Clarification needed for feeder tap in panel

This isn’t my picture but is the subject of a post on Facebook that has a few comments, including mine, that say this is incorrect. Other posters say it is fine.

The feeder taps that supply the left hand “distribution panel” do not initially appear to have the proper protection. I know there is an exception for feeder taps not needing overcurrent protection at the supply source (240.21), but what are the nuances to that? They must be on the load side of the feeder, which these are. The other nuances are not easy to decipher when reading the code.

The assumption is that the Main Disconnect is 200amp, even though we cannot read it.

So what makes this ok or not ok? Am I way off the mark here?

I think that you’re way off the mark, both legs appears protected.

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Are you saying the smaller cable is properly sized for the main disconnect? I can’t read the rating of the main but my assumption is 200.

Or please clarify what is protecting the smaller cables.

There are two basic tap rules, the 10’ tap rule and the 25’ tap rule. Looks like this complies with the 10’ rule but IMO it violates 408.36 where a panelboard is required to have a single OCPD protecting it. Now if everything after the 200 OCPD is rated for 200 amps there is no issue.

408.36 Overcurrent Protection. In addition to the requirement of 408.30, a panelboard shall be protected by an overcurrent protective device having a rating not greater than that of the panelboard. This overcurrent protective device shall be located within or at any point on the supply side of the panelboard.

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Thank you Robert.
So, let’s just say the smaller feeders ran out of this panel and into an adjacent panel where the equipment on the left was placed (so the 20 amp breaker is no longer in the panel pictured). But everything else remained the same. Does the 10’ tap rule then make this ok in that scenario (since it is no longer a single panelboard)?

There are two basic tap rules the 10’ and the 25’. The 10’ rule in your example would require that the conductors be a minimum of 10% of the ampacity of the OCPD protecting the feeder. For the 25’ rule the conductors need to be a minimum of 1/3 the ampacity of the feeder OCPD.

As implied by the name the tap conductor length for the 10’ rule is limited to 10’, the 25’ rule 25’. A panelboard requires an OCPD ahead of it to protect is as per 408.36 so if feeding it from a tap it would require a main or other OCPD ahead of the panelboard.