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DPD - 2005 Seattle Electrical Code Quick Reference







2005
SEATTLE
ELECTRICAL CODE
SUPPLEMENT

Quick Reference


ORDINANCE 121919
Effective OCTOBER 22, 2005























Portions of this material are reprinted with permission from NFPA 70-2005,
National Electrical Code
®
, Copyright
©
2004, National Fire Protection
Association, Quincy, MA 02169. The City of Seattle edition of this copyrighted
work is by arrangement with the National Fire Protection Association. For
information on permission to copy material exceeding fair use, please contact
the National Fire Protection Association; 1 Batterymarch Park; P.O. Box 9101;
Quincy, MA 02169-7471

National Electrical Code and NEC are registered trademarks of the National
Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA.
ii


DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
Permits and Information

Applicant Services Center
Seattle Municipal Tower
20
th
floor

700 Fifth Avenue
(206)
684-8850

Electrical Counter
Seattle Municipal Tower
20
th
floor

700 Fifth Avenue
(206)
684-8464

Inspection Requests (206)
684-8900
(24-hour
recording)

Inspectors Office Hours:
7:30-9:00 a.m.

Monday through Friday

Inspectors Office Location:
Seattle Municipal Tower
21
st
& 22
nd
floors
(206)
684-8950

Mailing Address:

700 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2000


P.O. Box 34019

Seattle, WA 98124-4019

iii

DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT




If you would like to receive occasional email messages notifying you of future
amendments and errata to the Seattle Electrical Code, send an email to
maureen.traxler@seattle.gov with Electrical Code notification in the subject line.

If you have questions about this service, contact Maureen Traxler at 206.233.3892 or
maureen.traxler@seattle.gov.
iv
CITY OF SEATTLE

2005 ELECTRICAL CODE SUPPLEMENT

ORDINANCE 121919
Effective October 22, 2005
SUPPLEMENT TO THE 2005 EDITION
OF THE NATIONAL ELECTRICAL CODE

Issued by the Department of Planning and Development

Diane M. Sugimura, Director
Richard G. Alford, Chief Electrical Inspector


The staff of DPD wishes to extend its appreciation to the volunteers who devoted many
hours to development of the 2005 edition of the Seattle Electrical Code. This Code
would not be possible without the cooperative effort of the Construction Codes Advisory
Board (CCAB), the CCAB Electrical Code Review Committee, the Washington State
Department of Labor and Industries, and the Seattle Fire Department. The City is
deeply indebted to these volunteers for their hard work and expertise.



Electrical Code Review Committee
Chris Porter, Chair
Joe Andre
Greg Batie
Pat Elwood
Keith Lane
Jack Oxford
Gary Price
Warren Shill
Richard White

v
NOTATIONS USED IN THE
SEATTLE ELECTRICAL CODE SUPPLEMENT
The following notations are used in the 2005 Seattle Electrical Code Supplement to aid the
reader.

The Seattle Electrical Code Supplement consists of amendments to the National Electrical Code
(NEC). NEC language deleted by Seattle amendment has a line drawn through it and has double
parentheses around it. Language that is added by Seattle amendment is underlined. Article 80 of
the Supplement is entirely unique to the Seattle Supplement and does not have underlining or
strike through.

Changes in the NEC and Seattle amendments since the 2002 editions are shown by markings in
the margins.

A solid vertical line in the margin indicates NFPA has revised the section since the 2002
edition of the National Electrical Code was published.

A dashed vertical line in the margin indicates Seattle has revised the section since the 2002
edition of the Seattle Electrical Code Supplement was published.

A circle in the margin indicates that text has been deleted from the National Electrical Code
since the 2002 edition.


A triangle in the margin indicates that a Seattle amendment has been deleted since the 2002
edition of the Seattle Electrical Code Supplement was adopted. vi QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
Note: Article 80 is entirely Seattle amendments to the
National Electrical Code and is not underlined.
ARTICLE 80
Application and Enforcement of this Code
I. Application of the Seattle Electrical Code
80.1 Title. This code shall be known as the "Seattle Electrical
Code Supplement" or "Seattle Electrical Code" and may be so
cited. It is referred to herein as the "Electrical Code" or "this
code."
80.2 Purpose.
(A) Protection from Hazards. The purpose of this code
is to promote public safety in a practical manner from
hazards arising from the use of electricity. This code is
intended to provide for and promote the health, safety and
welfare of the general public, and not to create or
otherwise establish or designate any particular class or
group of persons who will or should be especially
protected or benefited by the terms of this code. This
code is not intended as a design specification nor an
instruction manual for untrained persons.
(B) Chapter 296-46B Washington Administrative
Code. An additional purpose of this code is to provide
equal, higher or better standards of construction and/or
equal, higher or better standards of materials, devices,
appliances and equipment than that required by the State
of Washington under the provisions of Chapter 19.28
RCW (Revised Code of Washington). Those sections of
the Washington State Electrical Code amending the
National Electric Code, as set forth at Chapter 296-46B of
the Washington Administrative Code (WAC), are adopted
except those sections that are amended by or are in
conflict with this code. The following administrative
sections of Chapter 296-46B WAC are superseded by this
code: WAC 296-46B-010 (1) - (13), (15), (16), (19),
(20), (23), (24); WAC 296-46B-030; and WAC 296-46B-
110 030 (6)-(13).
80.3 Scope. The Electrical Code shall apply to all
electrical wiring and equipment, including
communications systems, installed or used within the
City.
Exception No. 1: Installations in ships and watercraft not
connected to public utilities, railway rolling stock,
aircraft or automotive vehicles.
Exception No. 2: Installations of railways or generation,
transformation, transmission or distribution of power
used exclusively for operation of rolling stock or
installations used exclusively for signaling and
communication purposes.
Exception No. 3: Installations of communication
equipment under exclusive control of communication
utilities, located outdoors or in building spaces used
exclusively for such installations.
Exception No. 4: Installation of communication or
signaling equipment used exclusively for the operation of
a municipal fire alarm or police telegraph system.
Exception No. 5: Installations under the exclusive control
of electric utilities for the purpose of communication,
metering or for the generation, control, transformation,
transmission and distribution of electric energy located in
buildings used for such purposes or leased by the utility
or on public highways, streets, roads or other public
ways, or outdoors on established rights on private
property up to service point as defined in this code. The
installation and maintenance of all service conductors up
to the point of connection to the consumer's service
entrance conductors shall be the responsibility of the
serving utility.
80.4 Application to Existing Buildings.
(A) Additions, Alterations and Repairs. Additions,
alterations and repairs may be made to the electrical
system of existing buildings or structures without making
the entire electrical system comply with all of the
requirements of this code for new buildings or structures,
provided the additions, alterations or repairs that are made
shall comply with the requirements of this code. This
section does not limit the effect of applicable retroactive
ordinances.
Exception: Subject to the approval of the authority
having jurisdiction, repairs may be made with the same
materials of which the building or structure is
constructed, other than for the replacement of receptacles
as provided in NEC Section 406.3(D), provided the repair
complies with the electrical code in effect at the time of
original installation and provided further that no change
shall be permitted which increases its hazard.
(B) Existing Electrical Systems. Electrical systems in
existence at the time of the passage of this code may
continue to be used provided