Feeding bottom of breaker

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krussell@scs-usa.com

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I recently recieved a piece of HVAC equipment where on the main breaker they fed the complete system through a 800 Amps ABB Isomax S Breaker. But they wired it in such away where I had to pull my line voltage to the BOTTOM of the breaker and they fed the load off of the Top. I have NEVER seen this done, but I can't find the NEC code that states you can't. Does anyone know the code?

Regards,

Kirk
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Breaker terminals can be used as line or load unless manufacturer specifies otherwise.
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Top line bottom load is a trade thing unless the breaker is listed as line / load at the terminals it is dual directional.
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

I get that the breaker doesn't care which way the power flows, But Generally when You have a breaker being used as a MAIN DISCONNECT when you throw the breaker you would think the top was hot and the bottom was dead. I was trained to always feed the top of a breaker, disconnect, or fuse block? Is that wrong?


Regards,

Kirk
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Kirk,
That is the way I was taugh also. I wired a control for a multi point spot welder once with the fuse blocks mounted horizontaly. I made a very nice job out of it with a buss down the center feeding two columns. I was made to remove it and feed all fuse blocks so the line was on the left and the load on the right. I couldn't believe it but I wanted to get paid.

Paul
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Doesnt the handle have to be up in the on positon?

And I always feed from the top too.
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Industry standard is top line bottom load. been that way for eons but unless a breaker says line only or load only it can be fed from either direction.I agree before you touch test but that would be to simple.
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Originally posted by jbwhite:
Doesnt the handle have to be up in the on positon?

And I always feed from the top too.
Click to expand...
What about a horizontal throw breaker there is no top or bottom up or down.Indicating breakers allow us to know when a breaker should feed thru.
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Originally posted by allenwayne:
What about a horizontal throw breaker there is no top or bottom up or down.
Click to expand...
240.81 Indicating.
Circuit breakers shall clearly indicate whether they are in the open ?off? or closed ?on? position.
Where circuit breaker handles are operated vertically rather than rotationally or horizontally, the ?up? position of the handle shall be the ?on? position.
Click to expand...
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Let me take a guess. That piece of equipment was manufactured in Europe.

For some reason Europeans seem to like feeding breakers, fuses, and starters on the bottom side. :(
 
Re: Feeding bottom of breaker

Almost every Trane roof top unit I have seen has a bottom feed breaker.

It seems like half of the panelboards I have seen on the upper floors in school buildings and hospitals have been bottom feed.

GE used to bottom feed the breakers in their motor control center buckets.
 
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