OK Electrician key terms

Acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. Approval may rest on listing or labeling by a qualified electrical testing laboratory, or on other evidence that the equipment or material is suitable for the specific use.

Equipment, materials, or services included in a published list maintained by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, stating that the item meets designated standards or has been tested and found suitable for a specified purpose.

Equipment or material to which a label, symbol, or other identifying mark of a nationally recognized testing laboratory has been attached, showing that it has been evaluated and meets the applicable product standard.

The organization, office, or individual responsible for enforcing the code or approving equipment, materials, an installation, or a procedure. In Oklahoma this is usually the local electrical inspector or building official.

A person who has the skills and knowledge related to the construction and operation of the electrical equipment and installations, and who has received safety training to recognize and avoid the electrical hazards involved.

The space required to be kept clear in front of electrical equipment so a person can safely work on it. It has minimum depth, width, and height dimensions and must not be used for storage.

The maximum current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. Ampacity is adjusted for ambient temperature and for the number of current-carrying conductors.

The circuit conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlet or outlets. Branch circuits may be general purpose, appliance, or individual circuits, and may be multiwire.

All circuit conductors between the service equipment, the source of a separately derived system, or other power supply source and the final branch-circuit overcurrent device.

A load in which the maximum current is expected to continue for three hours or more. Conductors and overcurrent devices serving continuous loads are generally sized at 125 percent of the load.

The point of connection between the serving utility's facilities and the premises wiring. It marks where utility responsibility ends and where National Electrical Code requirements begin for the premises installation.

The conductors between the terminals of the service equipment and the service point, including any conductor connected to the service drop or service lateral.

A device intended for protection of people that de-energizes a circuit or portion of it within an established time when current to ground exceeds a value below that required to protect equipment, typically about 5 milliamperes.

A device that recognizes characteristic arcing faults in branch-circuit wiring and opens the circuit. The code requires them on many 120-volt, 15- and 20-ampere dwelling-unit branch circuits.

Any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a conductor. Overcurrent may result from an overload, a short circuit, or a ground fault.

Operation of equipment in excess of its normal full-load rating, or of a conductor in excess of its rated ampacity, that persists long enough to cause damage. A short circuit or ground fault is not an overload.

An unintentional, electrically conductive connection between an ungrounded conductor and the normally non-current-carrying conductors, metal enclosures, metal raceways, metal equipment, or the earth.

The conductive path installed to connect normally non-current-carrying metal parts of equipment together and to the system grounded conductor or grounding electrode conductor, providing a low-impedance path for fault current.

The conductor used to connect the system grounded conductor, the equipment, or both, to a grounding electrode or to a point on the grounding electrode system.

A reliable conductor that ensures electrical conductivity between metal parts required to be electrically connected, such as the main bonding jumper at service equipment or an equipment bonding jumper around a raceway.

An intentionally constructed, low-impedance conductive path designed and intended to carry current under ground-fault conditions from the point of a ground fault to the source, so that overcurrent devices operate promptly.

A system or circuit conductor that is intentionally connected to earth, commonly called the neutral. It normally carries current and is not the same as the equipment grounding conductor.

Localization of an overcurrent condition to restrict outages to the circuit or equipment affected, accomplished by selecting and installing overcurrent protective devices so that their operating characteristics coordinate with upstream devices.

A factory assembly of two or more insulated conductors enclosed in an overall moisture-resistant, flame-retardant jacket, commonly used in dwelling units and permitted only where the code allows.

An enclosed channel of metal or nonmetallic material designed expressly for holding wires, cables, or busbars, with additional functions as permitted by the code, such as EMT, IMC, or rigid PVC.

The internal volume required for an outlet, junction, or device box, calculated from the number and size of conductors, devices, fittings, and grounding conductors, so that the box is not overcrowded.

A factory assembly of stranded conductors with flexible insulation and an outer jacket, used to connect appliances and portable equipment; it may not be used as a substitute for fixed wiring.

A complete lighting unit consisting of a light source together with the parts designed to position, protect, and supply power to it, and to distribute the light.

Protection intended to prevent a motor from overheating because of sustained overloads or failure to start, sized from the motor nameplate current; it does not provide short-circuit or ground-fault protection.

The fuse or circuit breaker protecting motor branch-circuit components from short circuits and ground faults. It is sized larger than overload protection and may be part of a listed combination motor controller.

A motor-compressor enclosed in the same housing, with the motor cooled by refrigerant. Its nameplate rated-load current is used to size conductors and protection under Article 440.

A location where fire or explosion hazards may exist because of flammable gases, vapors, dusts, fibers, or flyings. Equipment installed there must be approved for the specific class, division or zone, and group.

A circuit in which any spark or thermal effect is incapable of causing ignition of a flammable or combustible mixture, under normal operating conditions and under specified fault conditions, because its energy is limited.

The portion of the wiring system between the load side of a Class 2 power source and the connected equipment, limited in power and voltage so that it presents a low fire and electric shock hazard.

A circuit that carries signals for telephone, data, cable television, or similar purposes, installed under Article 800 and kept separated from power and lighting circuits by the required spacing and barriers.

The Oklahoma state agency that licenses electrical contractors, journeymen, and apprentices, adopts licensing rules, and enforces the Electrical Licensing Act through its electrical division.

In Oklahoma, the state credential held by a business or individual that contracts to perform electrical work for the public, responsible for obtaining permits and ensuring the work meets code.

A person licensed by the state to install, alter, and repair electrical systems, who may work without direct supervision and may supervise apprentices on the job.

A person registered with the state who is learning the trade and must work under the supervision of a licensed journeyman or contractor while accumulating the hours needed for a journeyman license.

Approved instruction in code changes, safety, and related trade topics that an Oklahoma electrician must complete during each license renewal cycle to keep the license active.