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Electric League of Maryland News & Notes - 2nd Quarter 2015 1
ELECTRIC LEAGUE OF MARYLAND, INC.
Serving all of MD since 1955
2nd Quarter 2015
IN THIS ISSUE:
Member Spotlight ........................... 2 Legislative Update .......................... 6By the Numbers .............................. 7 Upcoming Events ............................ 8
NEWS NOTES&ood day and grab a pencil. I’m giving you a pop quiz on the 2014 National Electrical Code.
QUESTION 1: If used for single-pole, 3-way or 4-switch loops, the re-identified, white conductor can be used for supply to the switches but not as a return conductor from the switch to the outlet.
q True q False
QUESTION 2: Foyers with an area greater than 60 square feet must have a receptacle located in each wall space three feet or more in width that is uninterrupted by doorways, windows next to doors that extend to the floor, or similar openings. That is per:
(a) 210.61(b) 215.2 A 3(c) 210.52 I(d) 210.52 G 3
G
Answers to quiz questions: 1: True 2: (c) 210.52 I 3: B
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A friend and I opted instead to periodically take master-prep classes, even though we both had our master licenses. The 30-hour curriculum gave detailed information about the NEC and gave us an opportunity to compete with each other on who got the most right answers on the test.
Today, the Electric League of Maryland provides members with another way to keep up on the NEC. We offer one online course that enables members to thoroughly absorb information at their own pace and their own convenience.
However you choose to continue your NEC education, be diligent about it. It’s better to learn in the classroom than through code violations on the job.
Have a great, Maryland summer and stay tuned for great ELM activities in the fall, including our Annual Bull Roast on Nov. 7.
Sincerely,John R. Woodall President
QUESTION 3: An in-sink waste
disposer can be cord-and-plug connected
but the cord shall not be less than 18 inches
nor more than:
(a) 30 in(b) 36 in
(c) 44 in(d) 48 inches
Like all of you, I struggle to keep up with the enormous and ever-changing details
of the NEC. More than 800 pages long, the code is a great example of my favorite saying
by my father: Any time you open a book and it begins with
definitions, you know you’re in trouble.
Taking a single, code-update class every three years was never enough to drill essential details into my brain. A slide would flash up on the screen with information relevant to my work. Before I could scribble down the details, however, the instructor would move on to another relevant slide ... and another and another.
www.elmd.org2
s a novice salesman for Milwaukee Tools, Joe Rhodes found himself hustling to learn two
things – the roster of tools and products used in the electrical industry, and details of a growing list of children’s birthdays.
“Milwaukee was an excellent company for training young salesmen,” he said.
Rhodes was still a student at the University of Baltimore, earning a degree in business administration, when he developed an unexpected interest in the electrical industry. He had met an industry salesman who was doing well and specializing in an interesting field. So upon graduation, Rhodes met with a head hunter and landed a position at Milwaukee.
“I learned a lot from them and moved forward based on those skills,” said Rhodes, who joined the Electric League of Maryland in 1978 and served two years as president.
One key skill was relationship building.
“One thing I really learned was to call not only on the purchasing agent or the president of a company, but also get to know the guys in the warehouse,” Rhodes said. “In the electrical industry, a lot of guys start in the warehouse but then move out to the counter then inside sales, management or outside sales.”
Rhodes did more than learn the names of warehouse staff. During conversations, he learned about their families, made note of kids’ birthdays
and made a point of returning at appropriate months with presents.
Now as Rhodes prepares to retire this fall, he said the thing he will miss the most is all those personal interactions.
Aprovided essential, high-quality training and presented a wealth of opportunities to network with individuals throughout the industry, including industry leaders.
“Gil Thompson has been more of an influence on my life than he knows,” Rhodes said. “He is a real gentleman, a really smart guy, and I learned a lot from him. He even affected how I handle myself.”
“Most of my friends are my customers,” said Rhodes, who has worked with Owen T. Hall Co. for the last 24 years. And those include “second generation” customers/friends – namely, the children of electrical industry professionals that he served and befriended early in his career.
Looking back, Rhodes said he was always proud of his involvement with the Electrical League, “which is a first-class organization.”
During his time on the executive committee, the League staged successful trade shows and even hosted an international industry convention. The League, he said,
MEMBER SP TLIGHT
New technologies and the personal touch:Joe Rhodes’ 47-year electrical career
After 47 years in the electrical industry and several on the ELM board, Joe Rhodes is preparing to retire. “Its been my pleasure to have served with so many wonderful people for the good of the electrical industry,” Rhodes said. “I would like to thank my many friends and associates for allowing me to be a part of their lives both personally and professionally. Until we meet again!”
