AC Condenser Circuit Tap

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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?


My gut reaction was it wouldn't be acceptable since I thought the pool feeder had to be a dedicated circuit. But when I looked I couldn't find this requirement. But something still rubs me the wrong way about that.


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Robert O'Connor, PE
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I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: Ryan Jackson
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If it is a feeder tap, yes. If it is a branch circuit tap, no.



Ryan Jackson, Salt Lake City

Originally Posted By: kmcmahon
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Not sure what you are meaning by the word “tap”?



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Originally Posted By: roconnor
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This concerns a breaker in a pool sub-panel for the AC compressor circuit.


Thanks for the reply Ryan ... where did ya find the restrictions on branch circuits in the model codes (NEC or IRC)?


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Robert O'Connor, PE
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I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

Originally Posted By: jtedesco
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Robert:


My first reaction was considering use of the term: "Feeder Tap" but now that has been cleared up, and what I see is a branch circuit that has been run from the existing panel to supply an AC unit.

Question, was the AC unit load calculated in the original load for the equipment associated with the pool?

The circuit size for the AC unit is usually found on the nameplate, and is what is used to size the wires and HACR circuit breaker or fuses.

What are the actual loads associated with this work?

The subject of a branch circuit tap would not be important here.


--
Joe Tedesco, NEC Consultant

www.nachi.org/tedescobook.htm

Originally Posted By: Ryan Jackson
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Hi Robert. Tap conductor overcurrent protection is dicscussed in 240.4, which directs us to a couple different sections of the code, such as feeder taps (240.21) and branch circuit taps in 210.19(A)(3) and (A)(4) [your book might not say that…it is errata from the first edition].


Legal branch circuit taps are few and far between. 210.19(A)(3) is a very strange exception for cooking equipment that is not cord and plug connected, and (A)(4) is for "other loads", which, 99.9% of the time, would not allow a branch circuit tap for an A/C.

Joe is correct here though...this is not a tap, it is just a normal "branch circuit". The word "tap" is a very specific method of providing power to something whil not protecting the conductor with overcurrent protection at the conductors proper ampacity.


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Ryan Jackson, Salt Lake City

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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You guys are right that it really not a ?tap? ? I just restated the question asked without realizing that at first. The tap conductor rules can get involved for an HI, so I won?t go there on this post. The pool sub-panel and feeders would be fine. Something was just rubbing me the wrong way about that AC breaker location, even though I couldn?t think of or find any restrictions ? probably just because it?s not usually done that way.



Robert O’Connor, PE


Eagle Engineering ?


Eagle Eye Inspections ?


NACHI Education Committee


I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong