How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. It's your turn to identify the violation.
Hint: Poor choice of color
Find the Answer
I found these power connections inside of a fire alarm panel. For some reason, the installer chose to use yellow for the grounded neutral wire. Despite the fact that a “NEUT” label was installed on this wire, this is still a violation of Sec. 200.6(A).
Insulated neutral conductors of size 6 and smaller must be identified by using a wire with a continuous white or gray outer finish. Three white or gray stripes are also permitted along the wire’s length on other than green wires. Using a yellow wire and placing a “NEUT” or “NEUTRAL” label on it is simply not permitted. While I must give credit to the installer for at least making an attempt to “identify” the neutral, he did not try hard enough to be Code compliant.
A common industry use for yellow conductors is for identification of the indicating phase C of a 480V, 3-phase system. While this is not mandatory, it is a very common practice to use brown for Phase A, orange for Phase B, and yellow for Phase C. Using yellow for the neutral could cause some very serious and dangerous confusion in the field.
About the Author
Russ LeBlanc
Owner
Russ started in the electrical trade as an apprentice in 1985. He worked his way up to become a Journeyman Electrician and then eventually became a Master Electrician and Licensed Construction Supervisor. In 1999 Russ become an Electrical Instructor for The Peterson School of Engineering in Massachusetts where he developed his passion for teaching, and quickly became Department Head of Electrical Instruction. Russ has taught thousands of apprentices, electricians, engineers, inspectors, and other electrical professionals during his career as an instructor. He continues to provide electrical professionals with Electrical Code seminars, Arc-Flash Awareness training seminars and educational material through his LeBlanc Consulting Services in North Reading, MA whose specialty is educating electricians. He has been an active member of the NFPA Electrical Section and has authored hundreds of National Electrical Code proposals and comments which have become Code rules to improve the safety for the electrical industry. Russ is also an IAEI certified Electrical Inspector.
Please visit www.russleblanc.net for more information.