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Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Question:
Re: CQD answer published Tuesday September 20, 2016 -Branch Circuit Taps
This was Monday’s question: Residential, single dwelling. Bedroom 20 amp circuit can you run 14-2 off 12-2 conductors for single light from 15 amp switch
Monday's question, tasted sour. Could not this scenario fall into the Tap rules or something? What about 240.5b(2), look, I think it is safe as long as the 14 awg is not pulling more than a reasonable say 10 amp which is 1200 watts of light which is a lot, being realistic it would be more around the 2 amp ball park, what is not going to hurt the 14 awg wire and make it also less than 25 feet, what about that? Could we advocate for this good Samaritan? Is not the code like any other code, can we find a crack to slip through? I am just saying….
Thank you! Please do NOT reveal my name
A
Answer:
OK No name, thanks for your question, hopefully the sour taste has disappeared by now. Maybe the actual load would not overload the 14 AWG conductors - under normal conditions, but what cause a problem but what if a fault or overload condition occurs? Section 240.5(B)(2) is for fixture wire which is only permitted to be in luminaires or similar equipment as stated in 402.10. The overcurrent protection device location for branch circuit tap conductors is provided in 240.21(A) [using the definition for Tap Conductors in 240.2]. Section 240.21(A) references 210.19 and 210.20 but none of those apply to the example given. Trying to find a "crack to slip through" or avoiding complying with the NEC can result in an installation that is unsafe; sometimes we don't anticipate what could happen. Overcurrent protection is required by 240.4 as stated.