All installation hereafter installed within the corporate limits of the city shall be done in first class workmanlike manner in accordance with the 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code, as adopted by the National Fire Protection Association, and said National Electrical Code is made a part of this article, with the additions and deviations therefrom contained in this code.
(Ordinance 17-3650, sec. I, adopted 3/28/17)
Nothing less than No. 12 AWG copper wire will be permitted within the corporate limits of the city, with the following exceptions:
(1) 
That ground wire in nonmetallic cable shall be in accordance with the National Electrical Code;
(2) 
For special circuits such as controls, public address systems, annunciators and signals, ordinary switch legs for lighting systems will not be construed as control wiring;
(3) 
No. 2 or greater aluminum wire may be used in commercial wiring provided it is installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code;
(4) 
No. 4/0 aluminum wire may be used in residential wiring provided it is installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-122), adopted 1/20/11)
(a) 
Wiring in townhouse or rowhouse units.
In townhouse or rowhouse units separated by a two-hour firewall meeting building code requirements, romex wiring methods may be used. All electrical wiring in common or party walls is to be placed in conduit. Electrical outlets, boxes and fixtures installed in common walls shall not be less than eighteen (18) inches apart horizontally or vertically.
(b) 
Wiring in apartment buildings.
Apartment buildings of more than four (4) dwelling units shall have all wiring encased in approved raceways.
(c) 
Meters in apartment houses and condominiums.
Apartment houses of more than five (5) individual dwelling units and residential condominiums shall be provided with individual metering devices to each dwelling unit in accordance with regulations of the state public utility commission and state statutes.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-123; Ordinance adopting Code)
The use of ordinary twisted-pair cotton-covered lamp cord type C will not be approved for use on drop lights, pendants or portable lamps, but reinforced or approved portable cords no smaller than no. 16 AWG shall be used.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-125)
All lights in bathrooms, kitchens or laundry rooms shall be controlled by wall switches, located where they cannot be readily reached from a bathtub, sink lavatory, or shower whenever possible to do so.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-126), adopted 1/20/11)
All panels must be large enough to accommodate the present load requirements and have at least two spare circuits for future use.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-127), adopted 1/20/11)
Window unit refrigeration coolers of one thousand (1,000) watts or more must be wired on separate circuits from any other appliance or lighting circuits with the proper size wire and fuses or circuit breakers for their load requirements.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-128)
(a) 
Change in location.
Should any residence or building be moved from one location to another and should the wiring be nonconforming to the new location, the residence or building shall be rewired.
(b) 
Change in use.
Should the occupancy of a residence be changed entirely from residential to another use, the wiring shall be made to conform to the requirements of the new use.
(c) 
Conduit installation from panel.
A one-inch empty conduit shall be installed from the panel to the attic or from the panel to below the first floor to every new or completely remodeled installation. When installed from the panel to the attic, the conduit shall be extended to a point providing thirty (30) inches of clearance between ceiling joist and rafters when possible.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-129)
When meters are moved from an inside to an outside location in existing construction, metal raceways will not be required if the fused panel or circuit breakers are also moved to the outside and the existing service conductors from the old panel locations are used as branch circuit conductors from the new to the old panel or switch, or if a fused switch or breaker is installed outside to protect existing feeders or the existing panel or breaker.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-130)
(a) 
All installations hereafter and all installations made in all buildings subject to excess moisture and gases, all grain elevators and buildings where hay and grain are stored or kept, and all 3-phase installations shall have all wiring encased in metal raceways.
(b) 
Exception: Schedule 40 or 80 PVC may be used as an underground conduit when buried in the earth at a minimum depth of eighteen inches (18") measured from the top of the conduit (1987 NEC 300-5). PVC shall not be used as a general raceway in open air.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-131)
(a) 
All installations made in service stations must be installed in metallic raceways with the proper types of explosion-proof fittings, boxes, etc. Separate runs of conduit will be required for all gasoline pump installations, and no separate lighting or sign circuits will be permitted in these conduits.
(b) 
All installations made on all buildings subject to excess moisture and gases and all grain elevator or grain storage buildings must be installed in metallic raceways with explosion-proof or dust-tight boxes and fittings as required by the National Electrical Code.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-132)
Transformers which supply current to neon border lighting shall be enclosed in a metal box with a weatherproof lid and with working space sufficient to install or to remove the transformers with their wires and appurtenances.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-134)
(a) 
“Place of assembly” defined.
Exit lighting shall be provided in all places of assembly. Places of assembly include, but are not limited to, all buildings or portions of buildings used for gathering together fifty (50) or more persons in commercial places of assembly and one hundred (100) or more persons in noncommercial places of assembly.
(b) 
“Exit” defined.
An exit is a continuous and unobstructed means of egress to a public way, and shall include intervening doors, doorways, corridors, exterior exit balconies, ramps, stairways, smoke-proof enclosures, horizontal exits, exit passageways, exit courts and yards.
(c) 
Location of exit signs.
Exit lights shall be placed at all required exits and at any other points in the building to indicate clearly the direction of egress.
