Gunnar Alquist
01-22-2023, 05:32 PM
Oh good grief. California just started enforcing the 2020 NEC (2022 CEC) at the beginning of 2023 and I have just begun looking into the changes. Is this another solution looking for a problem? Is this another device pushed-through by the manufacturer(s) looking to get consumers to pay for their beta-test?
From the 2020 NEC
230.67 Surge Protection.
(A) Surge-Protective Device. All services supplying dwelling units shall be provided with a surge-protective device (SPD).
(B) Location. The SPD shall be an integral part of the service equipment or shall be located immediately adjacent thereto.
Exception: The SPD shall not be required to be located in the service equipment as required in (B) if located at each next level distribution equipment downstream toward the load.
(C) Type. The SPD shall be a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD.
(D) Replacement. Where service equipment is replaced, all of the requirements of this section shall apply.
From the standpoint of a home inspector and our "Standard of Care" (I know, moving target)...
Is this a safety issue and is this something that we should start recommending as an upgrade like we do with GFCIs, bonding of metal piping, additional grounding electrodes, etc?
Is this going to provide surge protection for individual electronic appliances within the home or is this specifically for the electrical system and we still need surge protection for sensitive electronics? I cannot tell from my quick perusal of Eaton's site, but Square D does imply individual electronics.
If SPD is for the system only (kind of indicated in the code wording), and one is present, do we notify our clients that they should still have surge protection for individual appliances?
How many surges can one of these devices absorb? Are they sacrificial (like a fuse) or resettable (like a circuit breaker)?
If a home experiences a surge, should the system be evaluated by an electrical contractor? How would someone know that a surge has occurred?
If sacrificial, is there a way to know that the device is no longer functional and needs replacement? It looks like both Eaton's and Square D's have LEDs, so some kind of indicator is apparently present.
It looks like a "Type 1 SPD" is installed before the main disconnect and a "Type 2 SPD" is installed after the main disconnect. I interpret this (in part) as the "Type 1" being more hazardous/difficult to replace than a "Type 2".
SPD Definition Link (https://trcsupport.eaton.com/Distribution-and-Control/Residential-and-Light-Commercial-V1-/Surge-Protection-V1-T2-/899589031/Type-1-and-Type-2-Surge-Protective-Devices-Differences-between.htm)
Eaton's claim on their "Type 1 SPD" is:
"Provide superior protection for sensitive electronics with low Voltage Protection Rating values."
Eaton SPD Link (https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/products/backup-power-ups-surge-it-power-distribution/complete-home-surge-protection/type-1-surge-protective-devices-pa00414001e.pdf)
Which means..?
Square D does state: "Whole house protection including appliances, HVAC, lighting, cable, ethernet, and telephone"
Square D (https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/61968-surgelogic-surgebreaker-plus/?parent-subcategory-id=86168#overview) SPD Link (https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/61968-surgelogic-surgebreaker-plus/?parent-subcategory-id=86168#overview)
From the 2020 NEC
230.67 Surge Protection.
(A) Surge-Protective Device. All services supplying dwelling units shall be provided with a surge-protective device (SPD).
(B) Location. The SPD shall be an integral part of the service equipment or shall be located immediately adjacent thereto.
Exception: The SPD shall not be required to be located in the service equipment as required in (B) if located at each next level distribution equipment downstream toward the load.
(C) Type. The SPD shall be a Type 1 or Type 2 SPD.
(D) Replacement. Where service equipment is replaced, all of the requirements of this section shall apply.
From the standpoint of a home inspector and our "Standard of Care" (I know, moving target)...
Is this a safety issue and is this something that we should start recommending as an upgrade like we do with GFCIs, bonding of metal piping, additional grounding electrodes, etc?
Is this going to provide surge protection for individual electronic appliances within the home or is this specifically for the electrical system and we still need surge protection for sensitive electronics? I cannot tell from my quick perusal of Eaton's site, but Square D does imply individual electronics.
If SPD is for the system only (kind of indicated in the code wording), and one is present, do we notify our clients that they should still have surge protection for individual appliances?
How many surges can one of these devices absorb? Are they sacrificial (like a fuse) or resettable (like a circuit breaker)?
If a home experiences a surge, should the system be evaluated by an electrical contractor? How would someone know that a surge has occurred?
If sacrificial, is there a way to know that the device is no longer functional and needs replacement? It looks like both Eaton's and Square D's have LEDs, so some kind of indicator is apparently present.
It looks like a "Type 1 SPD" is installed before the main disconnect and a "Type 2 SPD" is installed after the main disconnect. I interpret this (in part) as the "Type 1" being more hazardous/difficult to replace than a "Type 2".
SPD Definition Link (https://trcsupport.eaton.com/Distribution-and-Control/Residential-and-Light-Commercial-V1-/Surge-Protection-V1-T2-/899589031/Type-1-and-Type-2-Surge-Protective-Devices-Differences-between.htm)
Eaton's claim on their "Type 1 SPD" is:
"Provide superior protection for sensitive electronics with low Voltage Protection Rating values."
Eaton SPD Link (https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/products/backup-power-ups-surge-it-power-distribution/complete-home-surge-protection/type-1-surge-protective-devices-pa00414001e.pdf)
Which means..?
Square D does state: "Whole house protection including appliances, HVAC, lighting, cable, ethernet, and telephone"
Square D (https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/61968-surgelogic-surgebreaker-plus/?parent-subcategory-id=86168#overview) SPD Link (https://www.se.com/us/en/product-range/61968-surgelogic-surgebreaker-plus/?parent-subcategory-id=86168#overview)