Parts of electrical equipment that produce arcs, sparks, flames, or molten metal must be enclosed or kept away from any combustible material. Open motors with centrifugal starting switches, commutators, and collector rings can create sparks, so it is important to keep them separated from flammable material. For hazardous locations, more information can be found in Articles 500 through 517, and for motors, see section 430.14.
NEC Article 110.18 Arcing Parts
- Electrical equipment that produces arcs, sparks, flames, or molten metal while in normal operation must be enclosed or separated from combustible materials.
- These types of equipment may include open motors with centrifugal starting switches, open motors with commutators, and collector rings.
- Keeping combustible materials away from these open motors is a priority for safety.
- In addition, for hazardous (classified) locations, Articles 500 through 517 provide further information.
- Furthermore, for motors, see 430.14 for further details.
- To ensure safety, it is important to maintain adequate separation from combustible materials when using open motors with these features.
