ECN Forum Forums General Topics of the Trade General Discussion Area Tap Conductors

We were building a 400amp 3 phase service.
Out from the meter cabinet we went into a 400amp fused disconnect. From there we wanted to feed each of 2 Main breaker 200amp panels. My idea was to run 2 - 2" conduits, from the disconnect. one to each panel. the panels were 10 feet from the disconnect. I assumed that this could qualify as a tap. It's effectivly the same thing. The inspector violated it and said these were parallel conductors not a tap. I quoted 240-21D to no avail. Who is right?

The feeder conductors would have to be tied together at both ends in order to be in parallel.

Ed

In response to electric-ed is it legal to do the install the way I described it

I am not sure of the NEC tap rules, as I live in Canada, but here it would be legal if- 1. the 200 amp feeder has an ampacity not less than the amp rating of the panel it feeds, and not less than the computed loads on that panel, and
2. it is not more than 10 ft. long, and
3. it is in non-ventilated raceway, or MC cable.

I would wait for a response from someone who knows the NEC on this.

Ed

[This message has been edited by electric-ed (edited 09-04-2002).]

Tsolanto, your installation is legal. The inspector is wrong. These are two seperate loads and per your discription you are in compliance with tap rules.

I don't have a clue as to how he could consider two sets of conductors going to different points could be paralleled.

If it would make him feel any better, you could scrap the 400 amp disconnect and use parallel lugs on the load side of the meter, or replace it with a gutter and simply splice 3\0 CU conductors to your 400 amp conductors here.

Given the location of these panels, this would be in compliance with articles 230 and 240.


Roger

[This message has been edited by Roger (edited 09-04-2002).]

Sounds like your installation is code compliant from what you've stated. I would copy art. 230.46 and 240.21 and the Webster's dictionary definition of parallel and ask the inspector to re-evaluate his conclussion.