The first four Chapters of the NEC apply to all installations, except as modified by Chapters 5, 6, 7, and 8. Chapter 8 modifies other Chapters when the installation involves communications equipment (as defined in Art. 100). Even though it’s grown over the past few Code cycles, Chapter 8 remains the smallest Chapter in the NEC.
It consists of only five Articles:
• 800 — Communications circuits.
• 810 — Radio and television equipment.
• 820 — Community antenna television and radio distribution systems.
• 830 — Network-powered broadband communications systems.
• 840 — Premises-powered broadband communications systems.
These last two Articles are arranged with the same Sections. Article 840 was new with the 2011 NEC. Article 830 was around a while before that.
Chapter 8 has made significantly more progress than the other Chapters in revising the use of “ground” and ”bonding” and their derivations. With the 2015 NEC revision, this process took a huge leap forward.
Some of the questions that Chapter 8 Articles answer:
• What are the clearance requirements for outside conductors?
• What are the requirements for conductors entering a building?
• What sort of protection must I provide to the conductors?
• How and where do I ground and bond?
• Which installation methods are permitted?