Short answer: Article 695 covers the electrical supply to fire pumps. In most of the NEC, overcurrent protection is chosen first to protect the wire and the equipment. A fire pump changes the priority: the pump has to keep running during a fire. So the power source has to be reliable, the protective devices are selected to carry the motor’s starting and running current while still giving the protection Article 695 requires, the supply conductors are routed or protected so a fire in the building does not cut them, and the voltage drop has to stay within the limits Article 695 sets for starting and for running. Find the exact numbers for each of these in Article 695 of your 2026 NEC.
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Tsai Electro is an independent learning site. Not affiliated with TDLR, PSI or NFPA. We explain the ideas in our own words and do not reproduce NEC text. Check every rule and table value in your own 2026 NEC, follow the fire pump installation standard and the project drawings, and follow your supervisor and the local inspector.
The one idea behind Article 695
| Ordinary motor circuit | Fire pump circuit |
|---|---|
| Protection is chosen to protect the conductors and equipment from overcurrent, including faults | Protection is selected to carry the starting and running current while still meeting Article 695 |
| Overload protection is there to prevent motor damage | An unnecessary trip could cut water pressure to the fire protection system when it is needed most |
| Supply conductors are routed for convenience | Supply conductors are routed or protected against fire |
If a question about a fire pump seems to go against what you know about motor circuits, that is usually the point. Read it with this table in mind.
The four things Article 695 checks
- Reliable power. Article 695 lists the sources that may supply a fire pump, such as a separate service or a connection ahead of other equipment, and when more than one source is needed. The rules aim to keep other loads and faults from taking the pump off line.
- Protection that rides through starting. A fire pump motor draws a large current when it starts. The overcurrent protection for the pump is selected so it carries that current instead of opening, while still giving the protection Article 695 requires. Look up the exact sizing basis in Article 695.
- Conductors protected from fire. Article 695 has special routing and protection rules for fire pump supply conductors, so a fire inside does not destroy them before the pump has done its job. Which rule applies depends on where the conductors run, so check the permitted arrangements in your 2026 NEC.
- Voltage drop. Article 695 has separate voltage drop requirements for starting and for running, each with its own measuring point and load condition. A long, undersized feeder can fail this check even when its ampacity is fine. Look up the exact limits and measuring points in your 2026 NEC.
Ground-fault protection and fire pumps
Large services often have ground-fault protection of equipment, which opens the service on a ground fault. A device that opens on a ground fault could also stop a fire pump. The NEC treats fire pump power differently here. Check how Article 230 and Article 695 handle ground-fault protection of equipment for fire pumps in your 2026 NEC.
Worked lookup: reading a fire pump question
A question describes a fire pump fed from a feeder. It asks whether the feeder breaker can be sized like an ordinary motor branch circuit under Article 430.
- Spot the occupancy. It is a fire pump, so Article 695 applies before the ordinary motor rules.
- Recall the idea. The protection must not open on the motor’s starting current.
- Find the rule. Start in Article 695 for the fire pump overcurrent protection rules. Follow any reference it makes to other articles, and do not apply the ordinary motor branch-circuit percentages by habit.
- Check the voltage drop. If the question gives the length, size and electrical data needed, decide whether it asks about starting or running, find the measuring point for that check, and apply the limit in Article 695.
Check yourself
- In a fire pump circuit, what comes first: protecting the motor or keeping the pump running? Keeping the pump running.
- Why does Article 695 have special routing and protection rules for fire pump supply conductors? So a fire in the building does not cut the pump’s power.
- What does Article 695 limit for starting and for running? The voltage drop, with a separate requirement for each.
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Find Article 695 faster on exam day
NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition (softcover). Highlight the power source, overcurrent protection, conductor routing and voltage drop rules in Article 695 in four different colors, so each kind of question points to one color. The Texas exam is open book. PSI allows a soft-bound NEC with highlighting, underlining and notes made in advance. Loose-leaf, spiral-bound and ring-bound copies are not allowed, and only permanent index tabs made or supplied by the NEC publisher are permitted; homemade and third-party tabs are not.
FAQ
Why is a fire pump breaker sized differently from a motor breaker?
Because the pump must keep running in a fire. Article 695 has its own rules for selecting the protection so it carries the motor’s starting and running current. Start there rather than with the ordinary motor branch-circuit rules in Article 430.
How are fire pump supply conductors protected?
Article 695 sets special routing and protection rules for them, depending on where they run, so a fire inside does not cut the power. Check the permitted arrangements in your 2026 NEC.
Does Article 695 limit voltage drop?
Yes. Article 695 has separate voltage drop requirements for starting and for running, with different measuring points and load conditions. Check them in your 2026 NEC.
Are fire pumps on the Texas Journeyman exam?
PSI lists Special Occupancies, Equipment and Conditions as a subject area, with 6 scored NEC Knowledge questions and 3 scored Calculations questions. PSI does not say how many cover fire pumps.
Sources checked October 2026
- PSI Candidate Information Bulletin, Texas electrician examinations (updated September 15, 2026): https://test-takers.psiexams.com/api/content/bulletin/1682
- NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, 2026 Edition, Articles 230, 430 and 695
