How to use: Cut out each card, fold along the center line, and read the term on one
side and the definition on the other — or just fold the answer under while you quiz yourself off the sheet.
Q
Branch circuit rating classes
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A
Branch circuits are classified by the rating of the OCPD protecting them: 15, 20, 30, 40, and 50A for circuits supplying two or more receptacles/outlets.
NEC 210.3
Q
Conductor sizing for a 20A branch circuit
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A
Minimum 12 AWG copper (based on the 60 degC/75 degC ampacity column after any required derating), matched to the 20A OCPD.
NEC 210.19, Table 310.16
Q
Multiwire branch circuit disconnect requirement
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A
The circuit must be provided with a means to disconnect all ungrounded conductors simultaneously at the panel where it originates.
NEC 210.4(B)
Q
Multiwire branch circuit -- shared neutral hazard
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A
If the two ungrounded conductors aren't on opposite phases (or opposite legs of a single-phase 3-wire system), the shared neutral can carry the sum instead of the difference of the two loads -- severely overloading it.
NEC 210.4
Q
Dwelling unit AFCI-protected circuits
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A
All 120V, 15A and 20A branch circuits supplying outlets/devices in kitchens, family rooms, dining rooms, living rooms, bedrooms, sunrooms, closets, hallways, and similar rooms.
NEC 210.12(A)
Q
Dwelling unit GFCI-protected locations
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A
Bathrooms, garages, outdoors, crawl spaces, unfinished basements, kitchens (countertop + within 6 ft of a sink), laundry areas, and boathouses.
NEC 210.8(A)
Q
Small-appliance branch circuits
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A
At least two 20A circuits are required for kitchen/pantry/dining receptacles; these circuits can't supply any other outlets (no lighting, no other rooms).
NEC 210.11(C)(1)
Q
Laundry branch circuit
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A
At least one dedicated 20A circuit is required for laundry-area receptacles, serving no other outlets.
NEC 210.11(C)(2)
Q
Bathroom branch circuit
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A
At least one 20A circuit must supply bathroom receptacles; it may serve multiple bathrooms but only bathroom receptacle loads (with a narrow exception for a single bathroom's own lighting).
NEC 210.11(C)(3)
Q
General lighting load -- dwelling unit VA/sq ft
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A
3 VA per square foot of the dwelling's floor area, used as the basis for how many general lighting branch circuits are required.
NEC Table 220.12
Q
Continuous load factor for branch circuits
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A
Conductors and OCPDs must be sized at no less than 125% of a continuous load (one expected to run at max current for 3+ hours) plus 100% of any noncontinuous load.
NEC 210.19(A), 210.20(A)
Q
Receptacle outlets required along dwelling walls
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A
No point along the floor line of any wall space can be more than 6 ft from a receptacle outlet, and any wall space 2 ft or wider counts.
NEC 210.52(A)
Q
Kitchen countertop receptacle spacing
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A
No point along a countertop wall space may be more than 24 in. from a receptacle, and any countertop space 12 in. or wider requires one -- island/peninsula counters have their own separate rule.
NEC 210.52(C)
Q
Outdoor receptacle requirement, one-family dwelling
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A
At least one receptacle outlet is required at the front and back of the dwelling, accessible from grade level, no higher than 6.5 ft above grade.
NEC 210.52(E)
Q
Hallway receptacle requirement
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A
Any hallway 10 ft or longer (measured along its length) requires at least one receptacle outlet.
NEC 210.52(H)
Q
Required lighting outlet -- habitable rooms
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A
At least one wall switch-controlled lighting outlet is required in every habitable room and bathroom (a switched receptacle is permitted in place of a lighting outlet in most rooms, but not kitchens or bathrooms).
NEC 210.70(A)(1)
Q
Ampacity vs. OCPD rating for a tap-free 20A circuit
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A
The conductor ampacity must be at least equal to the branch-circuit rating (OCPD size) for the standard circuit sizes in 210.3 -- no undersizing the conductor to the load alone.
NEC 210.19(A), 240.4
Q
Permissible loads on a 15A or 20A branch circuit
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A
Can supply lighting, other equipment, or a combination of both -- but a single piece of fixed utilization equipment can't exceed 50% of the circuit rating if it also supplies other loads.
NEC 210.23(A)
Q
Circuits requiring an individual (dedicated) branch circuit
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A
Any single piece of utilization equipment rated over 50% of the branch-circuit ampere rating must be on its own individual branch circuit.
NEC 210.23
Q
Identification of ungrounded conductors on multiwire/multi-panel systems
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A
Where more than one voltage system exists in the same building, each ungrounded conductor must be identified by phase and system at each accessible point.
NEC 210.5(C)