Does UL allow installing cables from one MCC bucket through an adjoining empty bucket

[Natfuelbilll]

Does UL allow cables coming off a MCC mounted breaker in a bucket to be run through its side wall into of an adjoining empty bucket (where a splice would be made to field wiring exiting the side wall of that second bucket?

I don't like it either - but its being proposed....

 

[petersonra]

Does UL allow cables coming off a MCC mounted breaker in a bucket to be run through its side wall into of an adjoining empty bucket (where a splice would be made to field wiring exiting the side wall of that second bucket?

I don't like it either - but its being proposed....

Why would UL care what you do in an empty bucket? UL only cares about how it left the factory.

Personally, I would not be overjoyed with cutting holes in the sheet metal between two adjacent buckets, if that is what is being planned.

I don't see why you would want to do it anyway since whatever wiring would come off the feeder breaker should be able to go into the normal wiring channel. Why do you need to splice it? Why can't you just run it direct to the breaker like normal?

 

[Jraef]

I agree, the concept seems odd to begin with. Were conductors cut off too short? can't you just move the feeder bucket over into that empty space"? That's actually what MCCs are all about!

But he's right, UL: is no longer concerned with what you do with equipment in the field. You own it now, you can make it into an expensive gun rack if you want to... I happen to think it's a bad idea because someone can now open that "empty" bucket without disconnecting the power to those conductors. At the very lease I would put a hasp and padlock on the door of that cubicle and then put the key on a hook BEHIND the door of that feeder, so you can only get the key by turning the breaker off and opening that door.

 

[Natfuelbilll]

This equipment muct be top fed and there is insufficient space to run vertigially and make the u turn to hit the bottom of the breaker.

Want to use short lengths of Eriflex to the breaker and convert to building wire in the empty bucket.

I've asked Rockwell if their installation instructions disallow what is being discussef.

 

[MattS87]

This equipment muct be top fed and there is insufficient space to run vertigially and make the u turn to hit the bottom of the breaker.

Want to use short lengths of Eriflex to the breaker and convert to building wire in the empty bucket.

I've asked Rockwell if their installation instructions disallow what is being discussef.

Why not splice in the vertical wireway? Your eriflex from the breaker, to some polaris connectors in the wireway, to regular thhn (or whatever type you are using).

 

[Natfuelbilll]

Dumb engineer placed a panelboar in the upper section and the branch wiring in that space is occupied. Good thought though....

 

[MattS87]

Dumb engineer placed a panelboar in the upper section and the branch wiring in that space is occupied. Good thought though....

So there is no room in the gutter adjacent to your bucket to splice? If you can't splice in the MCC, why not mount a box above it and splice there?

 

[Natfuelbilll]

Installing a splice box next to the MCC is another idea.

 

[Jraef]

So i take it that the conductors already pulled and cut, preventing you from going all the way down that adjacent section to the bottom horizontal wire way and back up in the vertical wire way of the section housing the feeder?

As to asking Rockwell, I doubt they will give you a definitive answer either. This is not specifically addressed anywhere. But I recall having seen somewhere in the NEC where they discuss junction boxes and how any splice made in a conductor must be in a junction box with a screw cover or a lock, that two of the exceptions to this were a motor controller and a Motor Control Center. Most likely when that was added someone was thinking of the wire ways in an MCC, but I don’t think it was that specific. So I think it’s likely OK, but as I said, I would add a lock and a warning sign.