ECN Electrical Forum - Discussion Forums for Electricians, Inspectors and Related Professionals
ECN Shout Chat
ShoutChat
Recent Posts
Increasing demand factors in residential
by gfretwell - 03/28/24 12:43 AM
Portable generator question
by Steve Miller - 03/19/24 08:50 PM
Do we need grounding?
by NORCAL - 03/19/24 05:11 PM
240V only in a home and NEC?
by dsk - 03/19/24 06:33 AM
Cordless Tools: The Obvious Question
by renosteinke - 03/14/24 08:05 PM
New in the Gallery:
This is a new one
This is a new one
by timmp, September 24
Few pics I found
Few pics I found
by timmp, August 15
Who's Online Now
2 members (Scott35, ampherder), 263 guests, and 14 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Rate Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
#92260 03/10/05 11:48 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 814
B
BigB Offline OP
Member
I looked at a job today where they want an old Zinsco sub panel replaced, it is an interior panel located outdoors no less. When I removed the deadfront I noticed there were 8 120 V hots leaving in pipe along with just one #8 neutral. It all terminates somewhere in the very low attic crawlspace.
I have seen this scenario discussed before but I don't recall if it was ever determined a code violation, provided the neutral was sized properly for the load.
Anyone know?.........Thanks, Brian

Stay up to Code with the Latest NEC:


>> 2023 NEC & Related Reference & Exam Prep
2023 NEC & Related Reference & Study Guides

Pass Your Exam the FIRST TIME with the Latest NEC & Exam Prep

>> 2020 NEC & Related Reference & Study Guides
 

#92261 03/10/05 11:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
We discussed it a very long time ago, and everyone pretty much agreed (believe it or not [Linked Image] ) that properly sized, there wouldn't be a violation.

#92262 03/11/05 12:09 AM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 806
Member
Zinsco, yikes!! Almost as bad as FPE....

Not sure if Code allows it, but a few years back I did a refit on a screening room where the audio racks were serviced by 5 20amp breakers (on a 3-phase panel) with ONE #10 neutral for all 5 circuits!!! The client was wondering why the sound system had a massive hum and why he'd been replacing burned-out amplifiers every few months.
(edit: There were NO loose/bad connections, which was my first thought.)
To stir the pot again (see "Panel In Bedroom" thread) [Linked Image] , I am of the school of NO SHARED NEUTRALS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!! The cost of the extra wire is NEVER that great, compared to the potential problems.

After I had the EC pull in the proper number of neutrals and wire the rack recepts correctly, the system was quiet and no more burning amps.

[This message has been edited by mxslick (edited 03-10-2005).]


Stupid should be painful.
#92263 03/11/05 05:54 AM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
Quote
I am of the school of NO SHARED NEUTRALS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!

I suggest you try some other schools. [Linked Image]

What happens when you get to the panel?

You wanted to 'stir the pot' well you hit a nerve. [Linked Image]

There is no reason whatsoever that multiwire branch circuits will in them selves cause a 'hum'.

Even if you do not want to believe it there was something else going on.

Electrically sharing a neutral on a branch circuit is not any different than what happens at the panel where all the branch circuit neutrals share a single conductor back to the source.

Quote
The cost of the extra wire is NEVER that great, compared to the potential problems.

Not true at all, it really depends on many factors. In a house I might agree that the savings is not that great, in a commercial pipe job the savings is tremendous.

1)Less total conductors result in smaller and / or fewer raceways.

2)Less 'current carrying conductors' results in less derating of the conductors.

3)Voltage drop is reduced on long circuits with the use of multiwire branch circuits.

It is really up to the customer or their engineer if the savings are worth the 'risks'.

Personnel IMO with competent electricians the risks our minimal.

We install predominately Multiwire branch circuits and we are not going back to fix things.

Bob


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#92264 03/11/05 10:05 AM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 2,148
R
Member
Quote
I am of the school of NO SHARED NEUTRALS UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!
So can I assume that you only use two wire 120 volt services?
Don


Don(resqcapt19)
#92265 03/11/05 01:29 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 806
Member
I must say I stand corrected, Sometimes I type faster than I should. Of course in an industrial/commercial setting, it's not a problem. But in residential and in audio work, it is considered bad practice. [Linked Image]

It has been proven many times in my line of work that a shared neutral causes noise issues. Many installs I've had to rework have been cured of noise by pulling dedicated neutrals for each circuit. I don't always understand why that's so, but it has proven itself many times.

