 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 [[sync/lighting-controls]]. {note}
+
## Sensor Control Mode {toc}
−### Vacancy (manual-on) control is the default because it complies with the prevailing energy-code requirement for many enclosed spaces and prevents lighting from energizing when a space is entered briefly or is adequately daylit. {note}
−### Occupancy (auto-on) control is appropriate for spaces where hands-free operation is required for safety or convenience, such as corridors, restrooms, and stairwells. {note}
+### The control mode of each wall-box sensor shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### The required mode for each space shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the lighting-control drawings]].
−
```datasheet
−label: Sensor Control Mode
+label: Wall-Box Sensor Control Mode
type: radio
+drawing_ref: "the lighting plans"
options:
− - "Occupancy (auto-on, auto-off)"
− - "Vacancy (manual-on, auto-off)"
− - "Selectable (field-configurable occupancy or vacancy)"
−default: "Vacancy (manual-on, auto-off)"
+ - "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"
+default: deferred
```
−## Sensing Technology {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### Passive infrared sensors detect the moving heat of an occupant and require an unobstructed line of sight; they resist false-on but can miss minor motion behind obstructions. {note}
−### Ultrasonic sensors detect motion by Doppler shift of an emitted signal and see around obstructions and into partitioned spaces, but are more prone to false triggering from air movement. {note}
−### Dual-technology sensors require both signals to turn on and either signal to hold on, combining the reliability of both and minimizing both false-on and false-off. {note}
−### Single-technology PIR is appropriate and economical for simple spaces with full line of sight; ultrasonic suits restrooms and spaces with stalls or partitions. {note}
+### Where a space is required by [[parameter: 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.
−### Dual-technology is the default for enclosed offices, conference rooms, and any space where a missed occupant or a nuisance activation is disruptive.
+## Sensor Detection Technology {toc}
+### The detection technology of the wall-box sensors shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Sensor Technology
−type: radio
+label: Wall-Box Sensor Detection Technology
+type: select
options:
− - "Passive infrared (PIR)"
+ - "Passive infrared"
- "Ultrasonic"
− - "Dual-technology (PIR + ultrasonic)"
−default: "Dual-technology (PIR + ultrasonic)"
+ - "Dual-technology, passive infrared and ultrasonic"
+ - "Passive infrared with acoustic hold-on"
```
−## Sensor Mounting {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### A wall-box sensor replaces the wall switch and powers directly from the switch leg; it suits small enclosed rooms with a clear view from the switch location. {note}
−### A ceiling-mounted sensor provides 360-degree coverage of larger or irregular spaces and connects through a low-voltage power pack that switches the line-voltage load. {note}
+### 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.
−### Ceiling sensors require a low-voltage class-2 connection to the power pack; that wiring and the power-pack location shall be coordinated with [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]].
+### 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.
−```datasheet
−label: Sensor Mounting
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Wall-box (replaces wall switch)"
− - "Ceiling-mounted (with separate power pack)"
−default: "Wall-box (replaces wall switch)"
−```
+## Sensor Time Delay {toc}
−## Time Delay {toc}
+### The time delay from the last detection of occupancy to automatic shutoff shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### The off time-delay is the interval the sensor waits after the last detected motion before switching the load off. {note}
−### Too short a delay produces nuisance shut-offs while a space is occupied but still; too long a delay wastes energy and may exceed the maximum the energy code allows.
−### A delay of about 15 minutes balances occupant comfort against energy savings for typical office and conference spaces. {note}
−
−### The off time-delay shall be set within the limit imposed by the adopted energy code and adjusted in the field to suit the space.
−
```datasheet
−label: Sensor Off Time-Delay
+label: Wall-Box Sensor Time Delay
type: range
unit: minutes
…2 unchanged lines
max: 30
setpoints: [1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30]
−default: 15
```
−# Wall Plates and Finishes {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−## The wall plate is the most visible electrical component in a finished space and is also a coordination item with the architectural finishes. {note}
−## Plate material and color are finish decisions; the plate's fit and listing are quality decisions. {note}
+### The time delay shall not exceed the maximum that [[parameter: 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.