(d) 
Design.
Each exit light fixture shall be designed with two (2) lamp holders.
(e) 
Required wattage.
Exit lamps shall be not less than fifteen (15) watts nor more than twenty-five (25) watts. The total wattage of exit light lamps per circuit shall not be more than one thousand six hundred and fifty (1,650) watts.
(f) 
Lettering and color.
Every exit sign shall have the word “EXIT” in plainly legible letters not less than six (6) inches high with the principal strokes of letters not less than three-fourth (3/4) inch wide. The glass shall be red and white or green and white.
(g) 
Service and wiring.
The service for the exit light system shall be ahead of the main line fuses. The exit lighting system shall be kept entirely independent of all other wiring systems and equipment, and shall not enter the same raceway or cabinets of other systems except in cases of automatic transfer switches.
(h) 
Switch.
Automatic transfer switches shall be the only switching devices permitted in the exit lighting system. The automatic transfer switch shall be accessible only to authorized personnel and shall be controlled from one point only.
(i) 
Permits and inspections.
Permits for installation, addition, alteration or erection of emergency lighting systems or exit lighting systems shall be applied for and plans approved before any work is begun. Floor plans, occupancy and occupancy loads or other essential information shall be submitted with the application to aid in determining compliance with this division. A final inspection of emergency lighting systems or exit lighting systems shall be made and the installation approved before the building or structure is placed in use.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-135)
(a) 
All metal; extent.
An all-metal service entrance, complete with raintight entrance equipment, from the point of contact with the power company service drop conductors to the distribution panel and to all sub-panels shall be used. S.E. cable or other similar cables will not be accepted for service entrance use, except with the prior approval of the electrical inspector.
(b) 
Conductors; clearance.
Service drop conductors to buildings may not be installed with less than ten (10) feet clearance from ground, floor, platform or projection from which they may be reached. Where the point of entry to the building does not meet this requirement, then an approved bracket or method of support to obtain this clearance shall be installed. If a mast is used, the minimum requirement is two-inch rigid steel conduit. In mast installations, the point of attachment for the service cable may be eighteen (18) inches above the roof, under certain conditions. See: National Electrical Code.
(c) 
Disconnecting switches.
All disconnecting switches set on the exterior of buildings shall be equipped with dead front panel.
(d) 
Size of conductors; certain residences.
Minimum size of meter base and conductors for residential and commercial uses shall be rated 100 amp, and minimum size conductors shall be No. 4 copper or No. 2 aluminum from the point of the service entrance to main circuit breaker panel.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-136), adopted 1/20/11)
(a) 
Purposes.
The electrical inspector is hereby authorized to issue special temporary permits for the use of MC, nonmetallic cable, or armored cable, for temporary installations in areas where metal raceways are required.
(b) 
Exact location and duration.
Such permits shall state the exact location and duration thereof. The length of time for a temporary permit shall be determined by the electrical inspector.
(c) 
Use discontinued on expiration.
Upon the expiration of a temporary permit, the holder thereof shall immediately discontinue the use of the temporary installation. All temporary wiring installed must be removed.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-138), adopted 1/20/11)
(a) 
Dwelling-type occupancies.
In every kitchen, family room, dining room, breakfast room, living room, parlor, library, den, sun room, bedroom, recreation room, or similar room, receptacle outlets shall be installed so that no point along the floor line in any wall space is more than six (6) feet, measured horizontally, from an outlet in that space, including any wall space two (2) feet or more in width and the wall space occupied by sliding panels in exterior walls. The wall space afforded by fixed room dividers, such as freestanding bar-type counters, shall be included in the six-foot measurement.
(1) 
In the kitchen and dining areas, a receptacle outlet shall be installed at each counter space wider than twelve (12) inches. Countertop spaces separated by range tops, refrigerators, or sinks shall be considered as separate countertop spaces. Receptacles rendered inaccessible by the installation of stationary appliances shall not be considered as these required outlets.
(2) 
Receptacle outlets shall, insofar as practicable, be spaced equal distances apart. Receptacle outlets in floors shall not be counted as part of the required number of receptacle outlets unless located close to the wall.
(3) 
At least one GFCI wall receptacle outlet shall be installed in the bathroom adjacent to the basin location.
(4) 
For a one-family dwelling, at least one receptacle outlet shall be installed outdoors.
(5) 
At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed in each basement and attached GFCI.
(6) 
At least one receptacle outlet shall be installed for the laundry.
(A) 
Exception no. 1: In a dwelling unit that is an apartment or living area in a multifamily building where laundry facilities are provided on the premises that are available to all building occupants, a laundry receptacle shall not be required.
(B) 
Exception no. 2: In other than single-family dwellings where laundry facilities are not to be installed or permitted, a laundry receptacle shall not be required.
(C) 
Exception no. 3: In a dwelling that is a unit in a hotel, motel, motor court or motor hotel, a laundry receptacle shall not be required.
