What designates a current carrying condutor? I pulled 4 #12THHN blacks, 4 #12 reds, 6 nuetral wires, and 1 ground (2-12/3 circuits & 4-12/2 circuits). The inspector told me that you cannot have more than 9 current carrying conductors in a pipe, or else you need to derate your wires. He said the total of my current carrying conductors was 12 based on adding the neutrals of the 2-wire pairs. As far as i know, a neutral is not a current carrying conductor. Who is right in this situation? ( This was a residential 240 volt application.)
Current Carrying Conductors
- Thread starter hambone18
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The inspector is correct as far as the two wire circuits are concerned
He is kind of wrong on the 9 conductor statement, you would have to start derating with the 4th CCC but that doesn't necessarily mean you would need a larger wire until the 9th conductor and this would make him kind of right
Roger
He is kind of wrong on the 9 conductor statement, you would have to start derating with the 4th CCC but that doesn't necessarily mean you would need a larger wire until the 9th conductor and this would make him kind of right
Roger
From what you say, we are talking a 240/120 single phase system in which case the neutral that carries the unbalanced load from other conductors of that circuit would not count as current carrying. If you have a phase A wire, a phase B wire and 1 neutral carrying tyhe load, that neutral won;t counr. If you have and individual neutral for each phase, the neutral counts.
- Location
- New Jersey
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- Journeyman Electrician (retired)
You have a total of 12 CCC's. That requires a derating of 50%.
30 amps * 50%= 15 amps. Your #12's on 15 amp CB's is code compliant but not on 20 amp CB's.
30 amps * 50%= 15 amps. Your #12's on 15 amp CB's is code compliant but not on 20 amp CB's.
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