−## Wall Plate Material {toc}
+# Device Color and Wall Plates {toc}
−### Nylon thermoplastic plates are the commercial default: impact-resistant, color-stable, and inexpensive, and available in the standard device colors. {note}
−### Stainless steel plates are specified in kitchens, healthcare, and high-traffic or high-abuse areas where durability and cleanability govern, and where the architectural intent calls for a metal finish. {note}
+## Device Color {toc}
−### The wall plate material shall be specified for each area based on durability, cleanability, and architectural finish requirements.
+### The color of the general-purpose devices and of the nonmetallic plates that cover them shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Wall Plate Material
+label: Device Color
type: select
options:
− - "Thermoplastic / nylon (standard commercial)"
− - "Stainless steel (type 302/304)"
− - "Smooth metal (painted or anodized)"
− - "Weatherproof (gasketed, for damp/wet locations)"
−default: "Thermoplastic / nylon (standard commercial)"
+ - "White"
+ - "Light almond"
+ - "Ivory"
+ - "Gray"
+ - "Black"
+ - "Brown"
+ - "Red"
+ - "Blue"
+ - "Orange"
+default: "White"
```
−### Weatherproof gasketed plates are required at damp and wet locations and shall be coordinated with the in-use cover requirements for wet-location receptacles.
+### 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. {note}
−### Metal plates installed on a device shall be grounded through the device mounting strap, which requires that the device be properly grounded.
+### 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 [[sync/electrical-identification]] assigns that system another color, so that an occupant can identify the outlets that remain powered during a normal-power outage.
−## Wall Plate Size {toc}
+### 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.
−### Oversized plates are commonly specified for masonry, existing-wall, and renovation conditions where the box opening cannot be cut cleanly. {note}
+### 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.
−### Standard plates shall be used throughout unless the rough opening or the wall finish condition requires an oversized plate to cover gaps.
+## Wall Plate Material {toc}
−```datasheet
−label: Wall Plate Size
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Standard"
− - "Oversized / jumbo (covers rough openings and wall imperfections)"
−default: "Standard"
−```
+### The material of the wall plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−## Device and Plate Color {toc}
−
−### Device and plate color is coordinated with the architectural finish schedule; white is the prevailing commercial default. {note}
−### Color also carries information: receptacles on the emergency or critical branch of an essential electrical system are commonly specified in red so that occupants can identify outlets that remain powered during a normal-power outage. {note}
−
−### Where color is used to designate a circuit type (red for emergency, or a distinct color for an isolated-ground or controlled receptacle), that convention shall be applied consistently and shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the drawings]].
−
```datasheet
−label: Device and Plate Color
+label: Wall Plate Material
type: select
options:
− - "White"
− - "Light almond"
− - "Ivory"
− - "Gray"
− - "Black"
− - "Brown"
− - "Red (designated emergency / critical-branch outlets)"
−default: "White"
+ - "Nylon"
+ - "Thermoset urea plastic"
+ - "Stainless steel"
+ - "Brass"
+ - "Aluminum"
+ - "Painted steel"
+default: "Nylon"
```
−### Color identification of devices shall follow NEMA WD 1.
+### 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. {note}
−# Floor and Poke-Through Devices {toc}
+### Plates installed in damp or wet locations shall be the weatherproof covers required under this standard rather than the plates selected here.
−## Floor outlet devices bring power and low-voltage services to the interior of a space away from walls — open offices, conference tables, retail floors, and assembly spaces. {note}
−## They take two principal forms: a recessed floor box set in the slab, and a poke-through fitting that penetrates the structural floor to draw service from the ceiling space below. {note}
−## Both must address the fire-resistance rating of the floor they penetrate, and both must keep power and low-voltage services separated.
+### 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.
−## Floor Device Type {toc}
+### The finish of metal plates shall be satin or brushed unless [[drawing: the interior finish schedule]] indicates another finish, and plate screws shall match the plate in color and finish.
