CEI Residential Electrical Inspection 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum required height for a wall-mounted outdoor receptacle cover plate when the cover is in the closed position on a residential dwelling?
- 6 inches above grade
- 12 inches above grade (Correct answer)
- 18 inches above grade
- No minimum height required
Correct answer: 12 inches above grade
NEC 210.52(F) requires outdoor receptacles to be readily accessible, and covers must be rated in-use (weatherproof) when in use; however, local amendments often require a minimum of 12 inches above finished grade.
Question 2: Under NEC 210.12, which of the following circuits in a newly constructed home does NOT require AFCI protection?
- Bedroom lighting circuit
- Kitchen small appliance circuit
- Bathroom receptacle circuit (Correct answer)
- Garage lighting circuit
Correct answer: Bathroom receptacle circuit
NEC 210.12 requires AFCI protection for all 120V, 15/20A branch circuits in dwelling units except bathrooms, which instead require GFCI protection under 210.8(A)(1).
Question 3: An inspector finds a junction box in an attic covered with insulation and no cover plate installed. What is the primary code violation?
- Junction boxes must be made of metal in attics
- All junction boxes must remain accessible with a cover (Correct answer)
- Junction boxes in attics require conduit connections only
- The insulation must be removed from the entire attic
Correct answer: All junction boxes must remain accessible with a cover
NEC 314.29 requires all boxes to be accessible without removing any part of the building, and NEC 314.28 requires covers on all junction boxes.
Question 4: What is the maximum length of a flexible cord permitted to connect a permanently installed dishwasher to an outlet under NEC 422.16(B)(2)?
- 2 feet
- 3 feet
- 4 feet
- 6 feet (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 6 feet
NEC 422.16(B)(2) permits dishwashers to be cord-and-plug connected with a cord no longer than 6 feet and no shorter than 3 feet.
Question 5: During a residential inspection, a smoke alarm is found installed on a wall 18 inches below the ceiling. Is this compliant with NFPA 72?
- Yes, wall installations must be between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling
- No, wall alarms must be within 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling (Correct answer)
- Yes, 18 inches is acceptable for sloped ceilings only
- No, all smoke alarms must be ceiling-mounted only
Correct answer: No, wall alarms must be within 4 to 12 inches from the ceiling
NFPA 72 requires wall-mounted smoke alarms to be installed with the top of the alarm between 4 and 12 inches from the ceiling.
Question 6: Which NEC section governs the clearance requirements for electrical equipment working space in front of a residential panelboard?
- NEC 110.26 (Correct answer)
- NEC 230.70
- NEC 408.18
- NEC 210.8
Correct answer: NEC 110.26
NEC 110.26 specifies working space requirements including a minimum depth of 3 feet, minimum width of 30 inches or the width of the equipment, and minimum headroom of 6.5 feet.
Question 7: A homeowner has installed a 240V/40A range receptacle using 10 AWG copper wire on a 40A breaker. What is wrong with this installation?
- 10 AWG copper is only rated for 30A at 60°C terminals (Correct answer)
- The receptacle must be 50A for a range
- 240V ranges require aluminum conductors
- Nothing is wrong; this installation is code-compliant
Correct answer: 10 AWG copper is only rated for 30A at 60°C terminals
10 AWG copper wire is rated for 30A per NEC Table 310.16 at 60°C, so using it on a 40A overcurrent device violates the ampacity rules.
CEI Residential Electrical Inspection 2
What is the minimum required height for a wall-mounted outdoor receptacle cover plate when the cover is in the closed position on a residential dwelling?