Article 100 Definitions. Appliance.
Code Change Summary: The definition of “appliance” has been modified.
Appliances are normally built in a standardized size or type and can include ceiling fans, dishwashers, laundry equipment, cooking equipment and the like. The applicable UL standard associated with the specific listed electrical utilization equipment will dictate exactly what the equipment is and whether it is considered an “appliance”, and if so, what type of appliance it is.
UL 749 for example is the Standard for household Dishwashers and has several additional definitions for appliances in Section 3 including:
- 3.3 Appliance, Automatic
- 3.4 Appliance, Built in
- 3.5 Appliance, Cord-Connected
- 3.6 Appliance, Permanently Connected
A Cord-Connected Appliance as defined and used in UL 749 is “An appliance that is connected to the electrical supply by a power-supply cord terminating in an attachment plug of configuration 5-15P or 5-20P”.
Think about that the next time you consider cutting off the attachment plug to hard wire an appliance that was tested and listed as a Cord-Connected Appliance and intended to be used with an attachment plug.
A Permanently Connected Appliance as defined and used in UL 749 is “An appliance that is connected to the electrical supply by means of other than a supply cord and an attachment plug.
UL 197, another example, is the Standard for Commercial Electric Cooking Appliances and has several additional definitions pertaining to appliances in Section 2 including:
- 2.3 Appliance
- 2.4 Automatically Controlled Appliance
- 2.12 Equipment-Fixed
- 2.12 Equipment-Portable
A Fixed Appliance as defined and used in UL 197 is “An appliance that is intended to be fastened in place or located in a dedicated space and is permanently wired to the branch circuit”.
In the 2023 NEC®, the terms “fixed appliance” and “portable appliance” from Article 550 have been joined with the Article 100 definition of “appliance” with the intent to make one definition of an appliance that incorporates everything. Unfortunately, this one definition doesn’t include the word “fixed” and doesn’t perfectly align with the appliance definitions provided in product safety standards or mention how the appliance types are connected to power.
Below is a preview of the NEC®. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2023 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.
2020 Code Language:
Appliance. Utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, that is normally built in standardized sizes or types and is installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more functions such as clothes washing, air-conditioning, food mixing, deep frying, and so forth.
2023 Code Language:
Appliance. Utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, that is fastened in place, stationary, or portable; is normally built in a standardized size or type; and is installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more functions such as clothes washing, air-conditioning, food mixing, deep frying, and so forth.