All the conductors in 310.104 are "wire type conductors" for general use, but anything that can carry current technically is a conductor, just not an art 310 conductor.
I agree with your 310 assessment.
Ok I'll buy that too
What appears to be the issue, is whether distribution equipment parts (bus in particular) can be a feeder. If that be the case, please tell me how one can apply the ampacity requirement to panel bus. That is, what is the ampacity of panel bus per Code? I'm asking because 215.2 gets right to the matter of conductor ampacity... and Code does not have any provision for panel bus ampacity.
Right, that is what I have a lot of trouble with is how we handle these "310.1 ...integral part of equipment......" conductors. the code needs to give us direction on that. I think either the code should have wording/rewording that says certain things are not feeders, or give us direction on the rules for these feeder conductors that are integral parts of equipment. Perhaps a statement in 215 something like, "this article does not apply to feeder conductors that are integral to equipment." And then an informational note stating, "see article 408 for panelboards, 368 for busways.......etc"
My personal preference would be the former and a rewording of the definition of feeder to read, "....not including conductors that are an integral part of chapter 3 and 4 equipment." And a rewording of 240.21(B) permitting the busing of panelboards, switchboards, and busways to be tapped and allowing the tap to begin at the OCPD load terminals.
Is a circuit breaker a feeder when installed between two feeders?