Quote
Electrically sharing a neutral on a branch circuit is not any different than what happens at the panel where all the branch circuit neutrals share a single conductor back to the source.
For non-power-sensitive loads, I agree. For audio gear, no. It's the same idea as using isolated grounds, IMHO. I do agree with all of your other points! [Linked Image]
Don:
Haven't seen one in years! [Linked Image] But 3w 240 is fine. I do recall some tweek audio magazine espousing the benefits of audio clarity by feeding all your gear from a 2w 120 service. (Back in the 70's)


Stupid should be painful.
#92266 03/11/05 02:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 345
T
Member
Well I have to join in rejecting the idea that multi wire branch circuits are inherently problematic. I won't argue about the audio circuits because my experience does not include extensive audio system work. The housing industry is very competitive and every legitimate avenue to control cost must be explored. My present work is in home wiring repair and extension. I will pull a three wire plus ground cable if I even suspect that there will be a need for another circuit in the same part of the building. I undertook to wire a dedicated outlet for a sump pump as a "Christmas in April" project. I looked around the sump pumps location and there was the laundry equipment tied into a general lighting circuit. I pulled a three wire cable to the four square that contained the laundry equipment receptacle and ran the sump pump receptacle outlet from there. A very slight increase in cost and a marked improvement in the whole homes wiring plant. Since the laundry appliances are not left unattended for days at a time I used a GFCI receptacle for them but the sump pump is on a single 20 ampere receptacle.

I pull three wire cables to bathrooms now to solve the monster hair dryer problem. Not only does the basin outlet end up resupplied but so does the thousand watt plus unit heater that so many bath rooms have.

Multi wire branch circuits are also handy to supply existing out buildings. One car garages and small sheds often need just a little more but a feeder, grounding electrode system, and building panel is a budget buster.

[RANT MODE ON] It ties right into a sore subject. Anyone that cannot work safely with a multi wire branch circuit has no business doing electrical work. I am not opposed to home owner DIY work but if you can't take the time to understand enough about wiring to make a multi wire branch circuit just another useful technique then you haven't done enough studying yet. Invest the time to learn or hire someone who has done so. A person who gets hurt because they opened the neutral of a multi wire branch circuit is the definition of an UNQUALIFIED PERSON. [/RANT]
--
Ton H


Tom Horne

"This alternating current stuff is just a fad. It is much too dangerous for general use" Thomas Alva Edison
#92267 03/11/05 03:08 PM
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 32
G
Member
I suspect your audio problem had more to do with the size of the neutral than the fact that it was shared. With all of the harmonics you see in electronic power supplies I suspect the neutral was carrying more load than the phases at any given instant. In the example you gave it was clear the neutral was undersized, even if you were just serving light bulbs since you have a potential of 40a of neutral current. Super neutral cable (recomended for electronic loads)would have a #8 for 3 balanced #12 phases.


Greg Fretwell
#92268 03/11/05 06:38 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
mxslick

Quote
Haven't seen one in years! But 3w 240 is fine.

Then you would be 'sharing' a neutral. [Linked Image]

Your missing the point Don and I made, you share neutrals back to the source as soon as you reach the panel. The panel is not the source of the power.

There is nothing special in a panel to stop a hum.

Amplifiers can cause added harmonics on a shared neutral but that is a separate issue and not one that will cause a hum.

I would be looking for improper grounding and improper neutral to grounding connections.

tdhorne
Quote
It ties right into a sore subject. Anyone that cannot work safely with a multi wire branch circuit has no business doing electrical work.

I sure agree with you there. [Linked Image]

Bob


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#92269 03/11/05 07:28 PM
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 449
F
Member
I couldn't agree with Don and Bob more on the subject of MW branch circuits. I've used them for years in residential and saved thousands of feet of EMT and #12 THHN in comm/ind. But I do have to say I've witnessed a disturbing trend towards MW circuits in the training program. There are a couple of guys around here(my area) who have recently finished their 5 year program and passed their Masters and think MW circuits are irresponsible and dangerous. They got that from their instructors and I've seen the study materials they were given to back up that assumption. Which confirms my belief that you don't have to be new to the trade to have a poor understanding of certain areas of it. We've seen this in several threads on this and other forums concerning MW circuits. Makes me wonder if the pipe institute or copper consortium is sponsoring some of these training programs. You say multi-wire circuit to some and they automatically think "reckless hack".

[This message has been edited by Fred (edited 03-11-2005).]

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5