DLO use in Panelboard

I

IceThermal

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Location
Houston, TX, United States
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Automation Engineer
Would like to use DLO cable on the Panelboard. The MCBS call for 37 strand cable. Do I replace cage lugs with bolt on lugs and crimped connector? Or can I use the DLO in the standard cage lugs
 
1st, DLO is not a recognized NEC conductor so you need to assure the cable is dual rated such as DLO, RHW to be NEC compliant.
2nd, Yes, you need to have terminations rated form the fine strand cable.
They do make some ferruels that adapt DLO to standard lujs but they are not UL approved and ILSCO has some pin adapters that are rated for DLO>
 
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They also make Cobra Wire or X-Flex which is THHN and has normal thickness insulation, much easier to work with than DLO.

I wrap fine strand wire with brass or copper sheets you can buy and cut with scissors. Lots of OEMs do it this way, I do to. Sue me if you don't like it.

I did just wrap up a job where somebody had used welding cable and sure enough jammed up one of the set screws, led to a lug melting its plastic insulator and doing a lot of damage to itself and surrounding metal. Could have been bad.
 
There is no minimum conductor bending radius (under 1000 volts) in the NEC. And as pointed out there are various types of bending tools for conductors
 
augie47 said:
1st, DLO is not a recognized NEC conductor so you need to assure the cable is dual rated such as DLO, RHW to be NEC compliant.
2nd, Yes, you need to have terminations rated form the fine strand cable.
They do make some ferruels that adapt DLO to standard lujs but they are not UL approved and ILSCO has some pin adapters that are rated for DLO>
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But the breaker lug is only rated for Class B and C stranded conductors. It is the same issue as using the finely stranded conductor. There is at least one manufacturer that has has a Class B stranded pin and also rated for finely stranded conductors.
 
tom baker said:
There is no minimum conductor bending radius (under 1000 volts) in the NEC. And as pointed out there are various types of bending tools for conductors
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I agree and the equipment should have the code compliant wire bending space at the terminals to allow for the conductors to be shaped.
 
augie47 said:
Using a pin adapter would allow the DLO on a Class B or C breaker would it not ?
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Not if the pin is a solid pin as most of them are. The breaker lug is only for Class B and C stranded conductors, not for solid conductors (pins) or finely stranded conductors.
 
On breaker manufacturer says you can't use pin adapters no matter what the construction of the pin is.
Does Schneider endorse the use of pin or mac adapters on circuit breakers?
Issue:
Does Schneider approve of pigtail or mac adapters to reduce large cable to fit in circuit breaker lugs?

Product Line:
Circuit Breakers

Environment:
All MCCB with cable connections

Resolution:
Schneider has not tested or validated these adapters (pin, mac, cop, etc.) for use with circuit breakers and so cannot endorse their use.
Lugs are tested with and are rated for stranded wire only. Adapters with stranded pins or pigtails simulating stranded wire will affect wire-bending space and it is up to the AHJ (local inspector) as to whether or not they're allowed.
Alternate mechanical lugs and optional compression lugs identified for the breaker should also be considered as these sometimes allow larger wire sizes than the standard lugs.
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don_resqcapt19 said:
On breaker manufacturer says you can't use pin adapters no matter what the construction of the pin is.
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Not endorsing their use is not the same as prohibiting them. From the text you quoted, the only concern raised with stranded pin connectors was wire bending space. Which is something you can check.

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
Not endorsing their use is not the same as prohibiting them. From the text you quoted, the only concern raised with stranded pin connectors was wire bending space. Which is something you can check.

Cheers, Wayne
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It would be unlikely that a manufacture would provide more wire bending space than what is required by the product standard which is the same as found in Article 312. If you are saying you measure from the crimp end of the pin, I doubt that there is any standard breaker enclosure that would be compliant.
 
wwhitney said:
Not endorsing their use is not the same as prohibiting them. From the text you quoted, the only concern raised with stranded pin connectors was wire bending space. Which is something you can check.
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That manufacturer said their lugs are not tested for solid conductors, so pin style adapter use is at your risk and probably could void the warranty. If you chose to use stranded wire style adapters be aware that the wire bending space may be an issue.
 
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