Electrician's Licensing Practice Exam

Are general-purpose enclosures NEC approved for intrinsically safe apparatuses?

1. True

2. False

3. Only with modifications

4. Only in dry locations

The correct answer is: True

General-purpose enclosures are not always deemed NEC (National Electrical Code) approved for intrinsically safe apparatuses. The key characteristic of intrinsically safe equipment is that it is designed to be safe to operate in hazardous environments without the risk of igniting flammable gases or combustible dust. The NEC has specific requirements regarding the type of enclosures that can be used for intrinsically safe apparatuses. While certain general-purpose enclosures may occasionally be used if they meet all necessary protection standards, they typically lack the necessary additional protections that are typically required for hazardous locations. Intrinsically safe devices must often be housed in enclosures specifically designed for such environments, which usually means they must be labeled for the specific location class and division. Therefore, saying that general-purpose enclosures can universally be approved for intrinsically safe apparatuses does not align with NEC standards and safety practices. The correct understanding involves recognizing that general-purpose enclosures cannot automatically be considered appropriate for all intrinsically safe applications without further specifications and adherence to stringent guidelines.