Which protection is required for fixed outdoor electric deicing equipment and snow-melting equipment?

Which protection is required for fixed outdoor electric deicing equipment and snow-melting equipment?

• A. Ground fault protection of equipment
• B. Arc-fault protection
• C. Overcurrent protection for each device
• D. No protection required

Answer: (A)

Fixed outdoor deicing and snow-melting equipment sit in wet, exposed environments and can energize metal parts if insulation fails. Ground-fault protection of equipment is the protection required because it detects any leakage current from the equipment and immediately interrupts power, reducing the risk of electric shock to anyone who might touch a faulted surface. This protection is specifically mandated for these outdoor devices, reflecting the higher shock hazard in moist outdoor conditions. Arc-fault protection helps prevent fires from arcing but doesn’t reliably protect against ground faults, and overcurrent protection for each device is important but does not substitute the dedicated shock protection provided by GFPE. No protection is incorrect due to the clear shock risk in this application.

Fixed outdoor deicing and snow-melting equipment sit in wet, exposed environments and can energize metal parts if insulation fails. Ground-fault protection of equipment is the protection required because it detects any leakage current from the equipment and immediately interrupts power, reducing the risk of electric shock to anyone who might touch a faulted surface. This protection is specifically mandated for these outdoor devices, reflecting the higher shock hazard in moist outdoor conditions. Arc-fault protection helps prevent fires from arcing but doesn’t reliably protect against ground faults, and overcurrent protection for each device is important but does not substitute the dedicated shock protection provided by GFPE. No protection is incorrect due to the clear shock risk in this application.