SaskPower Electrical Inspections BULLETIN 01-2014 June 13, 2014 TO: LICENSED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS SUBJECT: GENERAL BULLETIN Item #1 Arc-Fault Receptacles, CEC Rule 26-722(f) For the purposes of this Rule, an outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter shall mean an AFCI Receptacle or Faceless AFCI device. 1. For all newly constructed bedrooms or renovations/additions to existing bedrooms, an outlet branch circuit type arc-fault circuit interrupter may be used (instead of an AFCI breaker) when installed within 1 meter of the electrical panel to feed the circuit. 2. For renovations/additions to existing bedrooms, or where a bedroom is formed in an area having existing receptacles, when the circuit is fed with a 3-wire cable (making feeding the circuit with an AFCI at the panel impossible), the existing branch circuit may be protected by an AFCI receptacle installed at the first outlet of the circuit. Item #2 Supplementary Protectors, CEC Rule14-114 Inspectors have encountered supplemental protectors being used as overcurrent devices in industrial control panels and other electrical applications. As a reminder to industry and per Rule 14-114 of the Canadian Electrical Code Part 1, supplementary overcurrent protection shall not be used as a substitute for branch circuit overcurrent devices or in place of branch circuit protective devices to protect a circuit. Item #3 Overhead Service Mast Alternatives, CEC Rule 6-112(4) As an alternative to the through bolt requirement, under special circumstances, a unistrut support may be allowed to be lag bolted to the exterior of the building (into structural members) for mast support. A rigid 2 hole strap and spring nuts shall be used on the mast to secure it to the unistrut. This may be allowed on a case by case basis, after review and acceptance by the local inspector. It should only be considered when it is impractical or impossible to install the normal through bolt support. Bulletin 01-2014 General Bulletin Page 1 of 5
Item #4 Certification and Inspection Body Table and Contact Listings Revisions, Rule CEC 2-024 A complete up-to-date listing of electrical Certification and Inspection body contacts and labels are available on our website at http://www.saskpower.com/wp-content/uploads/electric_certification.pdf Item #5 Tamper Resistant Receptacles in Child Care Facilities, CEC Rule 26-700(12) All receptacles of CSA Configuration 5-15R and 5-20R installed in a child care facility shall be tamperresistant receptacles. For the purpose of this rule, child care facility means a supervised area containing one or more rooms intended for the designated use of providing educational and personal care services to children 7 years of age or less. This includes, but is not limited to, day care facilities, schools, hospitals, assisted care facilities, etc. Item #6 Ratings for Common Residential Services (Above and/or Below Ground Installations) Replace page 26 of the Saskatchewan Interpretations with the below table and notes. This has been approved by the Committee on Canadian Electrical Code, Part 1 and this table will be Table 39 in the 2015 CEC. Table 39 Minimum permitted size for 3-wire 120/240 V and 120/208 V service conductors for single dwellings, or feeder conductors supplying single dwelling units of row housing of apartment and similar buildings and terminating on equipment having a conductor termination temperature of not less than 75 C Copper Aluminum (See Note 3) (See Note 3) Service or Feeder Rating (A) For Calculated loads up to * Conductor Size For Calculated loads up to * Conductor Size 60 60 A 6 AWG 53 A 6 AWG 100 89 A 4 AWG 95 A 2 AWG 125 121 A 2 AWG 125 A 1/0 AWG 200 184 A 2/0 AWG 189 A 4/0 AWG 225 210 A 3/0 AWG 215 A 250 kcmil 400 352 A 400 kcmil 357 A 600 kcmil *These ampacities are 75 C Table 2 and 4 ampacities increased by 5% in accordance with 8-106(1). See Note 2 Notes: (1) This Table applies only to conductors, sized in accordance with Rules 8-200(1), 8-200(2) and 8-202(1). (2) The 5% allowance in Rule 8-106(1) cannot be applied to these values as the 5% allowance has already been added to applicable 75 C ampacities from Tables 2 and 4. (3) If the calculated load exceeds the limit shown in the table, the next larger size conductor shall be used. Bulletin 01-2014 General Bulletin Page 2 of 5
