Residential Services Change for 2020-- Surge Protection

[Dennis Alwon]

The 2020 NEC now requires surge Protection for all dwelling units services

230.67 Surge Protection.
230.67(A) Surge-Protective Device.

All services supplying dwelling units shall be provided with a surge-protective device (SPD).

230.67(B) Location.

The SPD shall be an integral part of the service equipment or shall be located immediately adjacent thereto.

Exception: The SPD shall not be required to be located in the service equipment as required in (B) if located at each next level distribution equipment downstream toward the load.

230.67(C) Type.

The SPD shall be a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD.

230.67(D) Replacement.

Where service equipment is replaced, all of the requirements of this section shall apply.

 

[gadfly56]

Are these being pushed by the same circus peddling AFCI's? I'm open to being convinced, but this has nothing to do with electrical safety. Not being able to watch "Game of Thrones" re-runs doesn't count in my book.

 

[PaulMmn]

I can see a SPD, especially with almost everything having a computer inside it. Even electric irons have circuits to power them down if they stand idle too long! Toasters?

That said, I'd think it ought to be a -recommendation,- not a requirement.

For myself, I have four Zero-Surge units for my TVs, stereo, and computer equipment. Designed to keep the major electronics happy!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Unfortunately it is not what we think or what we want...Even if you change the service the surge protection must be installed. Maybe NC will amend this

 

[kwired]

90.1Purpose.

(A) Practical Safeguarding.


The purpose of this Code is the practical safeguarding of persons and property from hazards arising from the use of electricity. This Code is not intended as a design specification or an instruction manual for untrained persons.

Can't follow their own rules. This is a design issue.

 

[Hv&Lv]

These posts are really interesting and informative. Seriously...

Just wish it would count for my CEU hours. Sometimes I can get more information here that the classes.

 

[paulengr]

The surge protecgg th IR is useless except for the panel. As the cable length from the surge arrester goes up, so does the voltage. It will protect the breakers but not the TV. This scam has been sold for years and now it’s not even optional,

http://arresterworks.com/ArresterFacts_files/ArresterWorks_ArresterFacts-001_ArresterLeadLength.pdf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[hbiss]

The surge protecgg th IR is useless except for the panel. As the cable length from the surge arrester goes up, so does the voltage. It will protect the breakers...

Ahh very good! You think maybe they may be requiring it to protect their .......wait for it......

AFCIs?

-Hal

 

[tom baker]

The surge protecgg th IR is useless except for the panel. As the cable length from the surge arrester goes up, so does the voltage. It will protect the breakers but not the TV. This scam has been sold for years and now it’s not even optional,

http://arresterworks.com/ArresterFac...LeadLength.pdf


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

UL standards for hard wired SPDs (with leads) are the leads can not be longer than 18". and the ones I have installed the leads are zip tied together every 1". good practice is to install the SPD directly opposite the branch breaker. this is to minimize the inductive loss. Doubling the lead length doubles the loss

One model of Levition (52,000 series) has no leads, the branch circuit is landed on a terminal at the top both line and load so there is basically no lead length.

My experience with SPDs is they are worth the cost. The damage from surges is cumulative, IE eventually those small surges can cause damage to electronics. GFCIs are a proven safety device with electronics, same as the more controversial AFCIs , SPDs will protect these, and all the other electronic equipment. By the way there are already two articles in the NEC that require SPDs
And lastly a quote from Mike Holt
"you get what you pay for. more is better"

 

[romex jockey]

Ahh very good! You think maybe they may be requiring it to protect their .......wait for it......

AFCIs?

-Hal

That's actually an apt thought, considering afci instructions state they can't be megged Hal

~RJ~

 

[PaulMmn]

I hope the whole-house SPDs are NOT using MOVs! MOVs are 'sacrificial--' every time they block a surge, they sacrifice some of their life. Many 'protected' power strips out in the world are just extension cords with lots of plugs-- even if the 'working' light it lit!

 

[tom baker]

To Quote - you get what you pay for. The SPDs I use have MOVs, gas tubes and seems like one other protective device. Thats true on MOVs, they loose some protection due to hits. A whole house SPD would be a type 2 and perhaps there is someone who knows what the UL requirements for a type 2.
IMO the best SPD is one that goes behind the meter socket. Zero lead length.

 

[ptonsparky]

Anyone have an idea what the cost adder is for these?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

They vary in price from $60-$110 and higher. Home Depot had a better price than my suppliers who wanted $150 for the unit I bought for ~ $110.

 

[shortcircuit2]

Below is 230.67(B) in the 2020 NEC...

230.67(B) Location. The SPD shall be an integral part of the service equipment or shall be located immediately adjacent thereto.

Exception: The SPD shall not be required to be located in the service equipment as required in (B) if located at each next level distribution equipment downstream toward the load.

If you have a class 320/400 service with 2 outside [230.85(1)] service disconnects and inside you have 2 x 200 amp MLO distribution panels... and out of each of those 200amp distribution panels you run a 100-amp feeder from each to 2 more distribution panels...WHERE ARE THE SPD's required if not an integral part of the service equipment or immediately acescent thereto and you use the exception above?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

IMO they would have to be located at the first subpanels if not in the service panel.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Ahh very good! You think maybe they may be requiring it to protect their .......wait for it......

AFCIs?

-Hal

From the substantiation for the SPD rule.

Electronic life saving equipment such as fire alarm systems, IDCI’s, GFCI’s, AFCI’s and smoke alarms, may be damaged when a surge occurs due to lighting, internal local switching as well as external utility switching. Other equipment is also damaged when subjected to surge. In many cases, electronic devices and equipment can be damaged and rendered inoperable by a surge and yet this damage is undetected by the owner. It is practical to require a SPD to provide a general level of protection. ...

 

[mikeames]

Electronic life saving equipment such as fire alarm systems, IDCI’s, GFCI’s, AFCI’s and smoke alarms, may be damaged when a surge occurs due to lighting, internal local switching as well as external utility switching. Other equipment is also damaged when subjected to surge. In many cases, electronic devices and equipment can be damaged and rendered inoperable by a surge and yet this damage is undetected by the owner. It is practical to require a SPD to provide a general level of protection. ...

If that's the case then its a design issue with that equipment. So "Life Saving Equipment" is designed as such that its can just go bad and then not protect. This is like the GFCIs in the 80s, 90s poor design.

Imagine if seatbelts were like this. or Air bags..... when these items are found to be defective the solution is not to come up with another product to supplement the flaw. The solution is to find the issue and fix the product so its functions as intended independently. We don't ask car manufactures to make the dashboard a certain size or shape to make sure the air bag works.

I agree the Code needs to quite implementing stuff like this or just delete 90.1. The CMP are a fooling themselves if they maintain both. They can add tamper proof to the design aspects as well.

 

[shortcircuit2]

You reopened this thread Mr. moderator

 

[hbiss]

... when these items are found to be defective the solution is not to come up with another product to supplement the flaw. The solution is to find the issue and fix the product so its functions as intended independently.

That's exactly what the NEC did when they required us to supply dishwashers with a GFCI instead of requiring the dishwasher manufacturers to design their product so it wouldn't leak water all over the internal motor and wiring.

-Hal