I have hit and odd situation for the first time during a final inspection on a commercial building. The inspector is requesting the lighting contactor installed down current of the time time clock and house panel must carry and AIC rating equal to the panel board and switch gear being it is a device that interrupts current. The estimated AIC is 42,000 and the current contactor is a AEG 7K LS 7K-4. I was always told by electricians i have worked with the AIC rating requirements end at the panel as it is the last point to interrupt the fault current.
AIC Rating on Lighting Contactor
- Thread starter JGGC
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- Status
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- Wisconsin
- Occupation
- PE (Retired) - Power Systems
You cannot give the inspector something that does not exist.
Contactors are not protective devices, therefore they do not have AIC ratings. They do not break bolted fault currents. Per UL they have SCCR. See NEC 110.09.
Contactors are not protective devices, therefore they do not have AIC ratings. They do not break bolted fault currents. Per UL they have SCCR. See NEC 110.09.
Last edited:
big john
Senior Member
- Location
- Portland, ME
What section did he cite? 110.9 only requires interrupting ratings for equipment *intended* to interrupt a fault. There is no reason to believe the contactor would be opening under that duty so I would argue that no AIC ratings apply, and the contactor is suitable as long as it's used within the load characteristics.
There is a whole other can of worms with SCCR of the equipment, but as far as I know that would only apply if lighting contactor panels fall under article 409.
There is a whole other can of worms with SCCR of the equipment, but as far as I know that would only apply if lighting contactor panels fall under article 409.
IMO, you have a problem. NEC 110.10 requires proper rating of the device and it is marked with a 5k SCCR.
I have encountered the situation several times on inspections and the engineers have often relocated the contactor or provided a long feed to reduce the available current (such as out of the panel to ceiling height and back). For example, using some guesstimates, 20 ft of #10 looks like it would reduce your available current to less than 5k.
I have encountered the situation several times on inspections and the engineers have often relocated the contactor or provided a long feed to reduce the available current (such as out of the panel to ceiling height and back). For example, using some guesstimates, 20 ft of #10 looks like it would reduce your available current to less than 5k.
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