Residential Air Conditioning Feeder Tap

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bcl

Member
Location
Garden Ridge, TX
Occupation
Electrician (Owner/ Operator)
Hey all, I'm new to the forum. I've been doing commercial work for 17 years, but recently got hired at an HVAC company that's trying to branch out w/ a new electrical/solar division.

Since most of my experience is commercial, some of the residential "tricks" I've seen make me shake my head. Most recently it seems that when this company has had no room for a new AC on a residential panel, they've been installing insulated splicing-lugs on the load side of the main breaker (where the main breaker and panel are in separate locations) inside the panel and feeding a "side-car" sub-panel with a single 30-amp breaker attached to the meter-housing with an offset nipple. My questions:

1) Assuming the service conductors are large enough to accommodate the new AC, is this just considered a feeder tap (240.21 (B)(1))?

2) If it's legal, why does it seem so sketchy to me? Maybe I just need to loosen up? :cool:
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
1) Assuming the service conductors are large enough to accommodate the new AC, is this just considered a feeder tap (240.21 (B)(1))?

Yes it is a feeder tap.

2) If it's legal, why does it seem so sketchy to me? Maybe I just need to loosen up? :cool:

I would say simply because it is different from what you are used to.
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
You said they were tapping the loadside of the the main breaker yet feeding a "side car" subpanel attached to the meter housing with an offset nipple?
If this is the case, and they're running the tap conductors back up through the nipple that the service conductors are run through that's mixing service conductors and feeders in the same raceway which is a violation.


JAP>
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
You said they were tapping the loadside of the the main breaker yet feeding a "side car" subpanel attached to the meter housing with an offset nipple?
If this is the case, and they're running the tap conductors back up through the nipple that the service conductors are run through that's mixing service conductors and feeders in the same raceway which is a violation.


JAP>
Could be a meter/main... assuming tap is on the "main" side.
 

jap

Senior Member
Occupation
Electrician
Could be. Just seemed the way it was worded the meter was self contained.


JAP>
 

Cavie

Senior Member
Location
SW Florida
Proper way to do that is remove a couple of breakers to make room for a larger breaker to feed a sub panel. Place the removed circuits along with the new A/C into the new subpanel.
 

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
Proper way to do that is remove a couple of breakers to make room for a larger breaker to feed a sub panel. Place the removed circuits along with the new A/C into the new subpanel.

Either way is safe and acceptable, it is simply a personal preference.
 
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