ptonsparky
Tom
- Occupation
- EC - retired
On service upgrades, are you required to install handle ties on breakers serving mwbc? Never entered my mind to do so until reading another thread on mwbc.
We require that you install the handle tie breakers for a service change.
How is requiring the new installation to conform with the current NEC retroactive?
If you are installing a new panel and breakers I would say it needs to conform to the current code.
Arc-faults may have a problem with the wiring configuration where as handle ties or two pole breaker would not.
If a new MWBC is installed then I would agree.
The question, as I understand it, is not whether a certain type of breaker would be problematic with existing wiring but whether a new or different type of breaker (i.e. AFCI or Handle-tie) can be required to be installed for existing circuits.
It is simply my opinion that it is not enforcable and would be retroactive.
Pete
How is requiring the new installation to conform with the current NEC retroactive?
If you are installing a new panel and breakers I would say it needs to conform to the current code.
Arc-faults may have a problem with the wiring configuration where as handle ties or two pole breaker would not.
That was pretty much what I was gonna say.
I'm going to make you do the panel schedule per the new code, I'm going to make you update the grounding and bonding if it's required, I'm going to require that you put in the correct size riser and service entrance conductors. I don't think a couple of two pole breakers are really going to matter that much.
How is requiring the new installation to conform with the current NEC retroactive?
If you are installing a new panel and breakers I would say it needs to conform to the current code.
Arc-faults may have a problem with the wiring configuration where as handle ties or two pole breaker would not.
That was pretty much what I was gonna say.
I'm going to make you do the panel schedule per the new code, I'm going to make you update the grounding and bonding if it's required, I'm going to require that you put in the correct size riser and service entrance conductors. I don't think a couple of two pole breakers are really going to matter that much.
You wouldn't require that for just a panel change would you? A service upgrade I can see, but not just a straight panel swap.