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Help & SupportChapter 10-6: Electrical Code30
The purpose of this chapter is to protect the public health and safety by regulating the installation, alteration, or repair of or addition to electrical conductors or equipment installed within or on any structure in the city. The city council hereby adopts the 2005 edition of the National Electrical Code with certain amendments and deletions thereto found to be in the best interests of the residents of the city.
Ordinance Nos. 5177 (1989); 5310 (1990); 5571 (1993); 5851 (1996); 7566 (2007)
10-6-2 Adoption of the National Electrical Code With Modifications.
(a) The 2008 edition of the National Electrical Code of the National Fire Protection Association is hereby adopted by reference as the City of Boulder Electrical Code or electrical code and has the same force and effect as though fully set forth in this chapter, except as specifically amended by the provisions of this chapter.
(b) Article 90 is repealed. This code shall be administered in accordance with the 2006 International Code Council Electrical Code (ICCEC) with the deletion of ICCEC Section 1202.2 Nonmetallic-sheathed Cable.
(c) Sub-section 210-70(a)3 is repealed and reenacted to read:
(3) Storage or Equipment Spaces. For attics, underfloor spaces, utility rooms and basements, at least one lighting outlet controlled by a wall switch shall be installed where these spaces are used for storage or contain equipment requiring servicing. The control wall switch shall be located at the usual point of entry to such space. The lighting outlet shall be pro-vided at or near the equipment requiring servicing.
(d) The first sentence of section 230.2, "Number Of Services," is repealed and reenacted to read:
230.2. Number of Services. A building or other structure shall be supplied by only one service unless permitted in 230.2(A) through (D) and approved prior to permit issuance or prior to the start of any electrical work indicated on the permit.
(e) A new item 3 is added to section 230.2(B), "Special Occupancies," to read:
(3) Fire areas separated by a minimum two hour fire wall as defined by the building code may be considered as separate buildings for the purpose of calculating the number of services if approved by the building official.
(f) A new item 4 is added to section 230.2(C), "Capacity Requirements," to read:
(4) Where the existing service is being used to capacity and has been properly maintained.
(g) Subsection 230-40, concerning the number of service-entrance conductor sets, is amended by deleting exceptions 3 and 4.
(h) Subsection 230-70(a), concerning the location of service equipment disconnecting means, is repealed and reenacted to read:
(a) Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location either immediately adjacent to or attached to the outside of a building or structure, or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.
(1) Service entrance conductors shall not exceed ten feet maximum developed length unspliced between the meter housing and the main disconnect. This allows the service entrance conductors to run within the building up to ten feet and to terminate at the disconnecting means.
(2) Electrical rooms containing building main disconnects located within a structure shall be located near the point of service entrance and on the exterior wall with a door leading directly outside. The door shall be identified with three inch high lettering stating "Electrical Equipment Room."
(i) Section 250.146, concerning connecting receptacle grounding terminal to box, is amended by the deleting items (A), (B) and (C).
(j) The last sentence of the first paragraph of subsection 250.53(D)2, concerning metal underground water pipe as a grounding electrode system, is repealed and reenacted to read:
The supplemental electrode shall be permitted to be bonded to the grounding electrode conductor, the grounded service-entrance conductor, the grounded service raceway, or any grounded service enclosure by means of a separate grounding electrode conductor.
(k) Section 310.12(C) is amended by specifying the colors of ungrounded conductors to be black, red, blue for 120/208 volt systems and brown, orange, yellow for 277/480 volt systems.
(l) The first sentence of section 334.10(2) is amended to read:
(2) Multifamily dwellings permitted to be of Types III, IV and V construction except as prohibited in 334.12.
(m) The first sentence of section 334.10(3) is amended to read:
(3) Other structures permitted to be of Types III, IV and V construction except as prohibited in 334.12.
(n) The last sentence of the introductory portion of subsection 404.8, concerning the location of switches, is repealed and reenacted to read:
They shall be so installed that the center of the grip of the operating handle of the switch or circuit breaker, when in its highest position, will not be more than six feet seven inches nor less than three feet above the floor or working platform if within a building, or exterior grade or a working platform if on the exterior of a building.
(o) Subsection 517-13(A), concerning grounding of receptacles and fixed electric equipment in patient care areas, is amended by adding a sentence to read:
Receptacles and electrical outlets within examining rooms, treatment rooms, and similar areas where the patient may come in contact with electrical devices in these rooms shall be listed hospital grade and identified as such.
(p) Subsection 518-4(B), concerning Non-rated Construction, is repealed and reenacted to read:
In addition to the wiring methods of 518.4(A), nonmetallic-sheathed cable, Type AC cable, electrical nonmetallic tubing and rigid nonmetallic conduit shall be permitted to be installed in those buildings or portions thereof that are not required to be of fire-rated construction by the applicable building code.
(q) Subsection 680.73, "Accessibility," is amended by adding the following:
Equipment shall be accessed by a panel with a minimum size of twelve inches by twelve inches.
(r) Subsection 690.16(C) Location. Concerning direct current solar photovoltaic source conductors into a building add the following text:
(1) Rooftop mounted solar photovoltaic array systems whose source conductor circuits are entering the building are to be protected against overcurrent at their source on roofs with a slope of 4 inches of rise in 12 inches of run or less slope.
(2) Rooftop mounted solar array systems whose source conductor circuits are entering the building are to be protected against overcurrent at their source but no more than 900 mm (3 feet) from the roof eave on roof with a slope of more than 4 inches of rise in 12 inches of run.
Ordinance Nos. 4984 (1986); 5125 (1988); 5177 (1989); 5310 (1990); 5462 (1992); 5571 (1993); 5851 (1996); 6015 (1998); 7566 (2007); 7623 (2008)
10-6-3 Electrical Permit Fees.
Electrical permit fees are those prescribed by subsection 4-20-8(a), B.R.C. 1981.
Ordinance Nos. 4984 (1986); 5851 (1996); 7566 (2007)
30 Adopted by Ordinance No. 4636. Amended by Ordinance Nos. 4710, 7304. Derived from Ordinance No. 3803.