Taps?

[ryanpickett2003]

Good Morning,
I'm neeeding a little help understanding a situation I was called to yesterday. I have a customer who has a mental health facility. It was an motel converted to this facility so all the rooms are in one long line. Each room has a 220 volt window A/C and Heater. They were having issues with one of the AC units coming on and off. Once inspecting the issue was a bad connection. The problem is how to properly repair. The system has a 2" PVC conduit running the back wall with 4/0 copper. At every room they have a 30 amp disconnect for the AC in that room. The best I can tell the #10 wire is wrapped then taped to the 4/0. The disconnect box is only 8" wide so there is no room to work with the Large wires. I seldom use the tap rules, so My unserstanding of them is limited. The entire job looked sloppy to me, but I was told a licensed electrician did the install. Any help would be appriciated.

 

[augie47]

Assuming your tap conductor has an ampacity of at least 10% of the OCP on your 4/0, you seem to meet the 240.21(C)
10 ft tap rule. There are several mechanical splice devices that might allow a proper connection. All-in-ll, sounds like a poor design though.

 

[Smart $]

Good Morning,
I'm neeeding a little help understanding a situation I was called to yesterday. I have a customer who has a mental health facility. It was an motel converted to this facility so all the rooms are in one long line. Each room has a 220 volt window A/C and Heater. They were having issues with one of the AC units coming on and off. Once inspecting the issue was a bad connection. The problem is how to properly repair. The system has a 2" PVC conduit running the back wall with 4/0 copper. At every room they have a 30 amp disconnect for the AC in that room. The best I can tell the #10 wire is wrapped then taped to the 4/0. The disconnect box is only 8" wide so there is no room to work with the Large wires. I seldom use the tap rules, so My unserstanding of them is limited. The entire job looked sloppy to me, but I was told a licensed electrician did the install. Any help would be appriciated.

"Wrap taps" as I call them are old school. Some just wrapped and taped. Others would use a "knotted tap splice" (< Google Images search term). And yet others would go the extra mile and solder 'em before taping.

Perhaps you're looking for...

http://www.idealindustries.com/prod...ap-connectors&div=0&l1=terminal_blocks_strips

https://www.ilsco.com/ProductsDetai...qTJTkaQ6Q==&fjjfhjhj=MnDiB55TRZri2mpKCFehSA==

http://www.nsiindustries.com/produc...s/easy-tap-insulation-piercing-connector.aspx

 

[petersonra]

Assuming your tap conductor has an ampacity of at least 10% of the OCP on your 4/0, you seem to meet the 240.21(C)
10 ft tap rule. There are several mechanical splice devices that might allow a proper connection. All-in-ll, sounds like a poor design though.

I don't have an issue with the design presuming it meets all the rules and the workmanship is adequate.

It is functional and cost effective. What more does one need?

 

[masterinbama]

And as long as the 30 amp disconnects are fused.