Don't mean to hog this thread, (not talking to myself!!), but even the A-B OL's that are rated up to 45A have 12AWG.

So, apparently 12AWG can safely carry 45A?

Seems like the 12AWG would get hot, resulting in tripping the overload, but maybe that's how they are designed to work, as John Stienke has stated.

Seems wierd to me, what about the code article about industrial machinery (Art. 670 2002NEC), or NFPA 79 dealing with industrial machinery?