karl1043
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- Hesperia, Ca
Can dedicated receptacle circuits have shared neutral?
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Dedicated Circuits Neutrals
- Thread starter karl1043
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- Chapel Hill, NC
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- Retired Electrical Contractor
A dedicated vs separate circuit is the argument-- As I seeit a dedicated circuit should not share a neutral and a separate circuit may share it. Others may disagree.
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
And I see it just the opposite.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
Of course-- it couldn't be that easy that we would all agree. I see dedicate as both conductors having to be dedicated . If the neutral is shared then it is not dedicated to the circuit that requires it as dedicated. Whereas a separate circuit does not imply to me that the neutral cannot be shared. I can see it both ways but I see it clearer my way.
iceworm
Curmudgeon still using printed IEEE Color Books
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- North of the 65 parallel
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- EE (Field - as little design as possible)
curiousity question-
The opinions on "dedicated circuit" - are they regulatory based, or design philosophy basaed?
I suspect the only one I ever put in was the ckt for the refrigerator (home DIY) or maybe a generator charger (work). Is this the kind of stuff being discussed?
ice
The opinions on "dedicated circuit" - are they regulatory based, or design philosophy basaed?
I suspect the only one I ever put in was the ckt for the refrigerator (home DIY) or maybe a generator charger (work). Is this the kind of stuff being discussed?
ice
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- Location
- Lockport, IL
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Engineer
Neither the phrase "dedicated circuit" nor the phrase "separate circuit" has any standard meaning. The NEC will not have any answers. The only similar phrase defined in the NEC is "Individual Branch Circuit." So the OP's question does not make sense to me. I would ask the OP to explain what "dedicated circuit" is intended to mean.
- Location
- New Jersey
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- Journeyman Electrician
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I see dedicated as meaning the same thing as individual branch circuit...a circuit dedicated to a specific piece of equipment, but there is nothing to prohibit the sharing of a neutral with other individual branch circuits.
Separate is not a defined term, but I see that as a circuit where its conductors are not shared with other circuits, but again nothing in the code to say that.
Separate is not a defined term, but I see that as a circuit where its conductors are not shared with other circuits, but again nothing in the code to say that.
FWIW, the individual branch circuit definition and use of the term throughout the Code does not limit such circuit to using a non-shared neutral (or grounded) conductor. From this perspective, a dedicated circuit is essentially an individual branch circuit and vice versa.
However, I believe the intent of individual branch circuit is to limit conductors to not being shared by any other load.
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
So it seems we really don't know the answer so it is best to not share the neutral and you can't go wrong. I tend to think the terms are really the same and as others have stated not defined in the book. Individual is defined but is open to interpretation as to whether or not the neutral should be shared
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- Placerville, CA, USA
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- Retired PV System Designer
When we talk about a shared neutral, is there any situation other than an MWBC where the neutral is allowed to be shared?
If the circuit originates as an MWBC, can we still call one of the derived circuits an individual branch circuit?
At the least there will be a handle tie if not a common trip breaker, so totally independent of the conductor issue the control of the circuit will not be independent.
Tapatalk!
If the circuit originates as an MWBC, can we still call one of the derived circuits an individual branch circuit?
At the least there will be a handle tie if not a common trip breaker, so totally independent of the conductor issue the control of the circuit will not be independent.
Tapatalk!
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- Location
- Lockport, IL
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- Retired Electrical Engineer
A MWBC is one circuit. An individual branch circuit can supply only one utilization equipment. Since a MWBC must necessarily supply more than one utilization equipment, a circuit cannot be both an individual branch circuit and a MWBC.
- Location
- Connecticut
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- Engineer
I don't think that that is entirely true...
210.4 Multiwire Branch Circuits. (A) General. ...A multiwire circuit shall be permitted to be considered as multiple circuits.
- Location
- New Jersey
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- Journeyman Electrician
I agree. A 4 wire (A,B,C,N) MWBC from a 3?, Wye system would be 3 circuits. In some cases it can be considered one circuit, like in 225.30.
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