1940 nec rule for outlets
- Thread starter geokanda
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
Outlets or receptacles?
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
New construction, or existing?
al hildenbrand
Senior Member
- Location
- Minnesota
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
Oh, and this should have been my opening. . . Welcome to the Forum! 
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
I would like to believe that there never was such a rule. There isn't one now. What had led you to think it existed in 1940? :-?
Welcome to the forum.
p.s. The oldest copy of the NEC in our office is 1965.
Welcome to the forum.
p.s. The oldest copy of the NEC in our office is 1965.
Pierre C Belarge
Senior Member
- Location
- Westchester County, New York
You guys sure know how to break-in a new guy.
Welcome to the forum geokanda.
You may need to be a little more detailed in your question, maybe even follow it up with an explanation of your ultimate goal in regards to your question.
Welcome to the forum geokanda.
You may need to be a little more detailed in your question, maybe even follow it up with an explanation of your ultimate goal in regards to your question.
Jim W in Tampa
Senior Member
- Location
- Tampa Florida
If any laws govern the number or age as to selling it would be a local or state issue not NEC
- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
That is about as absurd a statement as I have heard in a long while. Where do they get such notions?
There is nothing in the NEC that addresses what must be done before a house is sold. Perhaps the prospective buyer's insurance company might have something to say about what must be done to an old house, before they will issue an insurance policy.
Another thing I find interesting about the question. If you are dealing with an older house, and if someone (buyer, seller, real estate agent, whoever) is talking about upgrading the electric, then why would they be talking about the overall number of outlets? I should think that the key issues would be rating of the main panel, the make and model of the main panel (i.e., is it one of the problem models?), the presence of grounding conductors in receptacle outlets, and GFCI protection.
roger3829
Senior Member
- Location
- Torrington, CT
They must have been talking to a Home Inspector. They know far more about ALL the electrical codes than we do. Or could ever hope too.
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
What he said.Welcome to the Forum!
Anything that was compliant when built or installed is "exempt" from having to be upgraded, as far as the NEC is concerned, as long as it hasn't been improperly modified or overloaded.
Hendrix
Senior Member
- Location
- New England
You gotta love those RE agents. They will tell you ANYTHING to sell a property.
shermansfather
Member
- Location
- Northeast Ohio
Not just electrical code, they know plumbing code, mechanical code, Da Vinci code, morse code and orphan annie's secret code.
skeshesh
Senior Member
- Location
- Los Angeles, Ca
I got to agree with the previous posters that this is most likely an issue not relevant to the NEC (local codes, state codes, insurance carrier, etc.) I've never heard of a year specific exemption, and it sounds absurd anyway; it's not the trademark on some 20's jazz to be expired, we're talking about an electrical installation. I would think an older house would be more likely to need or require upgrade - it's not like a classic car not requiring smog check
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
I will also say welcome to the forum and add that I can not find any statement of such in the 1940 NEC. 480SPARKY is the resident expert on old codes, but I happen to have a 1940 NEC and I can not find anything.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Now while I would normally jump on the HI bashing wagon, let's not be so quick. I have a local contractor running around telling people that they have to insall arc fault breakers for the bedrooms when they do a service change.
Volta
Senior Member
- Location
- Columbus, Ohio
I usually use the issue previous to the year in question. It is difficult to know what edition was in effect in a particular year.
1937 NEC 2110: In every kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, living room, parlor, library, den, sun room, recreation room, and bed room, a sufficient number of receptacle outlets shall be installed to provide that no point on the wall, as measured horizontally along the wall, will be more than ten feet distant from such an outlet. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed adjacent to each permanently installed laundry tub or set of such tubs.
1940 NEC 2110: Receptacle outlets shall be installed in every kitchen, dining room, breakfast room, living room, parlor, library, den, sun room, recreation room, and bedroom. One receptacle outlet shall be provided for every 20 linear feet or major portion thereof of the total (gross) distance around the room as measured horizontally along the wall at the floor line. The receptacle outlets shall, insofar as is practicable, be spaced equal distances apart. At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the connection of laundry appliances.
Also in 1940 came the requirement for #12 to 'food rooms' and such:
1940 NEC 2109: In dwelling occupancies, branch circuits which supply receptacle outlets in kitchen, laundry, pantry, dining room, and breakfast room, shall not supply other outlets, and such circuits shall not have conductors smaller than No. 12.
But as others have rightly pointed out, that (cloth-covered) wiring is generally nearing the end of its useful life . . .
Welcome.
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