The industry has changed significantly during the 47 years of Rhodes’ career. Consolidation of electrical companies and economic downturns have heightened competition and tightened margins. But electricity and all the new products, technologies and capabilities continue to be fascinating, Rhodes said. And the industry is still rooted in relationships.
Rhodes noted that a younger man in the industry had died recently. “There must have been 200 people from the industry at the viewing. That’s the way the electrical industry is. It’s a fellowship.”
Electric League of Maryland News & Notes - 2nd Quarter 2015 3
PO Box 388 Linthicum, MD 21090-0388
Phone: 443-478-9935 Fax: 443-926-9175 Email: [email protected] Web: www.elmd.org
ELM OFFICERS
PresidentJohn Woodall
Vice PresidentColleen Conway
SecretarySandra Sasser
TreasurerJT Thomas
Staff Kate Sanft
The O’Ferrall Group [email protected]
Lindsey Few The O’Ferrall Group [email protected]
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
By-Laws John Woodall
Membership Colleen Conway
Program Peter V. Elmo
Education Edward Mitchell
Legislative Gil Thompson
ELECTRIC LEAGUE OF MARYLAND, INC.
Serving all of MD since 1955 taying abreast of changes and nuances in the National Electric Code and its implementation in different jurisdictions is an ongoing challenge. Here are three topics that have raised questions on job sites in Baltimore County recently.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
A change to Article 700.19 states: “The branch circuit serving emergency lighting and power circuits shall not be part of a multiwire circuit.”
This is a new section and reflects a desire on the part of the code-making panel to assure that emergency circuits are not unintentionally disconnected by another circuit.
Part III of Article 700 lists the sources of emergency power as: storage battery, generator set, uninterruptible power supplies, separate service, fuel cell system, and unit equipment.
There are two types of backup systems: Emergency and Optional.Emergency systems are legally required and include such things as
egress lighting for commercial buildings and systems supporting life safety equipment in hospitals. The Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) provides instruction as to where and when emergency circuits are legally required.
Optional systems which are not required by law, provide back-up power solely at the discretion of the user. This might be a UPS system to keep computers powered or a generator to keep a refrigerator cold.
Because the overwhelming majority of emergency and exit lighting in commercial and industrial occupancies is required by law, its installation must be in compliance with section 700.19. Inspectors will assume that any such units, as well as all circuits provided by any of the above emergency sources, are required by law and will be enforcing the requirements of Section 700.19.
GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
It is easy to get confused about what government buildings need permits and inspections. Here are the guidelines for permitting and inspections of government buildings/properties located in Baltimore County.
n Buildings/properties owned by the state or federal government do not come under the county permit process. Occasionally, the federal or state entity will ask Baltimore County to perform inspections. When this occurs, permits must be obtained and all required inspections must be scheduled.
SBALTIMORE COUNTY UPDATES By Ed Riesner
continued on page 5
www.elmd.org4
ulti-wire branch circuits have been the subject of several changes to the
National Electrical Code over the past decade, including changes that could cause unsafe electrical systems in some facilities. Consequently, it’s important to understand the intricacies of the regulations and when to stretch beyond regulations to create a safe and effective design.
In the 2005 National Electrical Code, sections 605.6 and 605.7, require all multi-wire branch circuits that feed fixed or free-standing office furnishing must use a breaker handle tie to simultaneously disconnect all ungrounded conductors. The 2008 NEC followed with a major change in section 210.4(B) that requires all multi-wire branch circuits to be provided with a means to simultaneously disconnect the ungrounded conductors. These changes help to prevent neutral conductors from overload and add a safety factor for those working and troubleshooting on these circuits.
However, when major changes occur in the NEC, often times there are unintended consequences that happen. For example, if a 120-volt overload or ground-fault condition occurs when using a multi-wire branch circuit, due to the handle tie requirement, the other 120-volt circuit(s) will also open, even though
Multi-Wire Branch Circuits and the Unintended Consequences of following the NEC
CODE CORNER By Marty Schumacher
there is not an overload or fault condition for that given circuit(s). In short, this condition would result in all the 120-volt circuits in a de-energized condition and these would remain open until the condition is fixed. This condition
certainly creates an inconvenience due to the interruption in power. But, does it create a hazardous condition?
