General Requirements
10%of exam
Services
17%of exam
Branch Circuits + Feeders
28%of exam
Wiring Methods + Distribution
21%of exam
Devices, Lighting, Appliances
19%of exam
Lighting OutletsCloset LuminairesTamper-ResistantAppliance CircuitsWet Location
Swimming Pools
5%of exam
Equipotential BondingPool GFCIUnderwater LuminairesPool ClearancesPool Receptacles
Quick Facts
- Exam
- ICC E1
- Credential
- Residential Electrical Inspector
- Questions
- 60 multiple-choice
- Time
- 2 hours
- Pass
- Scaled 75 (~45/60)
- Format
- Open-book
- Fee
- $199-$249
- Validity
- 3 years (1.5 CEUs)
- Reference
- 2024 IRC Chs. 34-43
IRC Electrical Spine
34 General, 36 Service, 37 Branch
Ch. 34: generalCh. 36: servicesCh. 37: branch/feederCh. 38-43: methods
IRC Part VIII Map
- Ch. 34
- General requirements
- Ch. 35
- Definitions
- Ch. 36
- Services
- Ch. 37
- Branch/feederHeaviest
- Ch. 38-39
- Wiring methods
- Ch. 40-42
- Devices/appliances
- Ch. 43
- Class 2, low-voltage
Clearances + Working Space
- Panel depth
- 36 in working space
- Panel width
- 30 in front
- Headroom
- 6 ft 6 in
- Service over roof
- 8 ft typical
- Over driveway
- 12 ft (residential)
- Over public road
- 18 ft
- Above grade
- 10 ft min
General Rules
- Splices
- Approved devices/connectors
- Splice location
- Inside accessible box
- Made electrode GEC
- 6 AWG copper max
- Conductor material
- Copper or aluminum
- Ampacity basis
- 60/75°C terminals
- Identification
- Grounded = white/gray
Grounding vs Bonding
Grounding
- Earth connection
- GEC to electrode
- Stabilize voltage
Bonding
- Joins metal parts
- Fault current path
- EGC continuity
To earth vs together
Grounding Electrode Picker
- Concrete footing rebar→Ufer/CEE(Preferred)
- Metal water pipe→Bond + electrode(Within 5 ft)
- Ground rod only→Two rods(Unless 25 ohm)
- Made electrode GEC→6 AWG copper(Max needed)
- Service enclosure→Main bonding jumper(Neutral-to-can)
- Subpanel→Separate EGC bus(No N-G bond)
Service Load Calc
- General lighting
- 3 VA per sq ft
- Small appliance
- 1500 VA x 2
- Laundry
- 1500 VA circuit
- First 3000 VA
- 100% demand factor
- 3001-120,000 VA
- 35% demand factor
- Range
- Table demand factor
- Dryer
- 5000 VA or nameplate
- Largest motor
- Add 25%
Neutral vs EGC
Grounded (neutral)
- Carries current
- White/gray
- Insulated
EGC
- No normal current
- Green/bare
- Fault path
Current vs fault only
Service Equipment
- Min service rating
- 100 A dwelling
- 200 A copper SE
- 2/0 AWG typical
- Max disconnects
- Up to 6 motions
- Disconnect location
- Readily accessible
- SE conductor sizing
- Per dwelling table
- Grounded conductor
- Sized to GEC
Grounding + Bonding
- GEC
- To grounding electrode
- EGC
- Equipment fault path
- Grounded conductor
- Neutral, current-carrying
- Main bonding jumper
- Neutral-to-enclosure (service)
- Ground rod
- 8 ft, two if needed
- Ufer/CEE
- Concrete-encased electrode
- Metal water pipe
- Bond within 5 ft
- Neutral-ground bond
- Service only, once
Required 20 A Circuits
Two SA, one Laundry, one Bath
2x small-appliance1x laundry1x bathroomPlus dedicated appliances
Service vs Feeder
Service
- Utility supply
- Neutral bonded
- Before disconnect
Feeder
- Between panels
- Neutral isolated
- Has EGC
Source vs distribution
Service vs Feeder vs Branch
- Utility to disconnect→Service conductors(Calc load)
- Panel to subpanel→Feeder(EGC + neutral)
- Last OCPD to outlet→Branch circuit(Rated amps)
- Sizing dwelling service→Standard calc(IRC E3602)
- 14 AWG copper→15 A max(Lighting OK)
- 12 AWG copper→20 A max(Recep./SA)
- Subpanel neutral→Isolated(No bond)
- Service neutral→Bonded(Main jumper)
Required Branch Circuits
- Small-appliance
- Two 20 A min
- Laundry
- One 20 A
- Bathroom
- One 20 A
- Dishwasher
- Individual circuit
- Disposal
- Individual circuit
- HVAC
- Per nameplate
- Range
- Dedicated 240 V
Wire to Breaker
14=15, 12=20, 10=30
14 AWG: 15 A12 AWG: 20 A10 AWG: 30 ACopper, 60°C
Receptacle Spacing
- Wall rule
- 12 ft max spacing
- From opening
- 6 ft max
- Wall width
- 2 ft or wider counts
- Kitchen counter
- 4 ft max apart
- Counter island
- Min one receptacle
- Hallway 10 ft+
- One receptacle
- Bathroom
- Within 3 ft of basin
Conductor + OCPD
- 14 AWG Cu
- 15 A breaker
- 12 AWG Cu
- 20 A breaker
- 10 AWG Cu
- 30 A breaker
- 8 AWG Cu
- 40 A
- 6 AWG Cu
- 55 A (60°C)
- Continuous load
- Max 80% rating
- Fastened appliance
- Max 50% on shared
GFCI Locations
Bad Girls Often Kiss Boys Causing Laughter
BathroomGarageOutdoorKitchenBasementCrawl spaceLaundry
GFCI vs AFCI
GFCI
- Shock protection
- Wet/grounded areas
- Trips ~5 mA
AFCI
- Arc-fault/fire
- Living areas
- Detects arcing
Shock vs fire
GFCI vs AFCI Required
- Bathroom receptacle→GFCI(Not AFCI)
- Bedroom circuit→AFCI(All outlets)
- Kitchen counter recep.→Both(GFCI + AFCI)
- Garage receptacle→GFCI(All)
- Outdoor receptacle→GFCI(Wet rated)
- Within 6 ft of sink→GFCI(Any sink)
- Unfinished basement→GFCI(All recep.)
