nec code vs iec code

[jh1951]

Mike

It is to my understanding that the IEC Standards are not recoginized by the NEC or OSHA.
Is there a site that I can go to, to confirm this with documented proof.
The plant that work in,location Pasaden Texas, is part of a group owned by a european company.
We are being told that we will start following IEC standards on new electrical installations.
Can you help.

James

 

[rbalex]

Mike

It is to my understanding that the IEC Standards are not recoginized by the NEC or OSHA.
Is there a site that I can go to, to confirm this with documented proof.
The plant that work in,location Pasaden Texas, is part of a group owned by a european company.
We are being told that we will start following IEC standards on new electrical installations.
Can you help.

James

The NEC and IEC are two competing installation codes.

The City of Pasadena Texas has adopted the NEC. That automatically excludes IEC, the JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard), CEC (Canadian Electrical Code), CENELEC (European Union’s version of IEC), etc.

Sec. 12-3. - Adoption of codes and state laws.
The City of Pasadena Mayor and City Council, with the recommendation of the City of Pasadena Electrical Board, does hereby adopt the most current edition of the National Electrical Code (excluding Article 80) and all relative elements of Section 12 of the City of Pasadena Code of Ordinances. Also adopted is the 2000 IECC, and the most current electrical requirements as adopted by the Texas State Legislature in its most current form.
(Ord. No. 2004-180, ? 2, 8-24-04)

You’ll have to drill down to get the city’s municipal codes here. Note The IECC mentioned in the ordinance is not the IEC. http://www.municode.com/Library/TX/Pasadena

 

[beanland]

Materials vs Methods

Materials vs Methods

Methods: The local jurisdiction would determine the code to enforce, generally NEC.

Materials: However, the NEC allows materials to meet other than UL standards and the AHJ has the option of recognizing and accepting materials fabricated and certified under non-UL testing and certification. For example, you can use CSA recognized 1000V wire that is not UL listed, with AHJ approval.

 

[GoldDigger]

Methods: The local jurisdiction would determine the code to enforce, generally NEC.

Materials: However, the NEC allows materials to meet other than UL standards and the AHJ has the option of recognizing and accepting materials fabricated and certified under non-UL testing and certification. For example, you can use CSA recognized 1000V wire that is not UL listed, with AHJ approval.

Be careful there. You can use CSA-US listed parts just as you would UL-listed parts because they are in fact certified to the same UL standard. In that case CSA is just acting as another NRTL accepted by the various states. Some inspectors do not realize this and need to be gently educated.

If the only listing is to the Canadian standard, not the US standard, I do not think that the AHJ has the option to accept it. Can you point to an example NEC section?

 

[beanland]

Definition of Labeled

Definition of Labeled

Labeled. Equipment or materials to which has been attached a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of labeled equipment or materials, and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner.

BTW: 90.1(D) Relation to Other International Standards. The requirements in this Code address the fundamental principles of protection for safety contained in Section 131 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard 60364-1, Electrical Installations of Buildings.

 

[GoldDigger]

Labeled. Equipment or materials to which has been attached a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with product evaluation, that maintains periodic inspection of production of labeled equipment or materials, and by whose labeling the manufacturer indicates compliance with appropriate standards or performance in a specified manner.

BTW: 90.1(D) Relation to Other International Standards. The requirements in this Code address the fundamental principles of protection for safety contained in Section 131 of International Electrotechnical Commission Standard 60364-1, Electrical Installations of Buildings.

The NRTL provisions explicitly allow product that meets the same UL standard which the NEC relies on, just evaluated by a lab other than UL. This is pretty straightforward and does not really rely on this particular phrase in the NEC.
The second part, "performance in a specified manner" is much more subjective, as the "specified manner" is initially described only by reference to a US standard, and I would not expect most AHJs to be willing to go that far out on a limb. But, as always, YMMV.
Note also that the NEC separately defines "Listed", with differing language than that used for "Labelled", thus in any specific case you have to look at whether the NEC section in question is calling for Labelled material or Listed material.

 

[kingpb]

We do a lot of international work and I am very familiar with IEC standards.

First, the NEC and IEC are like comparing apples and oranges. NEC are not design standards, it is NFPA 70, and is to meet minimum safety requirements.

The IEC is more comparable in nature to IEEE which are equipment design standards. If you want a comparable document to NEC, i.e. NFPA 70, than you need to look at the British Standard BS 7671 called "Wiring Regulations".

So to your question: The fact the Owner wants you to follow IEC is doable. The equipment installed will still need to meet NEC and AHJ, which should not be an issue.

The bigger issue is that unless you expect to do short circuit studies based on IEC 60909 you are going to have an issue with ratings. There is to this day no cross reference for short circuit ratings between the calcs. They do their calcs using a different method that is not as conservative as the IEEE calcs. You cannot legitimately use IEC short circuit ratings on a system where the values were obtained by IEEE calcs. Typically, for any project in the US, manufacturer's will dual rate their equipment. If it is only labeled IEC, you will not be able to use it. (MCC components are notorious for this, watch out)

Frankly, whoever made that statement is a manager that has no understanding of electrical design, installation, standards, or equipment manufacturing.

As a side note, IEC standards are primarily based on manufacturers building their equipment anyway they want, and it be capable of passing the required tests. Conversely, IEEE standards are based on manufacturers building there equipment a certain way which means it will meet the requirements. Different philosophies. I will say, in general, IEC manufactured equipment comes across as not as heavy duty.

One last thing, IEEE does recognize IEC standards and has adopted certain ones instead of developing their own.

 

[GoldDigger]

As a side note, IEC standards are primarily based on manufacturers building their equipment anyway they want, and it be capable of passing the required tests. Conversely, IEEE standards are based on manufacturers building there equipment a certain way which means it will meet the requirements.

A side effect of this, which a people consider either critically important or unnecessarily burdensome depending on their viewpoint, is that UL standards require testing by a recognized "independent" laboratory using well defined testing methods, while IEC standards rely on the manufacturer themselves certifying that their construction methods follow the standard, with little ability for an outsider to independently verify the results.