−### A poke-through fitting is the common solution for adding outlets in the open field of a finished floor over occupied space below, because it can be cored and installed without disturbing the slab reinforcement and draws service from the ceiling plenum below. {note}
−### A recessed floor box is set during slab construction and suits new construction where outlet locations are known before the pour. {note}
+## Wall Plate Size {toc}
−### The floor device type shall be specified based on the construction sequence and whether outlet locations are known before the slab pour.
+### The size of the wall plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
```datasheet
−label: Floor Device Type
+label: Wall Plate Size
type: radio
options:
− - "Recessed floor box (set in slab)"
− - "Poke-through fitting (penetrates floor, fed from below)"
− - "Surface raceway floor box (poke-through with surface enclosure)"
−default: "Poke-through fitting (penetrates floor, fed from below)"
+ - "Standard"
+ - "Oversized"
+default: "Standard"
```
−### Floor device locations shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the drawings]] and coordinated with the structural slab and the furniture layout.
+### 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. {note}
−## Fire-Resistance Rating {toc}
+### 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 [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]] before the plate is installed.
−### The fire rating of the floor assembly the device penetrates is set by the building's fire-resistance design. {note}
−### An ordinary cored hole with a fitting does not maintain the rating. {note}
+# Installation {toc}
−### Where a floor device penetrates a fire-rated floor assembly, the device assembly shall be listed and installed to restore the fire-resistance rating of the floor, in accordance with the listing of the poke-through or floor-box system and the firestopping requirements of the assembly.
+## Mounting Height {toc}
−### A poke-through fitting that penetrates a rated floor shall be a listed through-penetration firestop assembly.
+### 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.
−### The fire rating of the floor assembly the device penetrates shall be confirmed against the architectural and life-safety drawings; the device assembly shall carry a listing for that rating.
−
```datasheet
−label: Floor Penetration Fire Rating to be Maintained
−type: select
+label: Switch Mounting Height to Centerline
+type: range
+unit: in.
+derived: "the high reach limit of the accessibility standard adopted with [[parameter: adopted-building-code]], applied to the operable part of the device"
options:
− - "Non-rated floor (no rating to maintain)"
− - "1-hour rated floor assembly"
− - "2-hour rated floor assembly"
−default: "2-hour rated floor assembly"
+ min: 36
+ max: 48
+ step: 1
+default: derived
```
−### Firestopping at the penetration shall be coordinated with the project firestopping requirements.
+### 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.
−## Service Separation and Capacity {toc}
−
```datasheet
−label: Floor Device Services
−type: checkbox
+label: Receptacle Mounting Height to Centerline
+type: range
+unit: in.
+derived: "the low reach limit of the accessibility standard adopted with [[parameter: adopted-building-code]], applied to the lowest operable part of the device"
options:
− - "Power (receptacles)"
− - "Low-voltage / data"
− - "Audiovisual"
−default: "Power (receptacles)"
+ min: 15
+ max: 48
+ step: 1
+default: derived
```
−### A floor device that carries both power and low-voltage services shall maintain physical separation between the power and low-voltage compartments as required by the device listing and by NEC, so that the two systems do not share a common opening.
+### 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. {note}
−### The number of receptacles and the low-voltage capacity of the device shall be coordinated with the connected equipment.
+### Where the drawings indicate a mounting height at a particular location, the indicated height shall govern at that location.
−## Floor Device Finish {toc}
+### Receptacles above a counter, a workbench, or a lavatory shall be mounted at the height indicated on [[drawing: 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.
−### The floor device cover is a visible architectural element. {note}
−### Carpet, tile, and exposed-concrete floors each have a preferred cover and trim treatment. {note}
+### 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.
−### The floor device cover finish shall be coordinated with the floor finish, and the cover shall be selected to suit the floor finish at each device location.
+### 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.
+### Switches controlling the lighting of a room shall be located on the latch side of the entry door unless [[drawing: the electrical plans]] indicate another location.
