NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance

NFPA^® 70B Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance, 2023 Edition

Chapter 1 Administration

1.1 Scope.
1.2 Purpose.
1.3 Application.
1.4 Equivalency.
1.5 Units of Measurement.

Chapter 2 Referenced Publications

2.1 General.
2.2 NFPA Publications. (Reserved)
2.3 Other Publications.
2.4 References for Extracts in Mandatory Sections.

Chapter 3 Definitions

3.1 General.
3.2 NFPA Official Definitions.
3.3 General Definitions.

Chapter 4 General

4.1 General Requirements.
4.2 Electrical Maintenance Program (EMP).
4.3 Personnel.
4.4 Survey and Analysis.
4.5 Planned Inspections.
4.6 Acceptance Test Report.
4.7 Impact of Additions/Rework to Retrofitting Equipment.
4.8 Equipment Cleaning.

Chapter 5 Personnel Safety

5.1 Introduction.

Chapter 6 Single-Line Diagrams and System Studies

6.1 Introduction.
6.2 Single-Line Diagrams.
6.3 Short-Circuit Studies.
6.4 Coordination Studies.
6.5 Load-Flow Studies.
6.6 Reliability Studies.
6.7 Incident Energy Analysis (Arc-Flash Study).
6.8 Electrical Maintenance-Related Design.

Chapter 7 Fundamental Tests

7.1 Fundamental Tests.
7.2 Bolted Bus Connections, Conductor Terminations, and Conductor Connectors.
7.3 Insulation Resistance Quality.
7.4 Infrared Thermography.

Chapter 8 Field Testing and Test Methods

8.1 Introduction.
8.2 Risk Assessment Special Considerations.
8.3 Testing Category Types.
8.4 Qualifications of Testing Personnel.
8.5 Test Equipment and Tools.
8.6 Test Record.
8.7 Condition of Maintenance Indication.

Chapter 9 Maintenance Intervals

9.1 Scope.
9.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
9.3 Equipment Condition Assessment.

Chapter 10 Hazardous (Classified) Location Electrical Equipment

10.1 General.
10.2 Maintenance Personnel for Hazardous (Classified) Locations.
10.3 Elimination of Hazardous Atmospheres.
10.4 Elimination of Ignition Sources.
10.5 Equipment Reassembly.
10.6 Conduit and Equipment Seals.
10.7 Bolts and Screws.
10.8 Handling of Equipment, Components, and Tools.
10.9 Field Modifications.

Chapter 11 Power and Distribution Transformers

11.1 Scope.
11.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
11.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 12 Substations and Switchgear

12.1 Scope.
12.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
12.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 13 Panelboards and Switchboards

13.1 Scope.
13.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
13.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 14 Busways

14.1 Scope.
14.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
14.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 15 Circuit Breakers, Low- and Medium-Voltage

15.1 Scope.
15.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
15.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures for Low-Voltage Power Circuit (LVPCB), Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB), and Insulated Case Circuit Breakers (ICCB).
15.4 Periodic Maintenance Procedures for Medium-Voltage Power Circuit Breakers.

Chapter 16 Fuses

16.1 Scope.
16.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
16.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 17 Switches

17.1 Scope.
17.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
17.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 18 Power Cables and Conductors

18.1 Chapter Scope.
18.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
18.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 19 Cable Tray

19.1 Scope.
19.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
19.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 20 Grounding and Bonding

20.1 Scope.
20.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
20.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 21 Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters and Ground-Fault Protection of Equipment Systems

21.1 Scope.
21.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
21.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 22 Lighting

22.1 Scope.
22.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
22.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 23 Lighting Control Systems (Reserved)

Chapter 24 Wiring Devices

24.1 Scope.
24.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
24.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 25 Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS)

25.1 Scope.
25.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
25.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.
25.4 Special Procedures.

Chapter 26 Electronic Equipment (Reserved)

Chapter 27 Rotating Equipment

27.1 Scope.
27.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
27.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 28 Motor Control Equipment

28.1 Scope.
28.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
28.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 29 Portable Electrical Tools and Equipment

29.1 Scope.
29.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
29.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 30 Photovoltaic Systems

30.1 Scope.
30.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
30.3 Documentation and Labeling.
30.4 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 31 Wind Power Electric Systems and Associated Equipment

31.1 Scope.
31.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
31.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 32 Battery Energy Storage Systems

32.1 Scope.
32.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
32.3 Documentation.
32.4 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 33 Electric Vehicle Power Transfer Systems and Associated Equipment

33.1 Scope.
33.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
33.3 Documentation.
33.4 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 34 Public Pools, Fountains, and Similar Installations

34.1 Scope.
34.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
34.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 35 Protective Relays

35.1 Scope.
35.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
35.3 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.

