Guide to the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I — Instalment 35

Apr 9, 2018

By William (Bill) Burr

In this article: Section 70 — Electrical requirements for factory-built relocatable structures and non-relocatable structures. This discussion of Section 68 is based on the 24th Edition of the CEC, Part I, (C22.1-18),* now available from CSA Group. This series of articles provides a guide to help users find their way through this critical document. This is not intended to replace the notes in Appendix B or the explanations of individual requirements contained in the CEC Handbook** but will hopefully provide some help in navigating the Code.

Rule 70-000 notes that this is a supplementary or amendatory section of the code and applies to the electrical installation of factory-built, relocatable, and non-relocatable structures and includes mobile homes, mobile commercial and industrial structures, factory-built residential housing, and factory-built commercial and industrial structures. These rules do not apply to recreational vehicles covered by CSA Z240 RV Series.

Section 70 is divided into 2 parts: Relocatable structures, and Non-relocatable structures.

Relocatable structures

Rules 70-100 to 70-130 apply to factory-built relocatable structures that are towable on their own chassis and include mobile homes, and mobile commercial and industrial structures.

Rule 70-100 requires that all electrical equipment in these structures be suitable for the application and comply with the standards listed in Appendix A.

Rules 70-102 and 70-104 provide for the method of connection of homes and structures to the supply circuit.

Rule 70-106 provides for the method of connection of communication service for homes and structures.

Rules 70-108 to 70-112 provide for the method of connection for a power supply cord or cord set, disconnecting means, main overcurrent protection, and location of service or distribution equipment for mobile homes and structures.

Rules 70-114 to 70-124 outline general wiring methods for homes and structures and specifically for swing-out and expandable room sections, and multiple-section mobile units, including branch circuits, receptacles, switches, luminaires and ventilating fans.

Rule 70-126 provides requirements for bonding and bonding to ground of mobile homes and structures in accordance with Section 10.

Rule 70-128 requires that units connected to the main power supply be marked in accordance with Rule 2-100, and, for multiple-section mobile homes or structures:

• each section be suitably, permanently marked to identify the other sections to be used
• instructions be provided to indicate the interconnections necessary to complete the installation

Rule 70-130 specifies the tests and procedures that must be conducted on complete assemblies at the factory.

Non-relocatable structures

Rules 70-200 to 70-204 apply to general wiring methods, connection to overhead and underground supply, and service and distribution equipment of factory-built non-relocatable houses and structures, and includes that Rules 70-100, 70-112, 70-114, 70-118, and 70-122 to 70-130 also apply to non-relocatable structures.

In the next instalment, we will be discussing Section 72 — Mobile home and recreational vehicle parks.

* The source for this series of articles is the Canadian Electrical Code, Part I, published by CSA.

**Note the CEC Handbook is also published by CSA.

William (Bill) Burr is the former Chair of the Canadian Advisory Council on Electrical Safety (CACES), former Director of Electrical and Elevator Safety for the Province of BC, and former Director of Electrical and Gas Standards Development and former Director of Conformity Assessment at CSA Group. Bill can be reached at Burr and Associates Consulting; billburr@gmail.com