Portable cord rating

[BobRossi]

What is the minimum portable cord rating that can be pluged into a 480vac 30a receptacle?
I am trying to help a supplier of portable equipment that will be used in an aircraft manufacuring facility (not classified as a hangar). Their equipment will draw 10a max and the smallest receptacle available is rated and fused for 30a. Does the cord need to be rated 30a?
Thanks, this is my first post on the forum though I have read it for years.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I think that is more of a question for the listing agency than for the NEC.

 

[fmtjfw]

What is the minimum portable cord rating that can be pluged into a 480vac 30a receptacle?
I am trying to help a supplier of portable equipment that will be used in an aircraft manufacuring facility (not classified as a hangar). Their equipment will draw 10a max and the smallest receptacle available is rated and fused for 30a. Does the cord need to be rated 30a?
Thanks, this is my first post on the forum though I have read it for years.

See 400.5.

 

[kwired]

Very well depends on more information of the application.

400.5 was mentioned - that is a start.

Listing of a product may allow even smaller.

I've seen welders with 50 amp cord caps factory installed on 12 AWG cords.

 

[mgookin]

What is the minimum portable cord rating that can be pluged into a 480vac 30a receptacle?
I am trying to help a supplier of portable equipment that will be used in an aircraft manufacuring facility (not classified as a hangar). Their equipment will draw 10a max and the smallest receptacle available is rated and fused for 30a. Does the cord need to be rated 30a?
Thanks, this is my first post on the forum though I have read it for years.

The receptacle, wiring and OCPD are rated as an assembly, in your case, to carry UP TO a 30A load.

Once you get past that receptacle, the cord needs to be able to handle whatever the equipment will draw.

Look at a table lamp. That's certainly not 12/3 going from the receptacle to the lamp. It only needs to carry that 60W bulb, 100W bulb, whatever the load is.

So to answer your question, there is no answer.

If he is manufacturing machines and needs to spec a cord, he needs to consider everything from ambient temp, oils & abrasives in the environment, load, and many other factors.

 

[kwired]

The receptacle, wiring and OCPD are rated as an assembly, in your case, to carry UP TO a 30A load.

Once you get past that receptacle, the cord needs to be able to handle whatever the equipment will draw.

Look at a table lamp. That's certainly not 12/3 going from the receptacle to the lamp. It only needs to carry that 60W bulb, 100W bulb, whatever the load is.

So to answer your question, there is no answer.

If he is manufacturing machines and needs to spec a cord, he needs to consider everything from ambient temp, oils & abrasives in the environment, load, and many other factors.

Good points in there. The table lamp however is not something typically plugged into a 30 amp circuit either. A 30 amp circuit is usually not supplied unless there is need for more then 20 amps capacity. Some instances that can change things though like my mentioned welder before. They figure if you don't exceed the duty cycle of the welder it will allow sufficient for cooling of the 12 AWG cord on the 50 amp circuit, but you probably will not find a welder with a 18 AWG cord even if it is only one with a 15 amp cord cap.

 

[BobRossi]

The receptacle, wiring and OCPD are rated as an assembly, in your case, to carry UP TO a 30A load.

Once you get past that receptacle, the cord needs to be able to handle whatever the equipment will draw.

Look at a table lamp. That's certainly not 12/3 going from the receptacle to the lamp. It only needs to carry that 60W bulb, 100W bulb, whatever the load is.

So to answer your question, there is no answer.

If he is manufacturing machines and needs to spec a cord, he needs to consider everything from ambient temp, oils & abrasives in the environment, load, and many other factors.

Thanks for the feedback. This seems to be the sensible answer but I can't seem to find a specific answer in code. Considering all environmental requirements of the cord are met, is there a specific article that deals with minimum ampacity rating for a given receptacle/OCPD assembly?

 

[Smart $]

Thanks for the feedback. This seems to be the sensible answer but I can't seem to find a specific answer in code. Considering all environmental requirements of the cord are met, is there a specific article that deals with minimum ampacity rating for a given receptacle/OCPD assembly?

210.21 through 210.24 cover the basics.