Chapter 36 Stationary Standby Batteries

36.1 Scope.
36.2 Frequency of Maintenance.
36.3 Documentation.
36.4 Periodic Maintenance Procedures.
36.5 Special. (Reserved)

Chapter 37 Instrument Transformers (Reserved)

Chapter 38 Control Power Transformers (Reserved)

Annex A Explanatory Material
Annex B Suggestions for Inclusion in a Walk-Through Inspection Checklist
Annex C Symbols
Annex D Diagrams
Annex E Forms
Annex F NEMA Configurations
Annex G Primary Contact Matrix
Annex H Equipment Storage and Maintenance During Construction
Annex I Reliability Centered Maintenance
Annex J Power Quality
Annex K Electrical Disaster Recovery
Annex L Case Histories
Annex M Informational References

2019 Edition

Apply the 2019 edition of NFPA 70B* along with NFPA 70E^® to maintain electrical systems correctly and safeguard your personnel, your facility, and your business.

Electrical systems maintenance helps protect workers, avoid equipment downtime, and reduce the cost of repairs. In fact, proper maintenance is absolutely essential to the safety of your facility and your employees. Get guidance you can trust in NFPA 70B, Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance. NFPA 70B details preventive maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communication systems and equipment -- such as those used in industrial plants, institutional and commercial buildings, and large multi-family residential complexes.

Used alongside the requirements in NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace^®, NFPA 70B helps facility managers develop and carry out an effective Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM) program for all types of equipment and assemblies. Contractors look to NFPA 70B for information about properly servicing equipment, and designers depend on it for developing specifications for installation that take maintenance into account.

Updates in NFPA 70B coordinate with NFPA 70E and the "dot" standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

• New recommendations for performing a maintenance-related design study correlate with the latest edition of NFPA 70E.
• New references help you identify content covered in approximately 70 IEEE "dot" standards in the IEEE 3000 Standards Collection™, replacing references to the IEEE Color Books.

NFPA 70B chapters address every aspect of equipment maintenance:

• Planning and developing an Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM) program
• Personnel safety
• Fundamentals of electrical equipment maintenance
• System studies
• Power quality
• Testing and test methods
• Maintenance of electrical equipment subject to long intervals between shutdowns
• Ground-fault protection
• Grounding
• Plus detailed chapters on many different types of assemblies, equipment, cables, and devices

Stay focused on safety and your bottom line with NFPA 70B. Maintain equipment and develop your EPM using the latest guidance from the field. (Print, 295 pp., 2019)

*Included with your purchase of NFPA 70B, 2019 edition, are a set of self-adhesive index tabs to help you navigate the code.

2016 Edition

Equipment maintenance impacts safety, downtime, and the cost of repairs. NFPA 70B works hand-in-hand with NFPA 70E® to help protect your personnel, your facility, and your business!

Electrical systems are the lifeblood of your work, and proper maintenance is essential to the safety of your facility and your employees. Get guidance you can trust in NFPA 70B, Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance. Used alongside the requirements in NFPA 70E®, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace®, NFPA 70B helps facility managers develop and carry out an effective Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM) program for all types of equipment and assemblies. Contractors look to NFPA 70B for information about properly servicing equipment, and designers depend on it for developing specifications for installation that take maintenance into account.

NFPA 70B's chapters cover it all:

• Planning and developing an Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM) program
• Personnel safety
• Fundamentals of electrical equipment maintenance
• System studies
• Power quality
• Testing and test methods
• Maintenance of electrical equipment subject to long intervals between shutdowns
• Ground-fault protection
• Grounding
• Plus detailed chapters on many different types of assemblies, equipment, cables, and devices

Changes in the 2016 edition help you guard against electrical incidents and system failures.

Loose connections are a significant contributor to maintenance issues. That's why the 2016 edition of NFPA 70B includes new torque requirements that help minimize risks related to poor connections, which have the potential to cause overheating, intermittent open circuits, and electrical arcs. In another change, enhanced battery testing and maintenance requirements provide greater detail about battery testing and safety considerations for anyone performing battery maintenance. Batteries are part of many electrical systems and some are critical to power systems involved in life safety.

Keep your eye on safety and the bottom line. Maintain equipment and develop your EPM using NFPA 70B, featuring the latest guidance from the field. (Softbound, 297 pp., 2016)

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