- Living room circuit→AFCI(All outlets)
GFCI-Required Locations
- Bathrooms
- All receptacles
- Garages
- All receptacles
- Outdoors
- All receptacles
- Kitchens
- Counter-serving receptacles
- Within 6 ft sink
- GFCI required
- Unfinished basement
- All receptacles
- Crawl spaces
- At/below grade
- Laundry areas
- All receptacles
Box Fill Volumes
14=2.0, 12=2.25, 10=2.5
Device yoke: x2Clamps: x1Grounds: x1Largest conductor
AFCI-Required Areas
- Scope
- 120 V, 15/20 A circuits
- Bedrooms
- AFCI required
- Living/family rooms
- AFCI required
- Kitchens
- AFCI required
- Hallways/closets
- AFCI required
- Laundry areas
- AFCI required
- Bathrooms
- Not AFCI required
Box Fill Volume
- 14 AWG
- 2.00 cu in each
- 12 AWG
- 2.25 cu in each
- 10 AWG
- 2.50 cu in each
- Internal clamps
- One conductor allowance
- Each device yoke
- Two (largest) allowances
- Equipment grounds
- One allowance total
- Pigtail
- Not counted
Cable + Support
- NM cable
- Dry interior, dwelling
- NM support
- Within 12 in box
- NM staple
- Every 4.5 ft
- Bored holes
- 1.25 in from edge
- Protect plate
- Steel where <1.25 in
- EGC required
- Metal enclosures bonded
Tamper vs Weather Resistant
Tamper-resistant
- Shutter mechanism
- Child safety
- Dwelling interior
Weather-resistant
- Corrosion rated
- Damp/wet
- Outdoor use
Kids vs weather
Required Lighting
- Habitable rooms
- Switched lighting outlet
- Bathrooms/halls
- Switched lighting outlet
- Stairways
- Switched both ends
- Outdoor entrances
- Switched lighting outlet
- Attic/crawl w/ equip
- Light at access
- Garage
- Switched lighting outlet
Damp vs Wet Location
Damp
- Protected outdoor
- Under eave
- Listed damp
Wet
- Direct exposure
- In-use cover
- Listed wet
Sheltered vs exposed
Luminaires + Wet
- Closet surface incand.
- 12 in clearance
- Closet recessed
- 6 in clearance
- Closet LED/fluor.
- 6 in surface
- Open lamp closet
- Not permitted
- Wet location fixture
- Listed wet location
- Damp location
- Listed damp minimum
Receptacles + Devices
- Tamper-resistant
- Dwelling 15/20 A
- Weather-resistant
- Damp/wet outdoor
- Outdoor in-use cover
- Wet location
- Receptacle grounding
- EGC connected
- Switch in wet box
- Weatherproof enclosure
- Faceplate
- Cover finished opening
Pool Equipotential Bond
- Bonding conductor
- 8 AWG solid copper
- Bonded parts
- Shell, deck, equipment
- Perimeter surface
- Within 3 ft bonded
- Pump motor
- Bonded to grid
- Metal fittings
- Bonded together
- Purpose
- Reduce voltage gradient
Pool GFCI + Clearances
- Pump receptacle
- GFCI protected
- Within 20 ft
- GFCI receptacles
- Receptacle distance
- Min 6 ft from wall
- Underwater luminaire
- GFCI if >15 V
- Wet-niche max
- 150 V to ground
- Overhead conductors
- 22.5 ft over water
Common Traps
GFCI vs AFCI scope
GFCI = shock/wet ≠ AFCI = arc/living areas
Bathroom protection
GFCI required ≠ AFCI not required
Neutral vs ground bond
Bonded at service only ≠ Isolated at subpanel
Grounding vs bonding
Grounding to earth ≠ Bonding joins metal
Wall vs counter spacing
Wall: 12 ft / 6 ft ≠ Counter: 4 ft / 2 ft
Code reference
E1 uses IRC ≠ Not standalone NEC
TR vs WR receptacle
TR = shutters ≠ WR = weather rated
Last Minute
- 1.E1 = 60 Q, 2 hr, open-book
- 2.Pass = scaled 75, ~45/60
- 3.Reference 2024 IRC Chs. 34-43
- 4.Heaviest domain: branch circuits 28%
- 5.GFCI: bath, garage, outdoor, kitchen
- 6.GFCI within 6 ft of sink
- 7.AFCI: bedrooms, living, kitchen
- 8.Bathroom GFCI yes, AFCI no
- 9.Required circuits: 2 SA, 1 bath
- 10.Wall receptacle 12 ft spacing
- 11.Kitchen counter: 4 ft max apart
- 12.Copper wire: 14=15A, 12=20A
- 13.Box fill 14 AWG = 2.0
- 14.Device yoke counts as two
- 15.Pool bond: 8 AWG solid copper
- 16.Neutral-ground bonded service only
- 17.Min dwelling service 100 A
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