406.2 Outlet Box Hood.
Code Change Summary: A new definition was added in 406.2 for an Outlet Box Hood.
Bubble covers and in-use covers, now have an actual name and a definition.
An Outlet Box Hood is “a housing shield intended to fit over a faceplate for flush-mounted wiring devices, or an integral component of an outlet box or of a faceplate for flush-mounted wiring devices. The hood does not serve to complete the electrical enclosure; it reduces the risk of water coming in contact with electrical components within the hood, such as attachment plugs, current taps, surge protective devices, direct plugin transformer units, or wiring devices”.
Even though an outlet box hood is only required for specific receptacles in wet locations, an outlet box hood can be used for much more than a receptacle. Article 100 defines an “Outlet” as a point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment. A receptacle is just one example of an outlet. A hard-wired connection of an appliance whip to a junction box is also an outlet.
Outlet box hoods are required for specific receptacles in wet locations per NEC® 406.9(B).
Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2017 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.
2017 Code Language:
N 406.2 Outlet Box Hood. A housing shield intended to fit over a faceplate for flush-mounted wiring devices, or an integral component of an outlet box or of a faceplate for flush-mounted wiring devices. The hood does not serve to complete the electrical enclosure; it reduces the risk of water coming in contact with electrical components within the hood, such as attachment plugs, current taps, surge protective devices, direct plugin transformer units, or wiring devices.