Tap conductor on 12AWG branch circuit

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vicdelta

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Based on table 210-24 I read 14AWG conductor tap on 12AWG branch circuit
protected by 20Amp OCD.Can I apply this on a 20Amp Branch circuit feeding
Receptacles in bedroom and tap 14AWG to a wall switch controling lighting in the same bedroom or similar situation like living room and dinning room.
Thanks for your input.
 
vicdelta said:
Based on table 210-24 I read 14AWG conductor tap on 12AWG branch circuit
protected by 20Amp OCD.Can I apply this on a 20Amp Branch circuit feeding
Receptacles in bedroom and tap 14AWG to a wall switch controling lighting in the same bedroom or similar situation like living room and dinning room.
Thanks for your input.
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Short answer, NO...
 
That's not a tap... it's still part of the same branch circuit. It either needs to be 12 AWG or on a 15a breaker/fuse.
 
Is it wrong and an NEC violation to do what you describe? Yes.

Is it dangerous? No. Why? Because T310.16 lists the ampacity of #14 wire as 20 amps.
 
peter d said:
Is it wrong and an NEC violation to do what you describe? Yes.

Is it dangerous? No. Why? Because T310.16 lists the ampacity of #14 wire as 20 amps.
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So what about 240.4(D) and 334.80?
 
480sparky said:
So what about 240.4(D) and 334.80?
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What about them? :confused:

The NEC added in an extra measure of safety for some reason, but the fact remains that the ampacity of #14 wire is 20 amps regardless of what other code sections say.
 
stickboy1375 said:
Dont go confusing people with facts... :grin: :grin: :grin:
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Your missing a point,long before that 20 breaker trips your current went far above 20 and that 14 was not good enough to take it.Only a trunk slamer would do this.
 
Jim W in Tampa said:
Your missing a point,long before that 20 breaker trips your current went far above 20 and that 14 was not good enough to take it.Only a trunk slamer would do this.
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Jim, do you actually read anyone's posts or do you just perform verbal throw-up every time?

Where did anyone say that this was code legal and good practice?

You're wrong, the ampacity of #14 is 20 amps and if the current went "far above" 20 amps it would trip the breaker rather quickly. If it's a short circuit, the current would be in the thousands of amps and last time I checked there is no wire on the market with a rating that high.

The point is that while this is a code violation, it is not a hazardous one.
 
480sparky said:
So you wire houses with 14 romex on 20a breakers?
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Yeah, all the time. :roll:

Please read the thread again and see where I said that I did, or where I said that this was NEC compliant.

Apparently, my point was not clear enough, so I'll repeat.

Does this violate the NEC? YES.

Is it dangerous? NO.

Should an electrician wire a circuit this way? NO.

If an electrician saw this, should they be concerned about it? I wouldn't be.
 
peter d said:
If an electrician saw this, should they be concerned about it? I wouldn't be.
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I would not be concerend about it either. I WOULD be concerned about the person that did it.
 
I believe the hazard is in the grounding conductor. Under a short circuit on a 20 amp circuit with a stretch of #14 in it, wouldn't it be likely that the #14 grounding conductor could blow apart before the 20 amp breaker opened? If not the first time, what about when the HO keeps trying to reset it? I don't mean to imply it could happen easily, but it could happen more easily than if the ECG were #12.
 
monkey said:
I believe the hazard is in the grounding conductor. Under a short circuit on a 20 amp circuit with a stretch of #14 in it, wouldn't it be likely that the #14 grounding conductor could blow apart before the 20 amp breaker opened? If not the first time, what about when the HO keeps trying to reset it? I don't mean to imply it could happen easily, but it could happen more easily than if the ECG were #12.
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You didn't read this thread all the way, did you? ;)


A short circuit will have current levels of thousands of amps. The difference in size of the EGC between #14 and #12 is pretty much irrelevant, as the breaker will (hopefully) trip instantly.
 
peter d said:
Yeah, all the time. :roll:

Please read the thread again and see where I said that I did, or where I said that this was NEC compliant.

Apparently, my point was not clear enough, so I'll repeat.

Does this violate the NEC? YES.

Is it dangerous? NO.

Should an electrician wire a circuit this way? NO.

If an electrician saw this, should they be concerned about it? I wouldn't be.
Click to expand...

Then I guess I don't understand. If part of the circuit is 14, it's OK to be on a 20a OCD? But if all of it is 14, then a 15a OCD is required?
 
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