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National Electrical Code Top Ten Tips: Article 312 and Article 314, Enclosures and boxes

Please note, we do quote from copyrighted material. While the NFPA does allow such quotes, it does so only for the purposes of education regarding the National Electrical Code. This article is not a substitute for the NEC.

These are the 10 NEC Article 312 and NEC Article 314 items we deem most important, based on the pervasiveness of confusion and the potential costs of same.

  1. NEC Article 312.3 forbids recessing cabinets in combustible walls, and allows only a minor recess in non-combustible walls.
     
  2. NEC Article 312.5 requires the use of proper fittings at enclosure openings, to protect and secure the cables and wiring.
     
  3. NEC Table 312.6(A) provides the minimum bending space at terminals and the minimum width of wiring gutters, based on wire size and the number of wires per terminal.
     
  4. NEC Table 312.6(B) provides the minimum wire-bending space at terminals, based on wire size and the number of wires per terminal.
     
  5. NEC Article 312.8 provides various clearances for within an enclosure or cabinet.
     
  6. NEC Article 314.2 forbids the use of round boxes where conduits or connectors requiring locknuts or bushings are to be connected to the side of the box.
     
  7. NEC Article 314.3 places certain restrictions on nonmetallic boxes.
     
  8. NEC Article 314.4 requires all metal boxes to be grounded (bonded).
     
  9. NEC Article 314.5 forbids putting splices in short-radius conduit bodies.
     
  10. NEC Article 314.16 provides the details of box volume calculations, box fill, conductor fill, clamp fill, support fittings fill, device fill, equipment fill, equipment grounding conductor fill, and other factors. It includes NEC Table 314.6(A), which the minimum volume of that qualifies an enclosure to be a certain box trade size. It also shows the maximum number of conductors a given box trade size can legally hold.

The other NEC Articles from this point forward to the end of NEC Chapter 3 are short, and each is specific to a type of cable or wireway.

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How the NEC is arranged

  1. The first four Chapters of the NEC apply to all installations.
  2. Article 90 precedes Chapter One, and establishes the authority of the NEC.
  3. Article 80 follows the body of the NEC; it exists as Annex H. It provides the requirements for administration.
  4. Chapters 5, 6, and 7 are the "special" chapters, covering special: occupancies, equipment, and conditions (in that order).
  5. Chapter 8 provides the requirements for communications systems.
  6. Chapter 9 provides tables.
  7. The appendices provide mostly reference information.
  8. Appendix D contains examples that every NEC user should study.

 

 

 

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