#14 taps on 20A circuit

[steve66]

According to a thread that happened a while ago, it is not allowed to use #14 taps from a 20A receptacle circuit. (See Code Forum )

Then why does table 210.24 list #14 taps for a 20A circuit?

Steve

 

[tonyi]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

Originally posted by steve66:
According to a thread that happened a while ago, it is not allowed to use #14 taps from a 20A receptacle circuit. (See Code Forum )

Then why does table 210.24 list #14 taps for a 20A circuit?

Steve

You could tap for something other than a receptical.

 

[steve66]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

Thanks, after reading 210.19, I realize that the tap could be for something else.

I also spent a long time looking for something that prohibits #14 taps for a single receptacle. Found it in 210.19(A)(2). At first, I thought it only applied to conductors supplying more than one receptacle. After reading it several times, I now think it applies to all conductors on a branch circuit serving more than one receptacle.

Steve

[ October 20, 2003, 12:51 PM: Message edited by: steve66 ]

 

[earlydean]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

210.19(A)(2) requires branch circuit conductors of multiple receptacle outlet runs to be sized at no less than the OC device. A branch circuit is defined as all the conductors from the final OC device and the outlet. 210.19(A)(4) makes it clear that taps to a receptacle are not included in the "tap" exceptions. The taps allowed in 240.21 (B) through (G) are for feeders only. 240.21 (A) refers to 210.19, where receptacles are excluded from the exceptions, as noted above.

 

[steve66]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

Earl:

In my last post, I guess the point I was trying to make is that 210.19(A)(2) can be read two different ways, and they have very different meanings:

1. If the phrase "supplying more than one receptacle..." applies to the branch circuit, then you are correct.

2. One could also interpert the prhase "supplying more than one receptacle..." as applying to the word conductors . In other words, one could read 210.19(A)(2) as "Conductors supplying more than one receptacle...shall have an ampacity of not less than the rating of the branch circuit." This would imply a #14 tap is allowed for a single receptacle.

I do agree with your interpertation (and everyone else seems to agree), I am just saying it is not 100% clear.

Steve

 

[earlydean]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

If it were easy, trained monkeys could do it.

 

[Guest]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

There are many people and inspectors that believe it wouldn't take long to train that monkey.

 

[pierre]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

Earl explained it very well. If you read 210.19(A)(2), the term used is branch circuit conductors. 210.19(A)(4)ex No. 1 is tap conductors (which is what the conductor from the branch circuit conductor to the receptacle is), and it does not permit receptacles for taps in this exception. Therefore the tap from the circuit conductors to the receptacle are required to be at least the same size as the rating of the branch circuit supplying the receptacle.

Pierre

 

[hillbilly]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

If I'm running #12 (20A) branch circuits, everything gets #12. It's just the way that I was taught. After following this discussion, I can't conceive why (other than it being NEC Code rule) it isn't OK to tap #14 off the #12 to feed individual 15A receptacles if it is done in the receptacle box. IMHO this is one of those fuzzy places in the code that need to be clarified better. The section on feeder taps 240-21.b(1) describes the same situation and is allowed on a feeder (but not on a branch circuit 210-19.). Why?
steve

 

[wayne123]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

What if you run #12 to receptacles to take care of voltage drop then change over to #14 on a 15 amp circuit breaker.

 

[tonyi]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

Originally posted by hillbilly:
The section on feeder taps 240-21.b(1) describes the same situation and is allowed on a feeder (but not on a branch circuit 210-19.). Why?
steve

Its not quite the same situation, look down to (1)(1)(a) there. The tap conductor amapcity has to be enough to handle the computed loads.

In a general receptical type situation where the loads are unknown, a duplex with a couple of power strips and junk plugged in could go well above the nominal 15A for the #14. In reality, it would probably work OK without problem, as the #14 has ampacity to spare, and the #12's will sink off a lot of any extra heat.

I've seen a bunch of this thing in apartments. I just downgrade the breakers to 15A if its not some area calling for 20A when there's a lot of'em. The only reason I can see why people are doing it is so they can backstab - but if you're going to go to the trouble of pigtailing, doesn't that kinds defeat the sleaze motivation anyway

 

[steve66]

Re: #14 taps on 20A circuit

I will confess, I was thinking that if a 15A receptacle was placed on a 20A circuit, only 15A would be drawn from it because a 20A device would have a incompatable plug.

I didn't consider someone daisy chaining power strips (even though these often have 15A breakers in them). Even more likely, someone could even plug two 10A devices into one duplex. Then the #14 taps would be subjected to more ampacity than the code intended to allow.

STeve