+
+## Receptacle Orientation {toc}
+
+### The orientation of vertically mounted receptacles shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Floor Device Cover Finish
−type: select
+label: Receptacle Orientation
+type: radio
options:
− - "Brushed aluminum"
− - "Brass"
− - "Brushed stainless steel"
− - "Nonmetallic (for carpet/tile flush mount)"
−default: "Brushed aluminum"
+ - "Grounding slot down"
+ - "Grounding slot up"
+default: "Grounding slot down"
```
−# Testing {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−## Wiring devices receive no factory acceptance test of the type applied to assembled equipment; their meaningful verification happens in the field after installation, where wiring errors and defective terminations are found. {note}
+### 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.
−## Receptacle Wiring Verification {toc}
+### 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.
−### A reversed hot-neutral, an open ground, or a bootleg ground is a latent hazard that is invisible until someone is shocked or equipment is damaged. {note}
+## Terminations {toc}
−### Every receptacle shall be tested after installation to confirm correct polarity, the presence and continuity of the equipment grounding connection, and the absence of reversed, open, or miswired connections, using a receptacle tester appropriate to the device type.
+### The termination methods permitted on wiring devices shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### This verification is mandatory and not a sampling exercise.
−
```datasheet
−label: Receptacle Wiring Verification Scope
−type: radio
+label: Permitted Device Termination Methods
+type: checkbox
options:
− - "100% of installed receptacles"
− - "Statistical sample with 100% verification of any group containing a failure"
−default: "100% of installed receptacles"
+ - "Side-wired screw terminals"
+ - "Back-wired clamp terminals, screw-actuated pressure plate"
+ - "Push-in spring terminals"
+default:
+ - "Side-wired screw terminals"
+ - "Back-wired clamp terminals, screw-actuated pressure plate"
```
−## GFCI Functional Test {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−```datasheet
−label: GFCI Functional Test
−type: checkbox
−options:
− - "Test-button trip of each GFCI device"
− - "Verify downstream protected outlets de-energize on trip"
− - "Verify reset restores power"
− - "Verify self-test / end-of-life indication operates"
−default: "Test-button trip of each GFCI device"
−```
+### Unless the datasheet permits them, push-in spring terminations shall not be used on any device.
−### Every installed GFCI device, and every receptacle protected by an upstream GFCI device or breaker, shall be functionally tested.
+### 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).
−### The test shall confirm that the device trips when its test button is operated and, for the protected downstream outlets, that power is interrupted at the protected outlet when the upstream GFCI is tripped.
+### 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 [[sync/conductors-and-cables]].
−### A GFCI that does not trip on its test function, or that trips but does not de-energize its load and downstream outlets, shall be replaced.
+### 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.
−## AFCI Functional Test {toc}
+### 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. {note}
−### Each AFCI device and breaker shall be tested using its integral test function to confirm operation.
+## Grounding Connections at the Device {toc}
−### Where the AFCI provides a self-test, the self-test indication shall be confirmed.
+### 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 [[sync/grounding-and-bonding]].
−## Sensor Commissioning {toc}
+### 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.
−### Occupancy and vacancy sensors shall be commissioned after installation: coverage shall be walk-tested to confirm that the sensor detects occupancy throughout the intended area without dead spots and does not false-trigger from adjacent traffic or air movement, and the sensitivity and time-delay shall be adjusted to suit the space.
+### 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.
−### The as-left settings shall be recorded in the closeout submittals.
+## Device Installation {toc}
−# Installation {toc}
+### 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.
−## Mounting Height {toc}
+### 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.
−### The default heights below reflect common accessible-design practice (switches near 44 in. and general receptacles near 18 in. to center), but the governing heights are those on the drawings, which account for counters, casework, equipment, and accessibility requirements that vary by location. {note}
+### 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.
−### Device mounting heights shall be [[drawing: as indicated on the drawings]] and shall comply with the reach-range and operable-element requirements of the applicable accessibility standard.
+### A device contaminated by paint, joint compound, or another finish material shall be replaced, not cleaned in place, at the Contractor's cost.
−### Where the drawings do not indicate a height, devices shall be mounted at the standard heights established for the project.
