- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Here is another
It goes on to list areas where they had issues.NFPA 70®-2020 Edition National Electrical Code® TIA Log No.: 1564 Reference: 210.8(F) Comment Closing Date: April 28, 2021 Submitter: Laura Petrillo-Groh, Air-Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) www.nfpa.org/70 1. Revise Section 210.8(F) to read as follows: 210.8 Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter Protection for Personnel. … (F) Outdoor Outlets. All outdoor outlets for dwellings, other than those covered in 210.8(A)(3), Exception to (3), that are supplied by single-phase branch circuits rated 150 volts or less to ground, 50 amperes or less, shall have ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection for personnel. This requirement shall become effective January 1, 2023, for ducted or ductless mini-split and multi-split-type heating/ventilating/air-conditioning (HVAC) equipment, including variable refrigerant flow (VFR), variable air volume (VAV), and other HVAC, or water heating units employing power conversion equipment as a means to control compressor speed. Informational Note: Power conversion equipment is the term used to describe HVAC equipment components that are commonly referred to as the variable speed drive. The use of power conversion equipment to control compressor speed differs from multi-stage compressor speed control. Exception: Ground-fault circuit-interrupter protection shall not be required on lighting outlets other than those covered in 210.8(C). Substantiation: While this expanded GFCI protection in the 2020 NEC presents a clear enhancement to safety, HVAC component and equipment safety standards are not harmonized with GFCI amperage limits. Until both equipment and component standards are updated, designers, installers, AHJs, and consumers are forced to choose between an NEC 2020 compliant installation or an operational installation. In jurisdictions that have adopted 2020 NEC with 210.8(F) intact, there have been numerous instances of field tripping of the GFCI breaker on ductless mini splits and units containing power conversion equipment. In these cases, the only solution was for the AHJ to approve a temporary allowance to install a non-GFCI breaker. Known instances of attempt to use GFCI breaker on products with inverter driven compressors, with only resolution to provide heating/cooling to residence by using non-GFCI breaker: