24 C.F.R. § 3280.802
Definitions.
Cite as 24 C.F.R. § 3280.802 (2026)
(a) The following definitions are applicable to subpart I only.
(1)
Accessible
(i) (
As applied to equipment
) means admitting close approach because not guarded by locked doors, elevation, or other effective means. (See
readily accessible.
)
(ii) (
As applied to wiring methods
) means capable of being removed or exposed without damaging the manufactured home structure or finish, or not permanently closed-in by the structure or finish of the manufactured home (see
concealed
and
exposed
).
(2)
Air conditioning or comfort cooling equipment
means all of that equipment intended or installed for the purpose of processing the treatment of air so as to control simultaneously its temperature, humidity, cleanliness, and distribution to meet the requirements of the conditioned space.
(3)(i)
Appliance
means utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, normally built in standardized sizes or types, which is installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more functions, such as clothes washing, air conditioning, food mixing, deep frying, etc.
(ii)
Appliance, fixed
means an appliance which is fastened or otherwise secured at a specific location.
(iii)
Appliance, portable
means an appliance which is actually moved or can easily be moved from one place to another in normal use. For the purpose of this Standard, the following major appliances are considered portable if cord-connected: refrigerators, clothes washers, dishwashers without booster heaters, or other similar appliances.
(iv)
Appliance, stationary
means an appliance which is not easily moved from one place to another in normal use.
(4)
Attached accessory building or structure
means any awning, cabana, deck, ramada, storage cabinet, carport, windbreak, garage, or porch for which the attachment of such is designed by the home manufacturer to be structurally supported by the manufactured home.
(5)
Attachment plug (plug cap) (cap)
means a device which, by insertion in a receptacle, establishes connection between the conductors of the attached flexible cord and the conductors connected permanently to the receptacle.
(6)
Bonding
means the permanent joining of metallic parts to form an electrically conductive path which will assure electrical continuity and the capacity to conduct safely any current likely to be imposed.
(7)
Branch circuit
(i) means the circuit conductors between the final overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlet(s). A device not approved for branch circuit protection, such as a thermal cutout or motor overload protective device, is not considered as the overcurrent device protecting the circuit.
(ii)
Branch circuit—appliance
means a branch circuit supplying energy to one or more outlets to which appliances are to be connected, such circuits to have no permanently connected lighting fixtures not a part of an appliance.
(iii)
Branch circuit—general purpose
means a circuit that supplies a number of outlets for lighting and appliances.
(iv)
Branch circuit—individual
means a branch circuit that supplies only one utilization equipment.
(8)
Cabinet
means an enclosure designed either for surface or flush mounting, and provided with a frame, mat, or trim in which swinging doors are hung.
(9)
Circuit breaker
means a device designed to open and close a circuit by nonautomatic means, and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined overload of current without injury to itself when properly applied within its rating.
(10)
Concealed
means rendered inaccessible by the structure or finish of the manufactured home. Wires in concealed raceways are considered concealed, even though they may become accessible by withdrawing them. (See
accessible (As applied to wiring methods)
)
(11)
Connector, pressure (solderless)
means a device that establishes a connection between two or more conductors or between one or more conductors and a terminal by means of mechanical pressure and without the use of solder.
(12)
Dead front (as applied to switches, circuit-breakers, switchboards, and distribution panelboard)
means so designed, constructed, and installed that no current-carrying parts are normally exposed on the front.
(13)
Demand factor
means the ratio of the maximum demand of a system, or part of a system, to the total connected load of a system or the part of the system under consideration.
(14)
Device
means a unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry but not utilize electrical energy.
(15)
Disconnecting means
means a device, or group of devices, or other means by which the conductors of a circuit can be disconnected from their source of supply.
(16)
Distribution panelboard
means a single panel or a group of panel units designed for assembly in the form of a single panel, including buses, and with or without switches or automatic overcurrent protective devices or both, for the control of light, heat, or power circuits of small individual as well as aggregate capacity; designed to be placed in a cabinet placed in or against a wall or partition and accessible only from the front.
(17)
Enclosed
means surrounded by a case that will prevent a person from accidentally contacting live parts.
(18)
Equipment
means a general term, including material, fittings, devices, appliances, fixtures, apparatus, and the like used as a part of, or in connection with, an electrical installation.
(19)
Exposed
(i) (As applied to live parts) means capable of being inadvertently touched or approached nearer than a safe distance by a person. It is applied to parts not suitably guarded, isolated, or insulated. (See
accessible
and
concealed.
)
(ii) (As applied to
wiring method
) means on or attached to the surface or behind panels designed to allow access. (See
Accessible (as applied to wiring methods)
)
(20)
Externally operable
means capable of being operated without exposing the operator to contact with live parts.
(21)
Feeder assembly
means the overhead or under-chassis feeder conductors, including the grounding conductor, together with the necessary fittings and equipment, or a power supply cord approved for manufactured home use, designed for the purpose of delivering energy from the source of electrical supply to the distribution panelboard within each dwelling unit.
(22)
Fitting
means an accessory, such as a locknut, bushing, or other part of a wiring system, that is intended primarily to perform a mechanical rather than an electrical function.
(23)
Ground
means a conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an electrical circuit or equipment and earth, or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.
(24)
Grounded
means connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth.
(25)
Grounded conductor
means a system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded.
(26)
Grounding conductor
means a conductor used to connect equipment or the grounded circuit of a wiring system to a grounding electrode or electrodes.
(27)
Guarded
means covered, shielded, fenced, enclosed, or otherwise protected by means of suitable covers, casings, barriers, rails, screens, mats or platforms to remove the likelihood of approach or contact by persons or objects to a point of danger.
(28)
Isolated
means not readily accessible to persons unless special means for access are used.
(29)
Laundry area
means an area containing or designed to contain either a laundry tray, clothes washer and/or clothes dryer.
(30)
Lighting outlet
means an outlet intended for the direct connection of a lampholder, a lighting fixture, or a pendant cord terminating in a lampholder.
(31)
Manufactured home accessory building or structure
means any awning, cabana, ramada, storage cabinet, carport, fence, windbreak or porch established for the use of the occupant of the manufactured home upon a manufactured home lot.
(32)
Manufactured home service equipment
means the equipment containing the disconnecting means, overcurrent protective devices, and receptacles or other means for connecting a manufactured home feeder assembly.
(33)
Outlet
means a point on the wiring system at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.
(34)
Panelboard
means a single panel or group of panel units designed for assembly in the form of a single panel; including buses, automatic overcurrent protective devices, and with or without switches for the control of light, heat, or power circuits; designed to be placed in a cabinet or cutout box placed in or against a wall or partition and accessible only from the front.
(35)
Raceway
means any channel for holding wires, cables, or busbars that is designed expressly for, and used solely for, this purpose. Raceways may be of metal or insulating material, and the term includes rigid metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, flexible metal conduit, electrical metallic tubing, underfloor raceways, cellular concrete floor raceways, cellular metal floor raceways, surface raceways, structural raceways, wireways, and busways.
(36)
Raintight
means so constructed or protected that exposure to a beating rain will not result in the entrance of water.
(37)
Readily accessible
means capable of being reached quickly for operation, renewal, or inspection, without requiring those to whom ready access is requisite to climb over or remove obstacles or to resort to portable ladders, chairs, etc. (See
Accessible.
)
(38)
Receptacle
means a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug. A single receptacle is a single contact device with no other contact device on the same yoke. A multiple receptacle is a device with two or more contact devices on the same yoke.
(39)
Receptacle outlet
means an outlet where one or more receptacles are installed.
(40)
Utilization equipment
means equipment that utilizes electric energy for electronic, electromechanical, chemical, heating, lighting, or similar purposes.
(41)
Voltage (of a circuit)
means the greatest root-mean-square (effective) difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit concerned. Some systems, such as 3-phase 4-wire, single-phase 3-wire, and 3-wire direct-current may have various circuits of various voltages.
(42)
Weatherproof
means so constructed or protected that exposure to the weather will not interfere with successful operation. Rainproof, raintight, or watertight equipment can fulfill the requirements for weatherproof where varying weather conditions other than wetness, such as snow, ice, dust, or temperature extremes, are not a factor.
(b) [Reserved]
[40 FR 58752, Dec. 18, 1975. Redesignated at 44 FR 20679, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 78 FR 73989, Dec. 9, 2013; 86 FR 2523, Jan. 12, 2021; 89 FR 75756, Sept. 16, 2024]