#14 switch legs on 20A OCP

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#14 switch legs on 20A OCP

  • is ALLOWED.

    Votes: 17 8.4%

  • is NOT ALLOWED.

    Votes: 186 91.6%
  • Total voters
    203
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e57

e57

Senior Member
Location
San Francisco, CA
Posting this for the benefit of someone else - who has been doing this for 15 years....

Feeding #12 to branch lighting - then at the switching (particularly Grafik Eye's) changing to #14 and feeding it all with 20A OCP.

So is it allowed? If it is, or if it is not post the appropriate code sections allowing or dis-allowing it...
 
That being said, I've known many who've made that sort of thing their standard practice, saying things like "fixture whips are sometimes only 16 AWG or 14 AWG," and "this is the way we've always done it." As if the switch is some sort of secondary CB that limits overcurrent to 15 amps. ;)
 
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Or the guy that runs a #10 30A circuit 100 ft in the ceiling then go oh we can switch to #12 that last 20 ft. Seen that lots too.
 
ultramegabob said:
#14 on 20 amp circuits for switchlegs is very common in my area, it doesnt make it right or legal, but it is common....
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REALLY?!?!?


OK now - lets step it up a notch so I don't have to print several sheets for tomorow....

14 on a 20A circuit is a "TAP" and are "TAPS" allowed on branch circuit lighting?
 
iMuse97 said:
That being said, I've known many who've made that sort of thing their standard practice, saying things like "fixture whips are sometimes only 16 AWG or 14 AWG," and "this is the way we've always done it." As if the switch is some sort of secondary CB that limits overcurrent to 15 amps. ;)
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Yes it is exactly that type of thinking - there is no OCP in any switch or dimmer I know of.... How 'bout you?
 
480sparky said:
No they're not. You're alledgedly tapping a branch circuit. Read 240.21(A) and see what it says about OCP.
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It says essentially to see 210.19, and 210.19(A)4 says 'other than what is in 210.2, and cooking appliances in 210.19(A)3 conductors for "other loads" shall have an ampacity sufficient for the load - no smaller than 14'

So what say you now brown cow? (I mean 480...)
 
480sparky said:
Try the last part of the sentence.

.........shall be permitted to have overcurrent protection as specified in 210.20.
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That is the '08 code... (still '05 here for the time being) The 05 says "sufficient for the load" :confused: And yet, 210.20(B) still says to see 240.4 - AGAIN.... Putting you at 240.4(D) and 14 @ 15A, and 12 @ 20A respectively....
 
There is an entire article for fixture whips. You can't take the rules for fixture whips and apply them to a lighting switch tap.
 
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