FAQ
40
continued from page 39
Material taken from the National Electric Code
®
is reprinted with permission
from NFPA 70
®
, 2023 edition. National Electrical Code
®
, Copyright 2022,
National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA. All rights reserved.
NEC
®
Text
Change Summary
• Surge protection requirements have been expanded
to dormitories, guest rooms/suites of hotel/motels
and sleeping rooms of nursing homes and limited
care facilities.
Articles: *215 Feeders;
*225 Outside Branch Circuits and Feeders;
*230 Services
215.18; 225.42; 230.67 Surge Protection.
(A) Surge-Protective Device. Where a feeder and all
services supplies any of the following, a surge-protective
device (SPD) shall be installed:
(1) Dwelling units
(2) Dormitory units
(3) Guest rooms and guest suites of hotels and motels
(4) Areas of nursing homes and limited-care facilities used
exclusively as patient sleeping rooms
(B) Location. The SPD shall be installed in or adjacent to
distribution and service equipment, connected to the load
side of the feeder, that contains branch circuit overcurrent
protective device(s) that supply the location specied in
215.18(A), 225.42(A) and 230.67(A).
Informational Note: Surge protection is most effective when
closest to the branch circuit. Surges can be generated from multiple
sources including, but not limited to, lightning, the electric utility, or
utilization equipment.
(C) Type. The SPD shall be a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD.
(D) Replacement. Where the distribution equipment
supplied by the feeder is replaced, all of the requirements of
this section shall apply.
(E) Ratings. SPDs shall have a nominal discharge current
rating (In) of not less than 10 kA.
Expert Analysis
A new section has been added to clarify the proper
protection of areas served by feeders and outside
branch circuits that are extended distances away from
services which can can result in limited surge protection.
The new section addresses the surge-protective device,
location, type, replacement, and ratings.
The current exception in 230.67 achieves the goals of
this exception by not requiring the surge-protective
device at the service when surge protection is provided
at each next level distribution equipment downstream
towards the load.
It’s also worth noting that the required SPD’s nominal
discharge rating must be at least 10 kA. This is a
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