210.12(B) Exception: AFCI 6ft rule

[lavacano]

The current wording allows an extension of up to 6' of conductor if you change that to 6' of raceway then the conductors could be of any length.

It would more clearly reference the intent of the ROP if it was based on raceway length, Tom Baker also brought up the 15' "Raceway" for non fused service wires in washington state; same same.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

It would more clearly reference the intent of the ROP if it was based on raceway length, Tom Baker also brought up the 15' "Raceway" for non fused service wires in washington state; same same.

If you wrote the proposal for 6' of raceway then you would eliminate the use of nm, mc and similar cables.

 

[lavacano]

If you wrote the proposal for 6' of raceway then you would eliminate the use of nm, mc and similar cables.

Southwire Romex® Brand SIMpull® NM-B cable is manufactured as 2, 3, or 4 conductor cable

What would you call it then "raceway length or length of the outermost sheathing of multi conductor cable"?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

All I am saying is you cannot limit it to raceway. The problem is that they added 6' to my proposal but did not explain whether that 6' included the wiring inside the panel and jb or did they mean the length of the wiring between enclosures.

So, in most cases we are not dealing with raceways but rather with cable. NM and MC are not raceways but are cable assemblies. If you add conduit then, IMO this section covers it. Now I know it doesn't exactly state what we are talking about but I think that rule should be added to what I had proposed.

(5) If RMC, IMC, EMT, Type MC, or steel-armored Type
AC cables meeting the requirements of 250.118, metal
wireways, metal auxiliary gutters, and metal outlet and
junction boxes are installed for the portion of the
branch circuit between the branch-circuit overcurrent
device and the first outlet, it shall be permitted to install
a listed outlet branch-circuit type AFCI at the first outlet
to provide protection for the remaining portion of
the branch circuit.