National Electrical Code

Making Sense of NEC Chapter 7

Oct. 5, 2021

Covering on-site power generation, circuits with special voltage or power limitations, energy management systems and fiber optic cables.

Mark Lamendola

Chapter 7, Special Conditions is arranged into logical groupings.

One or more of the first 20 article numbers (700 to 720) may apply if you have on-site power generation.
Articles 720 and 725 apply respectively to circuits that have special voltage or power limitations, with 725 at 13 pages being by far the larger of the two.
Articles 727 and 728 actually apply to special cables (instrumentation tray and fire-resistive).
Article 750 applies to energy management systems.
Article 760 applies to fire alarm systems. It is unlikely you will use this chapter unless you are a qualified fire alarm systems engineer or technician. In which case, you will also use NFPA 72 and NFPA 101.
The final article, 770, provides the requirements for fiber optic cables and is one of the largest Chapter 7 articles. Light is not electricity, so why is this here? One of the several reasons is these cables are run through fire barriers, inside plenums, and through occupied spaces. They must not appreciably contribute to the spread of combustion.

About the Author

Mark Lamendola

Mark is an expert in maintenance management, having racked up an impressive track record during his time working in the field. He also has extensive knowledge of, and practical expertise with, the National Electrical Code (NEC). Through his consulting business, he provides articles and training materials on electrical topics, specializing in making difficult subjects easy to understand and focusing on the practical aspects of electrical work.

Prior to starting his own business, Mark served as the Technical Editor on EC&M for six years, worked three years in nuclear maintenance, six years as a contract project engineer/project manager, three years as a systems engineer, and three years in plant maintenance management.

Mark earned an AAS degree from Rock Valley College, a BSEET from Columbia Pacific University, and an MBA from Lake Erie College. He’s also completed several related certifications over the years and even was formerly licensed as a Master Electrician. He is a Senior Member of the IEEE and past Chairman of the Kansas City Chapters of both the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society. Mark also served as the program director for, a board member of, and webmaster of, the Midwest Chapter of the 7x24 Exchange. He has also held memberships with the following organizations: NETA, NFPA, International Association of Webmasters, and Institute of Certified Professional Managers.