Code Change Summary: Revisions were made to address the maintenance receptacle required near electrical service equipment.

The required maintenance receptacle added in the 2014 NEC^® for service equipment will now only apply to service equipment installed indoors. As well, instead of the receptacle being required within 50 ft., it is now required within 25 ft. of the service. This was to accommodate the typical 25 ft. cord used by many service electricians.

The rules apply to indoor service locations other than one-and two-family dwellings. For these locations, at least one 125-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere receptacle outlet must be installed in an accessible location within 25 ft. of the indoor electrical service equipment. The receptacle must be within the same room or area as the actual service equipment.

Having a maintenance receptacle near the electrical service allows for testing, servicing and connection of portable electrical data acquisition equipment for analyzing the electrical system.

Many times, when a maintenance receptacle is not present, the connection of testing equipment is accomplished by running extension cords through doorways to the nearest receptacle which creates a pinch point when the door is closed.

The new exception allows the receptacle to be omitted for services over 120-volts to ground covered in Article 675 (irrigation machines) and 682 (naturally and artificially made bodies of water). These types of installations commonly have a 277/480-volt service, installed remotely adjacent to pumping equipment that does not use 120-volt power. Without the exception, a step down transformer would be needed in order to provide the service receptacle.

Below is a preview of Article 210. 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.