Air conditioner compressor
- Thread starter spooky42
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Logan, Utah
Politely show the inspector 440.6(A) Exception #1 & 440.22(C).
Chris
Chris
Chris's approach would probably be best but you could always politely ask the inspector what section of the code that your installation is in violation of...
Pete
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
Is this an All in one Inspector or Is this person a Electrical only inspector, as they should know this one.
Then you have the perfect opportunity to educate the new inspector and help him not make the same mistake twice.
Pete
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
Well then In you utmost politeness explain the code provision you used. He is new and those guys just don't know everything.
- Location
- Logan, Utah
I know a few long time inspectors that still don't understand sizing A/C unit circuits and OCPD's.
Chris
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Are you using the breaker as your OCPD or are you using fuses?
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
How does that change the situation?
- Location
- Massachusetts
If you put a fused disconnect at the unit the conductors between the panel and the disconnect would have to be sized to the 40 amp breaker.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Thank you Bob, that's one a lot of contractors miss.
- Location
- Massachusetts
No problem, I learned that here not on the job.
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Well at least I know you're paying attention. :dunce:
In this area, a lot of inspectors would still allow wiring to the 40 amp fused disconnect to remain a #10, even though it has actually become a "feeder". It's kind of stretching Art 430 over in Art 440, or a a liberal interpretation of identifying the fusible disconnect as "only a disconnecting means".... not NEC but local practice.
squaredan
Senior Member
- Location
- Pennsylvania
Why is that? If he used a breaker at the unit would you still have to use 40 amp wire from the panel to the disconnect on the unit? Then on the load side he could use #10 wire??
Dan
- Location
- Simi Valley, CA
Read what 440.6(A) says and then read the definition of a branch circuit.
I could go along with Gus that it's splitting hairs, but it is what it is or as Charlie would say, it says what it says.
squaredan
Senior Member
- Location
- Pennsylvania
So the Key word is "FINAL" in the BC Defintion? SO the wire from the panel to the disconnect, a fuse or breaker, would have to be 40amp wire?
- Location
- Connecticut
- Occupation
- Engineer
I don't believe this is correct. Art. 440 relates only the the branch circuit for the air conditioning/refrigeration equipment (440.1.) But Art 440 also says that is "in addition" to the provisions of Art 430 (440.3(A).)
The feeder section of Art 430 says that for a feeder with conductor sizes based on 430.24 (125% of the largest motor plus full load of the other loads) shall have a protective device having a rating or setting "not greater than" the largest rating of the Branch Circuit protective device based on 440.22(A) for a hermetic motor-compressor, plus the sum of the full load for the other motors.
This should allow a 40A feeder c/b with the #10 feeder conductors.
- Status