The answer to this question is yes. Well, sometimes. What if the multi-wire branch circuit serves hospital beds or emergency systems? This
definitely would create a hazardous condition since all the emergency circuits would be de-energized rather than the single 120-volt circuit that is overloaded.
Another scenario would be for maintenance. In this case, due to the installed handle tie, the electrician would turn off all the circuits thus creating an unsafe condition due to the emergency and life-safety circuits being shut off unnecessarily.
To prevent this unsafe condition, the 2014 NEC prohibited multi-wire branch circuits for hospital beds in sections 517.18(A) and 517.19(A) and emergency lighting and power circuits in 700.19. Section 700.2 defines emergency systems as, “those systems legally required and classed as emergency by municipal, state, federal, or other codes or by any government agency having jurisdiction. These systems are intended to automatically supply illumination, power, or both, to designated areas and equipment in the event of failure of the normal supply or in the event of accident to elements of a system intended to supply, distribute, and control power and illumination essential for safety to human life.”
Even though the information note that follows this definition is not code, it helps us understand the intent of the section. For example, the information note says that
M
The National Electrical Code is not a design manual and sometimes takes a little time to recognize that a change needs to be made.
Electric League of Maryland News & Notes - 2nd Quarter 2015 5
“emergency systems are generally installed in places of assembly where artificial illumination is required for safe exiting and for panic control in buildings subject to occupancy by large number of persons, such as hotels, theatres, arenas, health care facilities, and similar institutions. Emergency systems may also provide power for such functions as ventilation where essential to human life, fire detection and alarm systems, elevators, fire pumps, public safety communication systems …”
n When the federal or state government is the tenant in a privately owned building/property, and that tenant space is undergoing new installations, renovations or additions, the appropriate permits must be obtained and all inspections must be scheduled.
n Various watershed properties, tree nurseries and waste treatment plants throughout the county belong to the City of Baltimore. When structures on these properties require a Use and Occupancy, a permit and inspections are required. Otherwise, permits are required only when the City requests inspections.
n Permits and inspections are required for any work performed on Baltimore County-owned buildings/properties. On certain projects, however, the fees may be waived.
DISCONNECTING APPLIANCES
Baltimore County does not accept a breaker locking means as the required disconnecting means for dishwashers as specified in Article 422.31(C) unless the breaker is within sight of the dishwasher.
Virtually all dishwashers are equipped with motors that are larger than 1/8 HP, and most newer dishwashers are not equipped with off switches that disconnect all ungrounded conductors. Changes in recent cycles to the NEC indicate that the Code Making Panel clearly wants a disconnecting means within sight of the appliance under these conditions.
Where appliances, such as dishwashers, are not equipped with a unit switch compliant with Article 422.34, and where the appliance is equipped with a motor larger than 1/8 HP, a disconnecting means must be provided within sight of the appliance. This disconnecting means may be an approved cord and plug or it may be a switch installed in the circuit. Either of which may be installed in the same cabinet compartment as the appliance or in a compartment immediately adjacent to the appliance. If the branch circuit breaker is installed within sight of the appliance it shall be acceptable as the disconnecting means.
In addition, appliances, such as wall ovens, that are permanently connected must comply with Article 422.31(B) Appliances Rated Over 300 Volt-Amperes. The branch circuit breaker or a switch is permitted to serve as the required disconnecting means provided it is within sight of the appliance; or, if it is not within sight, then the breaker or switch must be lockable in accordance with Article 110.25.
BALTIMORE COUNTY UPDATES continued from page 3
The good news is that many design professionals do not use multi-wire branch circuits for emergency circuits even though the code allowed it in previous editions. In my 27 years as an AHJ, I’ve recognized that many contractors and engineers design and install drawings above the minimum standards, resulting is in a safe installation. The National Electrical Code is not a design manual and sometimes takes a little time to recognize that a change needs to be made. In this case, most designers understood the hazard and simply steered away from using multi-wire branch circuits on emergency circuits.
www.elmd.org6
hen writing for this issue of our News
and Notes, I thought it would be a good idea
to review some questions and issues discussed at the League’s recent Board of Directors Meeting.
The main question raised was, what happened to Senate Bill 616 the proposed legislation to change the electrical laws of Maryland.
Sad to say, the bill was withdrawn. Even after several meetings where concessions were made to help the proposed legislation become more agreeable to various groups of our industry, the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation (DLLR) decided not to support the bill.
