Number conductors from one OCPD

[gld]

240.21 "Location in Circuit" basically say that conductors shall be protected at their point of supply except if a tap rule applies. I have been told that any number of conductors can be connected to one OCPD if the lugs are rated for the number of conductors terminated on them as long as the conductor ampacity is greater then the OCPD rating. Is this true?

Also if two conductors are terminated on the load side of an OCPD lug rated for two conductors and each conductor has an ampacity less then the OCPD rating does the tap rule apply even though they are not tapped to a conductor?

Thanks

 

[Dennis Alwon]

No tap rule is involved with 2 conductors under the breaker. It would be no different than if you had one wire under the breaker and connected 2 runs of wire to it. We do this quite often in JB's.

The wire must be sized for the OCPD and as long as the calculated load is not over the ampacity of the breaker than there would not be a problem.

There are very few breakers that would be listed for more than 2 conductors.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

The tap rule does apply if the conductors have an ampcity less than that of the OCPD, but remember most of the tap rules only apply to feeder conductors, not branch circuit conductors. The conductors must be protected per the rules in Article 240.