CHAPTER 9 Electrical Control (New. Approved July 16, 1915) Article 1. General provisions. 2. Generators, motors, switchboards. 3. Outside work. 4. Inside work. 5. Fittings, materials and details of construction. 7. Violations. ARTICLE 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS Sec. 1. Definitions. § 2. Jurisdiction; powers and duties of the commissioner. 3. Federal buildings. 4. City departments. 5. Public service electric corporations. 6. Installations, alterations or repairs of wiring or appliances. 7. Applications. 8. License board. 9. Fees. 10. Inspection. 11. Certificate of inspection. 12. Supplying current. § 13. Discontinuing current. Sec. 1. Definitions. Unless otherwise expressly stated, the following terms whenever used in this chapter shall respectively be deemed to mean and include: 1. Appliances. All electrical apparatus or fittings, except fuse renewals, incandescent lamp renewals and portable devices which together with their cables and attachments have been approved for connection to appropriate parts of the permanent electrical equipment. 2. Approved. Approved in writing by the commissioner of water supply, gas and electricity. 3. B. & S. gauge. Brown and Sharpe gauge for wire; 4. Building. Any edifice, structure or enclosure, whether roofed or unroofed. 5. Certificate of inspection. The certificate of the commissioner that the installation, alteration or repair of electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power in a building has been inspected, and is approved by the department, either temporarily or finally. 6. Extra-high potential system; any circuit attached to any machine or combination of machines which develops a difference of potential between any two wires, of over 3,500 volts, shall be considered as an extra-high potential circuit, and as coming under that class, unless an approved transforming device is used, which cuts the difference of potential down to 3,500 volts or less. 7. High-potential system. Any circuit attached to any machine or combination of machines which develops a difference of potential between any two wires, of over 550 volts and less than 3,500 volts, unless an approved transforming device is used, which cuts the difference of potential down to 550 volts or less; for 550 volt motor equipments a margin of 10 per cent. above the 550 volt limit will be allowed at the generator or transformer without coming under high-potential systems. 8. License. The authorization of the commissioner for a person to engage generally in the business of installing, altering or repairing electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power in buildings. 9. Low potential system. Any circuit attached to any transforming device, machine, or combination of machines, which develops a difference of potential between any 2 wires, of not over 550 volts; the primary circuit not to exceed a potential of 3,500 volts unless the primary wires are installed in accordance with approved standards for pole-line construction, or are underground; for 550 volt motor equipments a margin of 10 per cent. above the 550 volt limit will be allowed at the generator or transformer. (Amend. App. Aug. 8, 1916.) 10. Signalling system. Wiring for telephone, telegraph (except wireless telegraph apparatus) district messenger and call bell circuits, fire and burglar alarms, and all similar systems which are hazardous only because of their liability to become crossed with electric light, heat or power circuits. 11. Special license. The authorization of the commissioner for a person in the exclusive employ of the owner or manager of a building to install, alter or repair electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power therein during the term of such special license. 12. Special permit. The authorization of the commissioner for a person to install or repair electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power upon an individual application. 82. Jurisdiction. Powers and duties of the commissioner.-The commissioner of water supply, gas and electricity is empowered to 1. Make rules and regulations respecting the installing, altering or repairing of electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power in or upon any building; 2. Cause any electric wiring or appliance for light, heat or power in or upon any building to be examined and inspected by an officer or employee of the department designated for that purpose; 3. Order in writing the remedying of any defect or deficiency in the installing, altering or repairing of electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power, in or upon any building. 4. Cause any order of the commissioner which is not complied with, within the time fixed in such order for compliance therewith, to be enforced and to take proceedings for its enforcement. §3. Federal buildings.-Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to apply to any building, the electrical equipment of which is under the control of the United States Government or of any department or officer thereof. §4. City departments.-The various departments, boards and officers of the city shall be subject to the provisions of this chapter in so far as the same may be applicable, but shall not be required to pay fees; provided, that nothing in this chapter shall be so construed as to affect or in any way modify the provisions of § 7, article 1 of chapter 9 of this code or of chapter 458 of the laws of 1912. § 5. Public service electric corporations.-The provisions of this chapter shall not apply 1. To electrical equipment used in connection with railroads. 2. To the following described electrical equipment used in connection with lighting and power companies: (a) generating stations, (b) substations, (c) storage battery stations, (d) storage buildings and yards and (e) service switches and controlling devices and meters and their attached controlling and testing devices; provided, that the electrical equipment hereinabove referred to be owned or leased and operated by, or for the exclusive benefit of, persons or corporations subject to the jurisdiction of either of the public service commissions of the State of New York, or their successors. § 6. Installations, alterations or repairs of wiring or appliances. 