+### Where a device is installed in an existing wall under a renovation, the outlet box shall be verified for fill and support under [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]] before the device is installed, and a box that cannot support a device shall be replaced.
+# Device Identification {toc}
+
+## The plates that shall be marked with the panelboard and circuit number serving the device shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Standard Switch Mounting Height (to center)
−type: range
−unit: in
−drawing_ref: true
+label: Plates Marked with Panelboard and Circuit
+type: checkbox
options:
− min: 36
− max: 48
− step: 2
−default: 44
+ - "Receptacle plates"
+ - "Switch plates"
+ - "Plates of receptacles serving designated equipment"
```
+## The method of marking the plates shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Standard Receptacle Mounting Height (to center)
−type: range
−unit: in
−drawing_ref: true
+label: Plate Marking Method
+type: select
options:
− min: 15
− max: 48
− step: 1
−default: 18
+ - "Engraved and filled plate"
+ - "Machine-printed adhesive label on the plate face"
+ - "Machine-printed adhesive label inside the plate"
```
−### Receptacles, switches, and operable controls in accessible spaces shall be located within the accessible reach range and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist to operate.
+## 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. {note}
−## Device Orientation {toc}
+## The panelboard designation and circuit number marked on a plate shall match the panelboard directory under [[sync/electrical-identification]] and shall be applied after the circuit is verified at testing, not from the design drawings.
−### The NEC does not mandate a receptacle orientation, and both ground-up and ground-down are code-compliant. {note}
−### Horizontal mounting is used above counters and where details require it. {note}
+## 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.
−### Device orientation shall be consistent throughout the project; the project shall select one convention and apply it uniformly so the installation looks intentional.
+# Field Testing {toc}
−```datasheet
−label: Receptacle Orientation
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Ground pin up"
− - "Ground pin down"
− - "Horizontal (above counters / as detailed)"
−default: "Ground pin down"
−```
+## Receptacle Wiring Verification {toc}
−## Terminations {toc}
+### The receptacles tested for wiring correctness shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
−### The termination is where most device failures originate. {note}
−### Screw (side-wire) terminals, with the conductor formed into a loop under the screw head and tightened to the device torque, are reliable and are acceptable on all grades. {note}
−### Back-wire clamp terminals, in which a screw drives a pressure plate against a straight inserted conductor, are preferred on specification- and higher-grade devices because they grip the full conductor cross-section under controlled pressure and accept larger conductors. {note}
−### Push-in terminations' small spring contact area is the leading cause of loose, overheating receptacle connections and they are limited to 15A and to small conductors. {note}
−### Over- and under-torque both produce unreliable connections. {note}
−
−### Push-in (back-stab) terminations, in which a conductor is pushed into a spring contact without a screw, shall not be used.
−
```datasheet
−label: Device Terminal Type
+label: Receptacle Wiring Verification Scope
type: radio
options:
− - "Screw terminals (side-wire), conductor under screw head"
− - "Back-wire clamp (screw-actuated pressure plate)"
− - "Push-in / back-stab (spring contact)"
−default: "Back-wire clamp (screw-actuated pressure plate)"
+ - "Every receptacle"
+ - "A sample of receptacles on each branch circuit"
+default: "Every receptacle"
```
−### All screw-actuated terminations shall be tightened to the device manufacturer's published torque using a calibrated screwdriver or torque tool.
+### 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. {note}
−## Grounding {toc}
+### 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.
−### Each device with an equipment grounding terminal shall be connected to the equipment grounding conductor of its branch circuit, and the connection shall comply with [[sync/grounding-and-bonding]].
+### 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.
−### Where a device is installed in a metal box, the grounding connection between the device, the box, and the equipment grounding conductor shall be made in accordance with NEC 250.146; a self-grounding device clip or a bonding jumper shall be used so that grounding does not depend solely on the device mounting screws contacting a painted strap.
+### 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.
−### Isolated-ground receptacles, where specified, shall be installed and identified per [[sync/grounding-and-bonding]].
+## Ground-Fault and Arc-Fault Device Tests {toc}
−## Box Fill and Conductor Management {toc}
+### 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.
