410.69 Identification of Control Conductor Insulation.
Code Change Summary: New code section on the identification of lighting control conductors.
There are many controls, drivers, and lighting ballasts that have both a white conductor as a grounded neutral conductor, and a grey conductor for control or dimming. According to NEC® 200.7, white and grey conductors are reserved only for use as a grounded or neutral conductor.
It can be confusing when wiring luminaires equipped with both grey and white conductors since the electrical industry associates those colors only for a grounded or neutral conductor.
In the 2020 NEC®, a public input (code change proposal) was accepted to include a new code section to address the issue. The resulting language will require manufacturers to completely change their wiring device colors to ensure that any grey or white wires will only be for a grounded neutral conductor.
The new requirement will have a huge impact on product wiring diagrams, controls, drivers, and ballasts that have integral lead wires. Because of this, the new requirements in 410.69 have an effective date of January 1, 2022 to allow manufacturers time to catch up.
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 2020 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.
2017 Code Language:
This code section did not exist.
2020 Code Language:
N 410.69 Identification of Control Conductor Insulation. Where control conductors are spliced, terminated, or connected in the same luminaire or enclosure as the branch-circuit conductors, the field-connected control conductor shall not be of a color reserved for the grounded branch-circuit conductor or the equipment grounding conductor. This requirement shall become effective January 1, 2022.
Informational Note: See 200.6 for identification of grounded conductor and 250.119 for identification of equipment grounding conductor.
Exception: A field-connected gray-colored control conductor shall be permitted if the insulation is permanently re-identified by marking tape, painting, or other effective means at its termination and at each location where the conductor is visible and accessible. Identification shall encircle the insulation and shall be a color other than white, gray, or green.