CLASS 2 CIRCUIT. That portion of the wiring system between the load side of a Class 2 power source and the connected equipment. Due to its power limitations, a Class 2 circuit considers safety from a fire initiation standpoint and provides acceptable protection from electric shock. (725.2)
REMOTE-CONTROL CIRCUIT. Any electrical circuit that controls any other circuit through a relay or an equivalent device. (Article 100)
SIGNALING CIRCUIT. Any electrical circuit that energizes signaling equipment. (Article 100)
The power source for a Class 2 circuit shall be one of the following:
- A listed Class 2 transformer.
- A listed Class 2 power supply.
- Other listed equipment marked to identify the Class 2 power source.
- Listed information technology (computer) equipment limited power circuits.
- A dry-cell battery provided that the voltage is 30 volts or less and the capacity is equal to or less than that available from series connected No. 6 carbon zinc cells. [725.121(A)]
Class 2 cables installed as wiring within buildings shall be listed as being resistant to the spread of fire and listed as meeting the criteria specified in Sections E4303.2.1 through E4303.2.3. Cables shall be marked in accordance with Section E4303.2.4. Cable substitutions as described in Table E4303.2 and wiring methods covered in Chapter 38 shall also be permitted. (725.130 (B); 725.135 (A), (C), (G) and (M); 725.154; Table 725.154; Figure 725.154 (A); and 725.179)
TABLE E4303.2
CABLE USES AND PERMITTED SUBSTITUTIONS [Figure 725.154(A)]
| CABLE TYPE | USE | PERMITTED SUBSTITUTIONSa |
| CL2P | Class 2 Plenum Cable | CMP, CL3P |
| CL2R | Class 2 Plenum Cable | CMP, CL3P, CL2P, CMR, CL3R |
| CL2 | Class 2 Cable | CMP, CL3P, CL2P, CMR, CL3R, CL2R CMG, CM, CL3 |
| CL2X | Class 2 Cable, Limited Use | CMP, CL3P CL2P, CMR, CL3R, CL2R, CMG, CM, CL3, CL2, CMX, CL3X |
- For identification of cables other than Class 2 cables, see NFPA 70.
Cables installed in a vertical run in a shaft or installed from floor to floor shall be listed as suitable for use in a vertical run in a shaft or from floor to floor and shall also be listed as having fire-resistant characteristics capable of preventing fire from being conveyed from floor to floor. [725.179(B)]
Exception: CL2X and CL3X cables with a diameter of less than 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) and CL2 and CL3 cables shall be permitted in risers in one- and two-family dwelling units. [725.154 (G)]
In cables, compartments, enclosures, outlet boxes, device boxes, and raceways, conductors of Class 2 circuits shall not be placed in any cable, compartment, enclosure, outlet box, device box, raceway, or similar fitting with conductors of electric light, power, Class 1 and nonpower-limited fire alarm circuits. (725.136)
Exceptions:
- Where the conductors of the electric light, power, Class 1 and nonpower-limited fire alarm circuits are separated by a barrier from the Class 2 circuits. In enclosures, Class 2 circuits shall be permitted to be installed in a raceway within the enclosure to separate them from Class 1, electric light, power and nonpower-limited fire alarm circuits. [725.136(B)]
- Class 2 conductors in compartments, enclosures, device boxes, outlet boxes and similar fittings where electric light, power, Class 1 or nonpower-limited fire alarm circuit conductors are introduced solely to connect to the equipment connected to the Class 2 circuits. The electric light, power, Class 1 and nonpower-limited fire alarm circuit conductors shall be routed to maintain a minimum of 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) separation from the conductors and cables of the Class 2 circuits; or the electric light power, Class 1 and nonpower-limited fire alarm circuit conductors operate at 150 volts or less to ground and the Class 2 circuits are installed using Types CL3, CL3R, or CL3P or permitted substitute cables, and provided that these Class 3 cable conductors extending beyond their jacket are separated by a minimum of 1/4 inch (6.4 mm) or by a nonconductive sleeve or nonconductive barrier from all other conductors. [725.136(D)]
Conductors of Class 2 circuits shall be separated by not less than 2 inches (51 mm) from conductors of any electric light, power, Class 1 or nonpowerlimited fire alarm circuits except where one of the following conditions is met:
- All of the electric light, power, Class 1 and nonpowerlimited fire alarm circuit conductors are in raceways or in metal-sheathed, metal-clad, nonmetallic-sheathed or Type UF cables.
- All of the Class 2 circuit conductors are in raceways or in metal-sheathed, metal-clad, nonmetallic-sheathed or Type UF cables. [725.136(I)]
Where Class 2 circuit conductors are in the same cable as communications circuits, the Class 2 circuits shall be classified as communications circuits and shall meet the requirements of Article 800 of NFPA 70. The cables shall be listed as communications cables or multipurpose cables.
Cables constructed of individually listed Class 2 and communications cables under a common jacket shall be permitted to be classified as communications cables. The fire-resistance rating of the composite cable shall be determined by the performance of the composite cable. [725.139(D)]
Jacketed cables of Class 2 circuits shall be permitted in the same enclosure or raceway with jacketed cables of any of the following:
- Power-limited fire alarm systems in compliance with Article 760 of NFPA 70.
- Nonconductive and conductive optical fiber cables in compliance with Article 770 of NFPA 70.
- Communications circuits in compliance with Article 800 of NFPA 70.
- Community antenna television and radio distribution systems in compliance with Article 820 of NFPA 70.
- Low-power, network-powered broadband communications in compliance with Article 830 of NFPA 70. [725.139(E)]