This self-paced online course is the first of three covering specific equipment addressed in Chapter 4 of the NEC. Chapter 4, titled "Equipment for General Use," covers a very broad range of equipment.

Upon completion you should be able to:

• Explain some of the most commonly applied articles of NEC Chapter 4, including:
  • flexible cords and cables
  • fixture wires
  • switches
  • switchboards and panelboards
• Describe the most common uses of flexible cords and cables, including permitted and non-permitted uses and modifications to prohibited uses
• Outline permitted and non-permitted uses of fixture wires
• Explain key aspects of requirements for switches, including:
  • grounded conductors
  • indication of position
  • accessibility
  • grouping
  • grounding
• Explain requirements for receptacles, cord connectors and attachment plugs, including grounding, replacements, receptacle mounting, damp and wet locations and tamper resistance
• Explain basic requirements for switchboards and panelboards, including:
  • how the NEC defines panelboard
  • how circuits and supply sources must be identified
  • unused openings
  • overcurrent protection

Who Will Benefit

Anyone whose job involves designing, reviewing, evaluating or installing fire protection systems, including: designers, installers, engineers, electrical contractors, technicians, project managers, fire marshals, and architects.

Course Summary

• This course module covered some of the most commonly applied articles of NEC Chapter 4, including Articles 400 (flexible cords and cables), 402 (fixture wires), 404 (switches), 406 (receptacles, cord connectors and attachment plugs) and 408 (switchboards and panelboards).
• Although the NEC does not define "flexible cord and cable," it lists many different types. For a use to be allowed, it must be both permitted and not prohibited.
• Fixture wires are permitted for connecting luminaires to a branch circuit conductor, but they are not permitted to be used as branch circuit conductors.
• Switches are required to have grounded conductors supplied, to show clearly whether they are on or off, and to be accessible.
• Requirements for receptacles, cord connectors and attachment plugs address grounding, replacing old and ungrounded switches, receptacle mounting, protection in damp and wet locations and tamper resistance.
• Although people commonly think of a panelboard as the entire grouping of devices, cabinet and cover, the NEC defines a panelboard as the assembly of buses, overcurrent devices, switches and so on that are installed in a cabinet. For panelboards, the NEC also requires that circuits and supply sources must be identified, unused openings must be closed and overcurrent protection must be provided.