(7) 
As used in this section, a “wall space” shall be considered a wall, unbroken along the floor line by doorways, fireplaces and similar openings. Each wall space, two (2) or more feet wide, shall be treated individually and separately from other wall spaces within the room. A wall space shall be permitted to include two (2) or more walls of a room (around corners) where unbroken at the floor line. The purpose of this requirement is to minimize the use of cords across doorways, fireplaces and similar openings.
(8) 
The receptacle outlets required by this section shall be in addition to any receptacle that is part of any lighting fixture or appliance, located within cabinets or cupboards, or located over five and one-half (5-1/2) feet above the floor.
(b) 
Hotels, motels and similar occupancies.
Guestrooms in hotels, motels and similar occupancies shall have receptacles installed in accordance with dwelling-type occupancy. (See subsection (a) of this section.)
(c) 
Ground fault circuit interrupters.
(1) 
All 125 volt, 15 and 25 ampere receptacles installed in bathrooms shall have ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection.
(2) 
All 125 volt, 15 and 20 ampere receptacles installed in residential garages shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection except receptacles for appliances occupying dedicated spaces which are cord and plug connect and receptacles that are not readily accessible.
(3) 
All 125 volt, 15 and 20 ampere outdoor receptacles shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection except receptacles installed in excess of six feet six inches (6' 6") of direct ground level. All 125 volt, 15 and 20 ampere receptacles installed in bathrooms shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection. At least one 125 volt, 15 or 20 ampere ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle shall be installed in basements, and it shall be identified.
(4) 
All 125 volt, 15 and 20 ampere receptacles installed within six feet (6') of the kitchen sink above countertop surfaces shall have ground fault circuit interrupter protection.
(d) 
Commercial installations.
For commercial installations, not over one thousand six hundred and fifty (1650) watts per circuit shall be installed. Outlets for heavy-duty lamp holders shall be rated at not less than five hundred watts per opening and other outlets shall be rated not less than three hundred watts. In no case shall the wattage exceed more than eighty percent of the rated current-carrying capacity of the conductors used. Special purpose outlets, where load requirements are known, shall be wired as outlined in the National Electrical Code for the equipment to be used. Receptacle outlets shall be limited to five per circuit for each ten feet, regardless of the number of receptacles, unless the load requirements are known to be greater than one thousand six hundred fifty watts.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-139)
(a) 
Steel tubing, E.M.T. or thin wall conduit.
Steel tubing, E.M.T. or thin wall conduit will be approved, when National Electrical Code approved watertight fittings are used, for burial in concrete or masonry, but will not be approved for burial in earth fill, such as laid beneath slabs in dirt, caliche, etc.
(b) 
Direct burial cables.
When cable (approved for such installations) are buried in dirt or earth fills, they shall be buried at a minimum depth from the finished surface of at least twenty-four (24) inches. (For other installations see table 300.5 2008 NEC.)
(c) 
Rigid nonmetallic conduit.
Gray schedule 40 PVC may be used as an underground conduit when buried in the earth at a minimum depth of eighteen (18) inches measured from the top of the conduit. (Table 300.5 2008 NEC) Schedule 80 PVC may be used to penetrate a concrete slab or footing. A separate continuous grounding conductor shall be provided when using a nonmetallic raceway as provided in this section. PVC shall not be used as a general use raceway in open air.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-140), adopted 1/20/11)
(a) 
Inspection of premises.
Where, in the opinion of the fire marshal or electrical inspector, a fire originated due to faulty electrical wiring, overloading of wiring or equipment or any unauthorized electrical installation, it shall be the duty of the electrical inspector to inspect the premises involved.
(b) 
Reconnection of service when lines cut for firefighting.
Where lines or electrical services have been cut in the firefighting process, no electrical service shall be reinstated or reconnected until the premises conform to the provisions of this article.
(c) 
Authority to disconnect service where hazardous conditions exist.
Where the lines have not been cut in the firefighting process, and the fire marshal or electrical inspector deems such premises to be dangerous or hazardous to life and property, he shall order the electrical service to be disconnected immediately and remain disconnected until such defects have been corrected to the satisfaction of the electrical inspector.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-141)
(a) 
Wiring generally.
When fluorescent strip lighting or multi-tube fixtures of any type are installed end to end, no wiring except the circuits supplying current to the fixtures may be installed, using fixtures for wireways.
(b) 
Number of circuits.
A maximum of three (3) circuits shall be permitted in such installation.
(c) 
Insulation temperature rating.
Wire used through fixture raceways must have an insulation temperature rating of at least seventy-five (75) degrees centigrade or one hundred and sixty-five (165) degrees Fahrenheit.
(2000 Code, sec. 10-142)
Recessed lighting fixtures for incandescent lamps not equipped with attached splice boxes must be connected to a pull box set especially for such fixture with asbestos covered or other approved wire to withstand up to one hundred and fifty (150) degrees centigrade. Outlet boxes to be set at least twelve (12) inches from fixture and connection to fixture with flexible metal conduit must be at least four (4) feet in length and not exceeding six (6) feet.
(Ordinance 11-3541, sec. I (10-143), adopted 1/20/11)