Manufactured home Arc Fault

[Dave Hill]

HI!
A little help please. I don't do many manufactured homes. I did one today, built in 2005. I know homes built after 2003 require ARC fault, does this pertain to manufactured homes as well? (Stop laughing, I'm pretty sure they do, I just need some input on if yes, or no)

Thanks As always!

[Scott Patterson]

HI!
A little help please. I don't do many manufactured homes. I did one today, built in 2005. I know homes built after 2003 require ARC fault, does this pertain to manufactured homes as well? (Stop laughing, I'm pretty sure they do, I just need some input on if yes, or no)

Thanks As always!

It depends…. Did the AHJ in you area require AFCI's at that time? Most of the AHJ's in my area did not require them all at the same time. If you do not know, I would not worry about it all that much.

[Jim Port]

Manufactured homes are built to HUD standards.

[Peter Taheny]

Manufactured homes are built to HUD standards.

§ 3280.801 Scope. (a) Subpart I of this part and Part II of Article 550 of the National Electrical Code (NFPA No. 70-2005) cover the electrical conductors and equipment installed within or on manufactured homes and the conductors that connect manufactured homes to a supply of electricity.
(b) In addition to the requirements of this part and Part II of Article 550 of the National Electrical Code (NFPA No. 70-2005), the applicable portions of other Articles of the National Electrical Code must be followed for electrical installations in manufactured homes. The use of arc-fault breakers under Articles 210.12(A) and (B), 440.65, and 550.25(A) and (B) of the National Electrical Code, NFPA No. 70-2005 is not required. However, if arc-fault breakers are provided, such use must be in accordance with the National Electrical Code, NFPA No. 70-2005. Wherever the requirements of this standard differ from the National Electrical Code, these standards apply.

(c) The provisions of this standard apply to manufactured homes intended for connection to a wiring system nominally rated 120/240 volts, 3-wire AC, with grounded neutral.
(d) All electrical materials, devices, appliances, fittings and other equipment shall be listed or labeled by a nationally recognized testing agency and shall be connected in an approved manner when in service.
(e) Aluminum conductors, aluminum alloy conductors, and aluminum core conductors such as copper clad aluminum; are not acceptable for use in branch circuit wiring in manufactured homes.
[40 FR 58752, Dec. 18, 1975. Redesignated at 44 FR 20679, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 58 FR 55019, Oct. 25, 1993; 70 FR 72051 (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2005_register&position=all&page=72051), Nov. 30, 2005; 71 FR 19639 (http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?dbname=2006_register&position=all&page=19639), Apr. 17, 2006]
P (https://lawyers.law.cornell.edu/lawyer/patrick-calhoun-1483217)

[Mark Reinmiller]

550.25 in the 2002 NEC requires AFCI in bedrooms of mobile homes and manufactured homes. But it would depend upon local requirements also.

I just looked at a house my nephew bought in Indiana (new construction, settled last Friday). That county and I believe possibly all of Indiana does not require AFCI or tamper resistant receptacles even now.

[Peter Taheny]

550.25 in the 2002 NEC requires AFCI in bedrooms of mobile homes and manufactured homes. But it would depend upon local requirements also.

I just looked at a house my nephew bought in Indiana (new construction, settled last Friday). That county and I believe possibly all of Indiana does not require AFCI or tamper resistant receptacles even now.

NEC only applies as adopted ny HUD.
Local AHJs do not have any authority on the construction of manufactured homes, the state may petition the HUD for particular items. In California they got the ok to require seismic strapping on water heaters just a few years ago.

Link to HUD code
Title 24: Housing and Urban Development
PART 3280—MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=a602f621f860577d04689f08f3f05067&mc=true&n=pt24.5.3280&r=PART&ty=HTML)
Subpart I—Electrical Systems


Here's the US authority for HUD standards

Scroll down to Chapter 70.
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/pagedetails.action;jsessionid=cvT6VGHRh8C1xqjlRw2p bLY5TRTpnQGZLWZ4yg6Twg1pQgxjqTn1!-1491665736!-1129559816?collectionCode=USCODE&searchPath=Title+42%2FCHAPTER+70&granuleId=USCODE-2011-title42-chap70-sec5401&packageId=USCODE-2011-title42&oldPath=Title+42%2FChapter+70%2FSec.+5401&fromPageDetails=true&collapse=true&ycord=3452

[Mark Reinmiller]

NEC only applies as adopted ny HUD.
Local AHJs do not have any authority on the construction of manufactured homes, the state may petition the HUD for particular items. In California they got the ok to require seismic strapping on water heaters just a few years ago.