1. Generally. No person shall install, alter or repair electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power in any building except a person holding a license, a special license or a special permit as defined in § 1 of this chapter, or a person employed by and working under the general supervision of the holder of a license, a special license or a special permit, and after application for a certificate of inspection of such installation, alteration or repair. A license or a special license shall remain in force for 1 year from the date of issue, and a special permit shall remain in force during the performance of the work which it authorizes, unless modified, suspended or revoked as hereinafter provided; but in no case shall a special permit remain in force for more than 1 year. 2. Modification, suspension or revocation of special permits and licenses. The commissioner may at any time by an order in writing, for good cause shown, modify, suspend or revoke any special permit issued pursuant to this chapter, and in like manner, but upon recommendation of the license board, he may modify, suspend or revoke any license similarly issued. § 7. Applications. All applications for licenses, special licenses, special permits or certificates of inspection shall be made to the commissioner, in such form and detail as he may from time to time prescribe. A license, special license or special permit shall not be transferable. § 8. License board. 1. Organization.-The commissioner shall appoint a board to determine the fitness of applicants for licenses, which shall consist of: a. An officer or employee of the department; b. A master or employing electrician; c. A journeyman electrician; d. An underwriters' electrical inspector; e. An electrician in the employ of a public service corporation of the city; f. An architect or builder of at least five years' practical experience; g. A real estate owner or broker. The member of the board who is an officer or employee of the department shall serve as chairman, and all members shall serve without compensation. Four members, including the chairman, who shall be entitled to vote, shall constitute a quorum of the board for the transaction of business; but no recommendation for the issue, modification, suspension or revocation of a license shall be adopted except by the vote of four members of the board. 2. Jurisdiction. All applications for licenses or special licenses shall be referred by the commissioner to the board, which shall promptly investigate and report to the commissioner as to the fitness for license of the respective applicants. The board shall meet at least once in every week for the consideration of such applications. The board shall investigate and report to the commissioner respecting any charge that may be made against the holder of a license or a special license. § 9. Fees.-There shall be charged and collected by the commissioner a fee of $10 for each license issued under the provisions of this chapter and thereafter an annual fee of $5 for each renewal of such license and a fee of $1 for each special license or special permit so issued. 1 § 10. Inspection.-The commissioner or any duly authorized officer or employee of the department of water supply, gas and electricity may enter or go upon, at any reasonable hour, any building in or upon which are wires or other apparatus for electric currents for light, heat or power, to make inspection of such wires or other appliances or for any other purpose in furtherance of the provisions of this chapter. § 11. Certificate of inspection. 1. Issue.-If, after inspection, the electric wiring or appliances for light, heat or power in a building shall be found by the commissioner to have been installed, altered or repaired in conformity with the requirements of this chapter, he shall issue a temporary or final certificate of inspection therefor. 2. Modification, suspension or revocation. The commissioner may at any time by an order in writing, for good cause shown, modify, suspend or revoke any certificate of inspection issued pursuant to this chapter, but no such order shall be effective unless same shall state specifically the reason therefor, nor until a copy of such order has been served upon the owner, lessee or occupant of the premises affected thereby; or, if the owner, lessee or occupant cannot be ascertained or located by the exercise of reasonable diligence, a copy of such notice shall have been conspicuously posted upon the premises. § 12. Supplying current.-No person shall supply electric current for light, heat or power to any wiring or appliances in any building until a certificate of inspection, temporary or final, authorizing the use of said wiring or appliances shall have been issued by the commissioner. § 13. Discontinuing current.—If, in the judgment of the commissioner, after due inspection, the electric wiring or appliances in any building, shall be unsafe or dangerous to persons or property, the commissioner shall have power to cause such wires or appliances to be disconnected from the supplying wires or apparatus and to seal the wiring and appliances so disconnected. Thereafter no person shall cause or permit electric current to be supplied to wiring or appliances so sealed until the same shall have been made safe and the commissioner shall have issued a certificate to that effect; provided, however, that no wiring or appliances shall be disconnected pursuant to this section until a notice in writing, stating specifically the reason why such wiring or appliances must be disconnected, shall have been served upon the owner, lessee or occupant of the premises affected thereby, or conspicuously posted in or upon said premises, and a duplicate thereof shall have been delivered to the person supplying the current to such wiring or appliances. ARTICLE 2 GENERATORS, MOTORS, SWITCHBOARDS (As amended by ord. effective May 29, 1916) Sec. 201. Generators. § 202. Conductors from generators to switchboards, rheostats or other instruments and thence to outside lines. 203. Switchboards. $204. Resistance devices. $205. Lightning arresters. $206. Care and attendance. $207. Testing of insulation resistance. 208. Motors. 209. Railway power plants. 210. Storage or primary batteries. $211. Transformers. Sec. 201. Generators.-a. Generators must be located in a dry place. b. Generators must never be placed in a room where any hazardous process is carried on, nor in places where they would be exposed to inflammable gases or flyings of combustible materials. c. Generators must, when operating at a potential in excess of 550 volts, have their base frames permanently and effectively grounded. Generators must, when operating at a potential of 550 volts or less, have their base frames permanently and effectively grounded wherever feasible. Where grounding of the frame is impracticable, special permission for its omission may be given in writing, in which case the frame must be permanently and effectively insulated. Wooden base frames used for this purpose, and wooden floors which are depended upon for insulation where, for any reason, it is necessary to omit the base frames, must be kept filled to prevent absorption of moisture, and must be kept clean and dry. d. Constant potential generators, except alternating current machines and their exciters, must be protected from excessive current by safety fuses or equivalent devices of approved design. |