It seems that DLLR thought a 59-page bill was too complicated for those newly appointed to the department. They felt more time was needed so they could evaluate the effects the bill could have on DLLR operations if it should pass.
The proposed legislation would have established:
n Definitions for the different clas-sifications of electrical workers;
n A statewide journeyperson license;
n A statewide, up-to-date edition of the NEC as the state’s electrical code to be used and enforced in all jurisdictions; and
n A strengthened, continuing education program statewide, so a skilled, well-trained workforce would be installing electrical services.
Since these concepts would advance the electrical industry and provide benefits and safety for the general public, the ELM Board of Directors decided to continue its efforts to pass this legislation. Therefore, ELM will work with DLLR, legislators and members of our industry to once again present a bill for consideration next year, which will better serve all those involved.
The League has also added its voice to keep the uniform, statewide building code in effect as it is now. We are opposed to individual jurisdictions trying to amend themselves out of its authority as is the case with Washington County. We think that special conditions can be handled by local amendments. However, these special rules must always assure the life safety and fire protection of the citizens and visitors in those jurisdictions.
Discussion at the Board of Directors meeting also centered on the subject of where will the next generation of electrical workers come from when the experienced mechanics and skilled workers of today retire or leave the industry. It seems most high schools and other institutions of learning have abandoned their vocation guidance and training courses. They are no longer pointing young people toward the crafts or trades as a way to achieve a great living standard. There seems to be a lack of interest by educators and young people to start
Wa career or vocation where hands as well as brains must be used. It seems that they only look at a trade as “just a job.”
Maybe as leaders in the electrical industry, we should write the job description for our future electrical workers. Why not challenge the young people of today to join our craft, trade, industry? It could allow them to:
n Make a great living;n Enroll in great trade schools at
reasonable costs;n Have job security (there will
always be demand for a reliable and “good” electrician);
n Have the opportunity to use their brains and ingenuity in problem solving:
n Know there will always be room to learn about something new (think about wind and solar power technologies, and hybrid energy systems);
n Have the satisfaction of seeing positive results of all their efforts; and
n Play a key, daily role in protecting the public’s safety.
Yes, electrical service is a career, a vocation to be proud to be part of, and a field that’s worth talking up. We should participate in activities that foster interest in the electrical industry.
Let me know your opinions and other ideas on these topics. They are important to the future of our industry.
ELM renews efforts to pass key legislation, attract young workers
LEGISLATIVE UPDATE Legislative Report By Gil Thompson
Electric League of Maryland News & Notes - 2nd Quarter 2015 7
Instructors Needed! ELM is in search of master electricians and electrical engineers as instructors for the 2014 NEC courses. NEC courses are held weekdays, Saturdays and evenings based on instructor availability. Fall/Winter classes are held September through December.
If you’re interested in instructing the next generation of electricians, please contact us at (443) 478-9935 or [email protected].
Visit us on the web at www.elmd.org for current seminar listings and other industry news and updates.
ELM BULLETIN
#
Source: www.eia.gov
BY THE NUMBERS
2,218,948Number of Residential Energy Customers in Maryland
247 TRILLION BtuTotal Amount of Energy PRODUCED in Maryland
1,386 TRILLION BtuTotal Amount of Energy CONSUMED in MarylandResidential, Industrial, Commercial, and Transportation
1,031 kWhAverage Monthly Residential Energy Consumption in Maryland
In an effort to continue offering the best industry training, the
Electric League of Maryland is actively planning a full array of educational and training opportunities for the fall and winter months.
Be sure to visit www.elmd.org in the coming weeks for a detailed calendar of seminars.
ELM SEMINARS
www.elmd.org8
Ewing Associates Inc.
Chester, MD
410-827-5300
OUR MISSIONThe Electric League of Maryland is committed to representing and
enriching Maryland’s electrical industry. Our membership
includes electricians, contractors, state and local government
agencies, manufacturers, suppliers and utility companies.
The League provides professional development,
industry resources and training to electrical professionals in
Maryland and its surrounding states. Our Legislative
Committee also partners with industry professionals and legislative organizations to
promote beneficial change in the state’s legislative issues that
affect our industry.
ELECTRIC LEAGUE OF MARYLAND, INC.
Serving all of MD since 1955
ELM SPONSORS
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Saturday
Sponsorship Opportunities are Available
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