Grounded appliance cords

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You might also want to look at 250.114. Specifically the first Exception. I know a toaster is not on the list in 250.114(3) but a listed appliance like a toaster would be very similar to the other items on the list.

Chris
 
The NEC has no business specifing what appliances do or do not have EGCs in their cords. That is a function of the product standards and is outside of the scope of the NEC. Yes, I know there are rules in the NEC that do specify this, but it is still my opinion that those rules as well as a large part of Article 422 is outside the scope of the NEC.
Don
 
thanks for the response

thanks for the response

But I don't see how 422.4 allows for a toaster not to have a grounded plug? Or for that matter why other appliances are allowed not to have a grounded plug.
 
mshields said:
But I don't see how 422.4 allows for a toaster not to have a grounded plug? Or for that matter why other appliances are allowed not to have a grounded plug.
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It is not a matter of ?allowing? an appliance to not have a grounded plug. It is a matter of whether or not a ground plug is ?required.? Point in fact, it is not. As Don has said, the scope of NEC does not include the manufacturing process.

A toaster does not have any external metal parts that are energized during its normal operation. If the toaster is double-insulated, or has an equivalent degree of protection to prevent any external metal part from becoming energized, then it complies with the exception to 250.114.

The parts that are normally energized, that is the heating elements, are internal. A ground plug would not prevent a person from being electrocuted, if that person were to reach into the middle of the toaster with a knife, in an attempt to free a stuck piece of toast.
 
Practical Answer:

Practical Answer:

mshields said:
Why does my toaster not have a ground conductor?

Are three wires only required on appliances of a certain size?
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From a practical point of view, your toaster is probably double insulated and perhaps connected through a GFCI device. Even if it is not, the chances of receiving a fatal shock from such an appliance is quite small although one could receive a nasty jolt. Now, if your bod is grounded, and you are operating a single insulated, 2-wire power tool with your sweaty hands, that is a recipe for disaster.

.
 
mshields said:
But I don't see how 422.4 allows for a toaster not to have a grounded plug?
Click to expand...

I think 422.4 addresses the toaster issue:
Appliances shall have no live parts normally exposed to contact other than those parts functioning as open-resistance heating elements, such as the heating element of a toaster, which are necessarily exposed.
Click to expand...

Whether or not this is beyod the scope of NEC is another matter.
 
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