240-21 Feeder Taps

Jan. 1, 2008 Mike Holt | Electrical Construction and Maintenance

Sometimes, it makes sense to tap into a feeder conductor to power another conductor. From Art. 100, we know that a feeder conductor runs between service equipment (or a simi ar source! and the branch"circuit overcurrent protective device (#$%&!. 'he conductor that(s tapped into a feeder conductor is ca ed the tap conductor.

Fig. 1 Outside feeder tap conductors can be of unlimited length under certain conditions.

ithout an O!"# at the point the$ recei%e their suppl$

'hink about this arran)ement for a second. 'he #$%& supp ies the feeder. *ou tap the feeder, makin) the feeder #$%& a so the #$%& for the tap conductor. 'he #$%& is situated ahead of the point of supp + to the tap conductor because it(s situated ahead of the feeder. ,orma +, +ou have to si-e the #$%& for the si-e and insu ation of a )iven conductor, per ./0./. 0ut in this arran)ement, the #$%& is si-ed for the feeder conductor and is thus oversi-ed for that tap conductor (not si-ed per ./0./!. 1n such a situation, +ou have a feeder tap 2./0..3. 4ow do +ou keep +our feeder tap from burnin) up5 6ettin) an answer to that question is wh+ we have ./0..1(0!, which provides the requirements for feeder taps. 7nfortunate +, ./0..1(0! can easi + confuse an+one tr+in) to app + it. 'he first step in avoidin) that prob em is to understand two basic ru es that app + to a feeder taps. 1. *ou can(t tap a tap8 that is, don(t use a tapped conductor to supp + another conductor. 'his ru e isn(t e9p icit + stated, but:
o *ou can infer this ru e from the first para)raph of ./0..1(0!. o 0+ definition, a feeder tap is to a feeder, not to a tap.

..

,o upsi-in). 'his ru e is e9p icit + stated in the first para)raph of ./0..1(0!: 'he provisions of ./0./(0! sha not be permitted for tap conductors.

'he ne9t"si-e"up protection ru e 2./0./(03!, which +ou can use for nontapped conductors, a ows +ou to use the ne9t hi)hest #$%& above the ampacit+ of the conductors bein) protected. 1f +ou were tr+in) to protect a 1 A;6 feeder conductor, +ou(d )o to 'ab e <10.1= and see the conductor is rated at 1<0A. *ou cou d use a 1>0A circuit breaker (ne9t si-e up! 2./0./(0!3. 1n a feeder tap situation, however, +ou can(t do that.

Fig. 2 Follo

these guidelines for installing feeder tap conductors up to 10 feet long

ithout an O!"# to the tap.

&oes this mean +ou have to si-e the feeder tap conductor to fit the #$%&, instead of the other wa+ around5 ;e , sort of. ?9act + how +ou si-e the tap conductor depends on its en)th and app ication @ ./0..1(0! provides five sets of requirements ( et(s ca them scenarios!. 'hese two basic ru es for feeder taps are simp e. 1t(s the other ru es that seem to ead to headaches and heartburn. So here(s +our ne9t tip: Aook at each of the five scenarios, and pick the one that app ies. Scenario 1: 'aps supp +in) a transformer (primar+ p us secondar+ not more than .> feet on)!.

Fig. & 'nder these circumstances( $ou can install feeder tap conductors up to 2) feet long

ithout an O!"# on the tap.

Scenario 2: #utside taps of un imited en)th. Scenario 3: 'aps not more than 10 feet on). Scenario 4: 'aps 10 to .> feet on). Scenario 5: 'aps more than .> feet on). 0ut how do +ou know which one to pick5 ?as+. *ou Bust have to answer three questions: 1. .. <. ;i it feed a transformer with primar+ p us secondar+ not more than .> feet on)5 1f so, choose Scenario 1. 1s it bein) app ied outdoors, and +ou don(t want to be tied to a specific en)th5 1f so, choose Scenario .. For a other app ications, how on) is the tap conductor5 $hoose Scenario <, /, or >.

?ach scenario has different requirements, thou)h +ou wi find simi arities. 1f +ou compare this ist of scenarios to what(s actua + in ./0..1(0!, +ou( see we present them in a different order.

*cenario 1+ Taps suppl$ing a transformer ,primar$ plus secondar$ not more than 2) feet long-.

