Service and branch circuit conductors

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big vic

Senior Member
Can I splice some branch circuit wires in a 8x8 trough that has the service entrance conductors in it. I have two 200 amp panels separated by a 8x8x4 trough that has only service entrance conductors in it.
 

big vic

Senior Member
So they can be in the same panelboard but not in a 8x8 trough. If I have to I will separate them with a third end cap so the top part of the trough will be isolated
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Perhaps I am a bit slow this morning, but I do not understand. Could you clarify two things for me? :confused: :confused:

big vic said:
I have two 200 amp panels separated by a 8x8x4 trough that has only service entrance conductors in it.

Service entrance conductors do not go from one panel to another panel. So what is the relationship between these panels and the service entrance conductors?

big vic said:
Can I splice some branch circuit wires in a 8x8 trough that has the service entrance conductors in it.

You can’t splice a branch circuit conductor to a service entrance conductor. So what are you planning to splice to what?
 

big vic

Senior Member
The trough is mounted vertically between the two panels. Each panel has a 2" nipple into the side of the trough. The trough has a 3" nipple going out of the back to the 320 amp meter base. There are two sets of 3/0 thhn entering the back of the trough and going to the panels. Panel "B" is new........Panel A has 12 tandem breakers. I want to move some of the circuits from A to B. Splicing them in the trough is the easiest thing to do
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
I want to move some of the circuits from A to B. Splicing them in the trough is the easiest thing to do

Take a look at 230.7 as was mentioned earlier in this thread. Conductors other then service entrance conductors shall not be installed in the same raceway as service entrance conductors.

Chris
 

charlie b

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Lockport, IL
Occupation
Retired Electrical Engineer
Thanks for the explanation. Now I understand. I agree with those who have said you can't do what you propose. You'll need to find another way, perhaps another trough on the other side of the panels, to get wires from A and B together.
 

Smart $

Esteemed Member
Location
Ohio
big vic said:
...If I have to I will separate them with a third end cap so the top part of the trough will be isolated
You will have to cut the trough completely into two "custom-length" sections and add two end caps. Your post reads as though you are thinking of using an end cap as a divider/barrier... but as long as the wireway is one section, or joined sections, it is still one and the same wireway. I do think it is a bit overkill to make separate raceways, but I don't see any other compliant way to do it.

FWIW, divider/barriers are permitted in cable tray to separate service and non-service conductors... but there is no such provision for wireways.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Vic, unless the centered trough is as tall as the panels, can't you connect a new nipple between panels? If not, how about a pair of back-to-back 90's above or below them?
 

big vic

Senior Member
LarryFine said:
Vic, unless the centered trough is as tall as the panels, can't you connect a new nipple between panels? If not, how about a pair of back-to-back 90's above or below them?

Trough is 4 foot long
 

RB1

Senior Member
Raider,

It is not a raceway. During the 2002 Code cycle there was a proposal to add "auxiliary gutters" to Section 250.92. The substantiation for this proposal was that an auxiliary gutter is not a raceway. The Code Panel agreed and added auxiliary gutters to the requirement. I am going to go with Code Panel 5on this one.

P.S. See also the list of raceways included in the FPN following 300.17. Wireways are included, auxiliary gutters are not included.
 

raider1

Senior Member
Staff member
Location
Logan, Utah
RB1 said:
Raider,

It is not a raceway. During the 2002 Code cycle there was a proposal to add "auxiliary gutters" to Section 250.92. The substantiation for this proposal was that an auxiliary gutter is not a raceway. The Code Panel agreed and added auxiliary gutters to the requirement. I am going to go with Code Panel 5on this one.

P.S. See also the list of raceways included in the FPN following 300.17. Wireways are included, auxiliary gutters are not included.

I agree that an auxiliary gutter is not a raceway.

What the OP was describing was not an auxiliary gutter but in fact a wireway, which is a raceway.

An auxiliary gutter is used to supplement wiring space at meter centers, distribution centers, switchboards, and similar points of wiring systems. What the OPer was doing was running service entrance conductors from a meter enclosure to two panel enclosures, which would be running a wireway for conductors, IMHO.

Chris
 

RB1

Senior Member
What do you call an auxiliary gutter that extends more than 30 feet beyond the equipment that it supplements?

Answer: A wireway.
 

RB1

Senior Member
Raider,

I disagree, to an extent, that the OP is using the the equipment as a wireway. When you use a "trough" to make splices in service entrance conductors and then distribute these conductors to different panelboard enclosures, you are using the "trough" to supplement the wiring space of the panelboard enclosures. Which is by definition an auxiliary gutter.
 
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