Link to HUD code
Title 24: Housing and Urban Development
(http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=a602f621f860577d04689f08f3f05067&mc=true&n=pt24.5.3280&r=PART&ty=HTML)PART 3280—MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=a602f621f860577d04689f08f3f05067&mc=true&n=pt24.5.3280&r=PART&ty=HTML)
Subpart I—Electrical Systems


Here's the US authority for HUD standards

Scroll down to Chapter 70.
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/search/pagedetails.action;jsessionid=cvT6VGHRh8C1xqjlRw2p bLY5TRTpnQGZLWZ4yg6Twg1pQgxjqTn1!-1491665736!-1129559816?collectionCode=USCODE&searchPath=Title+42%2FCHAPTER+70&granuleId=USCODE-2011-title42-chap70-sec5401&packageId=USCODE-2011-title42&oldPath=Title+42%2FChapter+70%2FSec.+5401&fromPageDetails=true&collapse=true&ycord=3452

This is from an old copy of the HUD standards. It seems to me that unless it is excluded otherwise in the code, then the HUD code says section 550 of the NEC applies. I did not search to see if there is an exclusion in the latest HUD code. I'm not sure, but the latest HUD code may be 2000, which predates AFCIs, but by referencing section 550, it would seem to call for them (unless they excluded them somewhere in the code).

[Peter Taheny]

This is from an old copy of the HUD standards. It seems to me that unless it is excluded otherwise in the code, then the HUD code says section 550 of the NEC applies. I did not search to see if there is an exclusion in the latest HUD code. I'm not sure, but the latest HUD code may be 2000, which predates AFCIs, but by referencing section 550, it would seem to call for them (unless they excluded them somewhere in the code).

The HUD code changes whenever a change is published in the Federal Register, if you read my first reply that section states that Part ll of Article 550 is in effect (NFPA No. 70-2005) but then goes on to state that 550 (A) and (B). do not apply.

Look close and you will that the last time that section was amended was 2006.


All links current

The NFPA would dearly love to write the code for MH but HUD won't let them. Check out
NFPA 501 Standard on Manufactured Housing.

http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages

[Jerry Peck]

NEC only applies as adopted ny HUD.
Local AHJs do not have any authority on the construction of manufactured homes, the state may petition the HUD for particular items. In California they got the ok to require seismic strapping on water heaters just a few years ago.

Link to HUD code
Title 24: Housing and Urban Development
(http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=a602f621f860577d04689f08f3f05067&mc=true&n=pt24.5.3280&r=PART&ty=HTML)PART 3280—MANUFACTURED HOME CONSTRUCTION AND SAFETY STANDARDS (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=a602f621f860577d04689f08f3f05067&mc=true&n=pt24.5.3280&r=PART&ty=HTML)
Subpart I—Electrical Systems


From that linked to document:

(at the top of it)


e-CFR data is current as of August 5, 2015

Thus the document is presumed to be current as of 2 days ago - (highlighting below with red text and bold red text are mine)

Subpart I—Electrical Systemshttp://www.ecfr.gov/images/ret-arrow-generic-grey.gif Back to Top (http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=a602f621f860577d04689f08f3f05067&mc=true&n=pt24.5.3280&r=PART&ty=HTML#_top)

§3280.801 Scope.(a) Subpart I of this part and Part II of Article 550 of the National Electrical Code (NFPA No. 70-2005) cover the electrical conductors and equipment installed within or on manufactured homes and the conductors that connect manufactured homes to a supply of electricity.
(b) In addition to the requirements of this part and Part II of Article 550 of the National Electrical Code (NFPA No. 70-2005), the applicable portions of other Articles of the National Electrical Code must be followed for electrical installations in manufactured homes. The use of arc-fault breakers under Articles 210.12(A) and (B), 440.65, and 550.25(A) and (B) of the National Electrical Code, NFPA No. 70-2005 is not required. However, if arc-fault breakers are provided, such use must be in accordance with the National Electrical Code, NFPA No. 70-2005. Wherever the requirements of this standard differ from the National Electrical Code, these standards apply.
(c) The provisions of this standard apply to manufactured homes intended for connection to a wiring system nominally rated 120/240 volts, 3-wire AC, with grounded neutral.
(d) All electrical materials, devices, appliances, fittings and other equipment shall be listed or labeled by a nationally recognized testing agency and shall be connected in an approved manner when in service.
(e) Aluminum conductors, aluminum alloy conductors, and aluminum core conductors such as copper clad aluminum; are not acceptable for use in branch circuit wiring in manufactured homes.

[Mark Reinmiller]

Jerry, thanks for looking that up. Its interesting how code organizations try to make houses safer and than other parties work to bypass the codes. Money talks.

[Travis Franzoy]

I'm a little late to the party but wanted to thank each of you on this thread. What a vast amount of info on MH that I was not aware of and some great links to HUD and NFPA codes. I love this forum!