#bvious +, +ou can(t e9ceed .> feet in the tota en)th of the primar+ and secondar+ conductors if +ou want to supp + transformers via tap conductors (the e9ception bein) Scenario .!. 'he other requirements are as fo ows: Si-e the primar tap conductors to an ampacit+ that(s at east one"third of the ampacit+ of the #$%& that protects the feeder conductors. Si-e the secondar tap conductors to an ampacit+ that, when mu tip ied b+ the ratio of the primar+"to" secondar+ vo ta)e, is at east one"third the ratin) of the #$%& that protects the feeder conductors. %rotect primar+ and secondar+ conductors from ph+sica dama)e b+ enc osin) them in a manner approved b+ the authorit+ havin) Burisdiction (A4C!, such as within a racewa+. *ou( notice this requirement in the other scenarios, e9cept Scenario <. 'erminate the secondar+ conductors to a sin) e circuit breaker (or set of fuses! rated no more than the tap conductor ampacit+ per <10.1> 2'ab e <10.1=3.

*cenario 2+ Outside feeder tap of unlimited length.

#utside feeder tap conductors can be of un imited en)th without an #$%& at the point the+ receive their supp + if the+ are (Fig. 1 on pa)e /D!: %rotected from ph+sica dama)e (enc osed in a manner approved b+ the A4C, such as within a racewa+!. 'erminated at a sin) e circuit breaker or a sin) e set of fuses that imits the oad to the ampacit+ of the conductors. 'his is how +ou )et the un imited en)th part, and it(s wh+ there(s no 10E ru e or one" third ru e in this scenario. A so: 'he #$%& for the tap conductors must be an inte)ra part of the disconnectin) means or must be ocated immediate + adBacent to it. 'he disconnectin) means must be in a readi + accessib e ocation, either outside the structure or nearest the point of entr+ of the conductors.

*cenario &+ Tap not more than 10 feet long

*ou can insta feeder tap conductors up to 10 feet on) without an #$%& to the tap, if the tap conductors (Fig. 2!: 4ave an ampacit+ that is at east the ca cu ated oad per Art. ..0 and the ratin) of the device or #$%& that the tap conductors supp +. 4ave an ampacit+ that is not ess than 10E of the ampacit+ of the #$%& that protects the feeder. ,ote that the previous + stated condition mi)ht not a ow +ou to take advanta)e of this 10E ru e. &on(t e9tend be+ond the equipment the+ supp +. Are in a racewa+, if the+ eave the enc osure. 'he F%, under ./0..1(0!(1! sa+s to see /0D.<= for the overcurrent protection requirements for pane boards.

*cenario 4+ Tap 10 to 2) feet long

*ou can insta feeder tap conductors up to .> feet on) without an #$%& on the tap, if the+ ( Fig. &!: 4ave an ampacit+ that is at east one"third of the ampacit+ of the #$%& that protects the feeder. 'erminate in a sin) e #$%& (breaker or set of fuses! rated no more than the tap conductor ampacit+ per <10.1> 2'ab e <10.1=3. Are protected from ph+sica dama)e (enc osed in a manner approved b+ the A4C, such as within a racewa+!.

*cenario )+ Tap more than 2) feet long

1n an industria app ication (on +!, +ou can run feeder tap conductors up to 100 feet without an #$%& on the tap, if the+: &on(t contain sp ices. Are = A;6 copper or / A;6 a uminum or ar)er.

4ave an ampacit+ at east one"third of the ampacit+ of the #$%& that protects the feeder. &on(t e9ceed .> feet en)th hori-onta + or 100 feet in tota &on(t penetrate wa s, f oors, or cei in)s. Are protected from ph+sica dama)e (enc osed in a manner approved b+ the A4C, such as within a racewa+!. Are at east <0 feet from the f oor. 'erminate in a sin) e circuit breaker (or set of fuses! rated no more than the tap conductor ampacit+ per <10.1> 2'ab e <10.1=3.

A so, supervisors must ensure on + qua ified persons service such insta ations. 'his seems ike an awfu ot of requirements for an un ike + app ication @ a tap conductor more than .> feet on). 4owever, thin)s aren(t a wa+s as the+ seem. 'he app ication is actua + fair + common. ?9amp es inc ude hi)h"ba+ manufacturin) bui din)s and warehouses, which can easi + have wa s over <> feet ta . So, now +ou have an eas+ wa+ to -ero in on feeder tap conductor requirements. 'he ne9t time a feeder tap proBect eaves +ou fee in) tapped out, stop to answer three eas+ questions about +our proBect. 'hen, pick the scenario that describes +our app ication. 1t(s a downhi from there.