Item #7 Plans Review Requirements for Renewable Energy Systems, CEC Rule 2-014 Plans submission for renewable energy systems shall include, but not limited to, the following requirements: - Land location/civic address; - A detailed site plan; - A detailed single line diagram drawing including size and rating of all cables/conductors, breakers, fuses and disconnects; - Locations of all breakers, fuses and disconnects; - Grounding and bonding details drawing; - Distances of cable or conductor runs for voltage drop calculations; - Specific details of utility-interactive point of connection; - Make and model of all inverters, PV modules, PV combiner boxes or any other PV equipment being installed; - Orientation/connection details of the PV strings and solar arrays; - Maximum open circuit voltage at the DC disconnect terminals; and - Maximum short circuit current at the DC disconnect terminals. Item #8 AFCI Protection for Photovoltaic DC Circuits, CEC Rule 50-014 Inverters with built-in Arc-fault protection are now available. Effective immediately, Rule 50-014 will be enforced. Item #9 Commercial Garages-Repairs and Storage/Residential Storage Garages, Rules CEC 20-100 to 20-206 Rules 20-100 to 20-206 will be changed in the 2015 CEC to exclude storage/parking garages. Effective immediately, we will no longer consider these areas to be hazardous and will not require the installation of curbs or ramps in residential storage/parking garages, apartment buildings, condo garages, etc. Item #10 Motor Supply Conductor Insulation Temperature CEC Rule 28-104, Table 37 Inspectors have been encountering type F and type H motors in both residential and commercial/industrial applications (example: heating circulating pumps, automotive car lifts). These motors have an insulation temperature rating of 110 degrees Celsius and require a minimum of 110 degree Celsius conductors terminating on them. Note: BX cable is rated for 90 degrees Celsius maximum. As a reminder, subrule 28-104(2) states: (2) Where Table 37 requires insulation temperature ratings in excess of 75 C, the motor supply conductors shall be not less than 1.2 m long and shall terminate in a location not less than 600 mm from any part of the motor except that for motors rated 100 hp or larger, their terminations shall be not less than 1.2 from any part of the motor. Item #11 2-022 Renovation of existing installations of the 2012 Saskatchewan Interpretations Upgrading existing electrical Where it is a renovation or repair work, if the walls are opened up or if cabinetry is removed/replaced, then every effort shall be made to ensure that the electrical wiring and circuitry for all outlets be brought up to the current electrical code. Electrical Inspections can be consulted for clarification on what is required specifically to satisfy this policy. Bulletin 01-2014 General Bulletin Page 3 of 5
Item #12 Hazardous Locations Sealing Diagrams, CEC Rule 18-108, Rule 18-154 Bulletin 01-2014 General Bulletin Page 4 of 5
Thank you for your co-operation in this and all matters relating to public safety. Mike Anderson, P. Eng., FEC Chief Electrical Inspector and Director of Electrical Inspections Bulletin 01-2014 General Bulletin Page 5 of 5
SaskPower Operations Hwy#6 North Regina, SK Canada S4P 0S1 Phone Toll-Free 1-888-757-6937 June 13, 2014 ATTENTION: ALL LICENSED ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Please take note of the below reminders from the SaskPower Operations department: 1) Disconnects for rewires require 48 hours notice. Please call 1-888-757-6937 and a CSR will create and forward a notification to the appropriate business area. A district dispatcher will call and set up a time for the disconnect and reconnect. 2) Energization Stickers. This is a general reminder that all services require an energization sticker before the SaskPower district staff can install an electric meter. This means all connections are to be complete to the main and the service is ready for energization. Thank you for your attention to these items. Yours truly, Kelly Erhardt Manager, Regina Operations