−### Devices shall be installed in outlet boxes sized for the conductors, devices, and fittings they contain in accordance with the box-fill calculation of NEC 314.16, using boxes complying with UL 514A or UL 514C per [[sync/raceways-and-conduit]].
+### 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.
−### Conductors shall be neatly formed and folded into the box without damage to insulation, and the device shall seat squarely without pinching conductors against the box edge.
+### 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.
−### Boxes shall be set flush with combustible finished surfaces and set back no more than the limit permitted by NEC 314.20 in noncombustible surfaces; gaps around the box shall be repaired so the plate seats flat.
+### 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. {note}
−## Identification {toc}
+## Sensor and Dimmer Startup {toc}
−```datasheet
−label: Device Circuit Identification
−type: radio
−options:
− - "Plate engraved/labeled with panel and circuit (designated devices)"
− - "No device-level circuit labeling required"
−default: "No device-level circuit labeling required"
−```
+### 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.
−### Switches, receptacles, and sensors shall be identified where identification aids operation or maintenance.
+### 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.
−### Controlled receptacles shall be marked per the energy code.
+### A sensor or dimmer that fails its test shall be corrected, re-aimed, or replaced and retested at the Contractor's cost.
−### Receptacles protected by an upstream GFCI shall be marked "GFCI Protected."
−
−### Emergency and critical-branch receptacles shall be identified by their distinct color and, where required, by engraved plates identifying the panel and circuit.
−
−### Receptacle and switch cover plates shall be labeled with the panel and circuit designation where required by the contract documents.
−
# Delivery, Storage, and Handling {toc}
−## Wiring devices shall be delivered in the manufacturer's original packaging with listing marks intact and shall remain packaged until installed, so that devices are not soiled, painted over, or damaged during finish work.
+## 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.
−## Devices shall not be installed until the space is clean and dry and finish work that could soil or paint the device is complete.
+## 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.
−## Where devices must be installed before painting, they shall be protected so that paint does not enter the device or coat the strap, because paint on the mounting strap defeats the grounding path to a metal plate.
+## 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.
−## Devices contaminated by paint, joint compound, or other finish materials shall be replaced, not cleaned in place.
+## 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.
# Warranty {toc}
+## 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.
+
```datasheet
−label: Installation Warranty Period
−type: select
+label: Manufacturer's Device Warranty Period
+type: range
+unit: years
options:
− - "1 year from substantial completion"
− - "2 years from substantial completion"
−default: "1 year from substantial completion"
+ min: 1
+ max: 10
+ setpoints: [1, 2, 3, 5, 10]
```
−## Devices that carry a manufacturer warranty against defects in materials and workmanship shall be warranted to the Owner.
+## 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. {note}
−## The Contractor shall warrant the installation, including all terminations and the results of device testing, for the project warranty period.
+## 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.
+## 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.
+
+## 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.
+
# Spare Parts {toc}
−## Spare devices ensure the Owner can replace failed or damaged devices with matching parts without procurement delay and without color or style mismatch. {note}
+## 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.
−## The Contractor shall provide spare devices and plates so that the Owner can replace failed or damaged devices with matching parts without procurement delay and without color or style mismatch.
+```datasheet
+label: Spare Devices and Plates Furnished
+type: range
+unit: '% of installed count of each type and color'
+options:
+ min: 0
+ max: 10
+ setpoints: [0, 2, 5, 10]
+```
+## The spare device types to be furnished shall be as indicated in the datasheet.
+
```datasheet
−label: Spare Devices Provided to Owner
−type: select
+label: Spare Device Types
+type: checkbox
options:
− - "None"
− - "2% of each device type, grade, and color (minimum two each)"
− - "5% of each device type, grade, and color (minimum two each)"
−default: "2% of each device type, grade, and color (minimum two each)"
+ - "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"
```
−## Spare devices shall match the installed devices in type, grade, NEMA configuration, and color, and shall be delivered with matching wall plates.
+## 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. {note}
−## Spares shall be labeled by type and color and turned over in a labeled container at substantial completion.
+## 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.