210.64 Electrical Service Areas.

At least one 125-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere receptacle is required within 50 ft. of this electrical service equipment.
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At least one 125-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere receptacle is required within 50 ft. of this electrical service equipment.

Code Change Summary: A new code section was added to require a maintenance receptacle near the electrical service.

A new code section in the 2014 NEC® now requires a maintenance receptacle installed within 50 ft. of the electrical service. This applies to all service locations other than one-and two-family dwellings.

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. As well, plugging into non-GFCI protected receptacles inside a building to perform testing or maintenance on an outdoor electrical service can create other hazards.

Below is a preview of the NEC®.  See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on the “free access” tab and select the applicable year of NFPA 70 (National Electrical code).

2014 Code Language:

210.64 Electrical Service Areas. At least one 125-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere-rated receptacle outlet shall be installed within 15 m (50 ft) of the electrical service equipment.

Exception: The receptacle outlet shall not be required to be installed in one-and two-family dwellings.

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210.64 Electrical Service Areas.

Below is a Real Question from our Electrical Continuing Education Courses for Electrical License Renewal:

Which of the following is required within 50 ft. of an electrical service at a commercial building?

A: An emergency luminaire.
B: A 125-volt, single-phase, 30-ampere-rated receptacle.
C: A 125-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere-rated receptacle.
D: A 250-volt, single-phase, 15- or 20-ampere-rated receptacle.
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