CSA C22.6 No. 1:11

National Standard of Canada

(reaffirmed 2019)

Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

REVISED JUNE 2011

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  Revision History

  CSA C22.6 No. 1:11, Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

  
  

  Update No. 1 — National Standard of Canada — June 2011

  Outside front cover, National Standard of Canada text, and title page. This Standard has been developed in compliance with Standards Council of Canada requirements for National Standards of Canada. It has been published as a National Standard of Canada by CSA Group.

  
  

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  CSA C22.6 No. 1:11

  January 2011

  
  

  Title: Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

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National Standard of Canada

CSA C22.6 No. 1:11

Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

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ICS 91.040.30

ISBN 978-1-55491-573-6

© 2011 Canadian Standards Association

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the prior permission of the publisher.

© Canadian Standards Association Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

Contents

Committee on the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I v

Subcommittee on C22.6 No. 1 ix

Preface xi

1. Scope 1

   
   

2. Reference publications 2

   
   

3. Definitions 2

   
   

4. General requirements 7

   1. General 7

   2. Tests 8

   3. Live parts 8

   4. Painting of electrical equipment 8

   5. Minimum requirements 8

      
      

5. Service and distribution equipment 8

   1. Consumer’s service equipment 8

      1. Overhead service 8

      2. Consumer’s service raceways and meter enclosures 9

      3. Consumer’s service conductors 10

      4. Service box 10

      5. Grounding 10

   2. Distribution 11

   3. Overcurrent devices 11

      
      

6. Bonding 12

   
   

7. Wiring methods 13

   1. Cables and conductors 13

   2. Raceways 14

   3. Boxes, cabinets, and fittings 14

   4. Flexible cords 15

      
      

8. Luminaires 15

   1. General 15

   2. Recessed luminaires 16

   3. Luminaires in bathrooms 16

   4. Luminaires in clothes closets 16

      
      

9. Receptacles 16

   1. General 16

   2. Tests 18

      1. Blade retention 18

      2. Polarity and bonding continuity 18

         
         

         January 2011 iii

         C22.6 No. 1-11 © Canadian Standards Association

         
         

         
         

10. Switches 18

    
    

11. Pools, tubs, and spas 19

    1. General 19

    2. Ground fault circuit interrupters 19

    3. Overhead conductors 20

       
       

12. Ground fault circuit interrupters 20

    
    

13. Arc fault circuit interrupters 20

    
    

14. Smoke alarms 21

    1. Operation and connection 21

    2. Replacement date 21

    3. Low battery alarm 21

       
       

15. Carbon monoxide alarms 21

    1. Operation and connection 21

    2. Replacement date 21

    3. End-of-life alarm 21

       
       

16. Appliances and utilization equipment 21

Annexes

A (informative) — Commentary 23

B (informative) — Inspection checklist 26

C (informative) — Major revisions to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, applicable to residential occupancies 32

D (informative) — Model guide for application and enforcement 47

E (normative) — Minimum requirements 49

F (informative) — Bibliography 52

iv January 2011

© Canadian Standards Association Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

Preface

This is the first edition of CSA C22.6 No. 1, Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies.

Compliance with the requirements of this Standard will in some instances necessitate upgrading of portions of electrical installations. To facilitate adoption of the upgrading provisions of this Standard as regulations by the authority having jurisdiction, they have been placed in Annex E and referenced from Clause 4.5. A model guide for application and compliance is included as Annex D. Annex C contains a chronological description of major revisions to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, applicable to residential occupancies. This Standard is not intended as an instruction manual for untrained or unqualified persons.

CSA acknowledges that the development of this Standard was made possible, in part, by the financial support of the Ontario Electrical Safety Authority.

This Standard was prepared by the Subcommittee on C22.6 No. 1, under the jurisdiction of the Committee on the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, and the Strategic Steering Committee on Requirements for Electrical Safety, and has been formally approved by the Committee on the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I. This Standard will be submitted to the Standards Council of Canada for approval as a National Standard of Canada.

Interpretations: The Strategic Steering Committee on Requirements for Electrical Safety has provided the following direction for the interpretation of standards under its jurisdiction: “The literal text shall be used in judging compliance with the safety requirements of this Standard. When the literal text cannot be applied, such as for new materials or construction, and when a relevant committee interpretation has not already been published, CSA’s procedures for interpretation shall be followed to determine the intended safety principle.”

January 2011

Notes:

1. Use of the singular does not exclude the plural (and vice versa) when the sense allows.

2. Although the intended primary application of this Standard is stated in its Scope, it is important to note that it remains the responsibility of the users of the Standard to judge its suitability for their particular purpose.

3. This publication was developed by consensus, which is defined by CSA Policy governing standardization — Code of good practice for standardization as “substantial agreement. Consensus implies much more than a simple majority, but not necessarily unanimity”. It is consistent with this definition that a member may be included in the Technical Committee list and yet not be in full agreement with all clauses of this publication.

4. To submit a request for interpretation of CSA Standards, please send the following information to inquiries@csa.ca and include “Request for interpretation” in the subject line:

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   3. where possible, phrase the request in such a way that a specific “yes” or “no” answer will address the issue. Committee interpretations are processed in accordance with the CSA Directives and guidelines governing standardization and are published in CSA’s periodical Info Update, which is available on the CSA website at https://standardsactivities.csa.ca.

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January 2011 xi

© Canadian Standards Association Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

C22.6 No. 1-11

Electrical inspection code for existing residential occupancies

1 Scope

1.1

This Standard specifies requirements for the evaluation of existing electrical installations and equipment with respect to electrical fire and shock hazards due to overheating, abuse, deterioration, or quality of work in residential occupancies and factory-built relocatable and non-relocatable structures used as dwelling units (see Clause A.1.1).

Notes:

1. Annex B provides a model checklist to assist with evaluation and inspection.

2. Although the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, is continuously evolving (see Annex C), this Standard is not intended to require that existing electrical installations and equipment installed under an earlier edition of the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, conform to a later edition.

3. Annex D provides a model guide for application and compliance.

4. Annex E includes additional provisions for upgrades to specific portions of existing electrical installations to protect against electrical fire and shock hazards.

1.2

This Standard does not specify requirements for the evaluation of new electrical installations.

Note: Requirements for new electrical installations are specified in the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I.

1.3

This Standard does not apply to the maintenance of electrical equipment.

Note: Requirements for maintenance of electrical equipment are specified in the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I.

1.4

This Standard does not specify requirements for the evaluation of cord-connected or portable electrical equipment (see Clause A.1.4).

1.5

This Standard is also intended to be used for the evaluation of existing electrical installations associated with outbuildings such as garages and sheds associated with single dwellings.

1.6

In CSA standards, “shall” is used to express a requirement, i.e., a provision that the user is obliged to satisfy in order to comply with the standard; “should” is used to express a recommendation or that which is advised but not required; and “may” is used to express an option or that which is permissible within the limits of the standard.

Notes accompanying clauses do not include requirements or alternative requirements; the purpose of a note accompanying a clause is to separate from the text explanatory or informative material.

Notes to tables and figures are considered part of the table or figure and may be written as requirements.

Annexes are designated normative (mandatory) or informative (nonmandatory) to define their application.

January 2011 1