RECEPTACLE OUTLETS AND BRANCH CIRCUIT FEEDERS

RECEPTACLES
The simplest and most effective method to protect receptacle outlets against electrocution is
through the installation of ground- fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) (as shown in FIGURE 3). If
you wish to receive a copy of the Commission's fact sheet on GFCls, send a postcard to
"Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupters, Washington, D.C. 20207," and a copy will be sent promptly.
Another method of protection in the home is to install 3-wire receptacles which will accept either
2- or 3-prong plugs (as shown in FIGURE 2). This method, however, requires a grounding
conductor which may or may not be available in the outlet box. The least acceptable method is
installing another 2-wire receptacle that requires the use of an adapter for accepting 3-wire plugs
(as shown in FIGURE 1). Even thought the tab on the adapter may be properly connected to the
cover-plate screw, the grounding path may not be adequate to protect against ground faults.

Outlets with poor internal contacts or loose wire terminals may become overheated and emit
sparks. Even a receptacle with nothing plugged into it may run hot if it is passing current through
to other outlets on the same circuit. To prevent damage to receptacles, appliances should be
switched-off before unplugging from a receptacle.

BRANCH CIRCUIT FEEDERS

Article 100 defines feeders as: All circuit conductors between the service equipment, the source
of a separately derived system, or other power supply source and the final branch-circuit
overcurrent device.
It is better this way, The circuit conductors that supply power to a branch-circuit overcurrent
device or to a panel that contains such devices. The power may come from the service
equipment, a separately derived system, or other power supply source.
A feeder runs between an overcurrent protection device (OCPD) at the supply and a downstream
OCPD (typically supplying a branch circuit), while a branch circuit runs between an OCPD and
an outlet (or final load). In other words, a feeder supplies power to a branch-circuit OCPD
which, in turn, powers a branch circuit. However, you size that branch-circuit OCPD based on
branch-circuit load calculations (and outlet requirements), not on feeder calculations.
Because a feeder occupies this between space in power distribution, feeder requirements are
simpler and fewer than branch requirements. Consequently, Art. 215 is much shorter than Art.
210.

Article 210 also devotes extensive space to dwelling-area branch circuits. But because they
occupy the between space in power distribution, feeders have minimal requirements for
dwellings [215.2(A)(3)].

Minimum rating
Determine the minimum feeder conductor size, before applying any conductor adjustment and/or
correction factors, by adding the two following quantities: 125% of the continuous load [215.2]
and 100% of the noncontinuous load. Once you have the total load, size the minimum conductor
required to carry that load based on the terminal temperature rating ampacities as listed in Table
310.16 [110.14(C)]. Size the OCPDs based on this same ampacity [215.3 and 240.4].

Fig. 1. Feeder ampacity must be no less than 125%

of the continuous load, plus 100% of the noncontinuous load (200A 2 1.25 4 250A). Note that
equipment suitable for 100% continuous loading is rarely available in ratings under 400A. The
NEC requires the feeder grounded (neutral) conductor not to be smaller than the size listed in
Table 250.122 (Table), based on the rating of the feeder OCPD.

Table 310.16 and 220.61 would permit an 8 AWG grounded (neutral) conductor rated 50A at
75C to carry the 50A unbalanced load; however, Table 250.122 requires that the grounded
(neutral) conductor not be smaller than 4 AWG.

Fig. 2.
The size of the grounded neutral conductor must not be smaller than specified in 250.122, based
on the rating of the feeder overcurrent protection device.
Consider the size of the service conductors when you size feeder conductors. Feeder conductors
for individual dwelling units or mobile homes needn't be larger than service conductors sized per
310.15(B)(6). For the sake of efficiency, you should size the conductors to minimize voltage
drop. Doing so is an engineering consideration, not an NEC requirement [215.2(A)(3) FPN No.
2] High-leg identification
On a 4-wire, delta-connected, 3-phase system where the midpoint of one phase winding is
grounded the conductor with the highest phase voltage-to-ground (208V) is called the highleg.
Panelboards supplied by a 4-wire, delta-connected, 3-phase system must have the high-leg
conductor (208V) terminate to the B (center) phase of a panelboard [408.3(E)]. (This has been
a rule since 1975). An exception to 408.3(E) permits the high-leg conductor to terminate to the
C phase when the meter is located in the same section of a switchboard or panelboard.
Ensure this high-leg conductor is durably and permanently marked with an orange outer finish
(see Color System) at each point a connection is made where the grounded (neutral) conductor is
present [110.15]. The NEC says you can use other means but doesn't provide further detail. Get
permission from the AHJ to use some other means.
Ground-fault protection of equipment
Article 100 tells us that ground-fault protection of equipment systems interrupt power to
protect equipment, but at lower current levels than those required to protect conductors through
the operation of a supply circuit overcurrent device.
Each solidly grounded wye electrical 277/480V feeder disconnecting means rated 1,000A or
more must be provided with ground-fault protection of equipment, and the installation must
comply with 230.95 or 240.13 [215.10].

If ground-fault protection is on the supply side of the feeder, you don't have to also provide it on
the load side; nor do you have to provide it for emergency systems [700.26] or legally required
standby systems [701.17].
Never apply ground-fault protection to fire pumps [695.6(H)], which must run no matter what. It
makes no sense to save the pump but burn down the building.

Identification
Fig. 3. The grounded (neutral) conductor of a feeder must be identified per 200.6 [215.12(A)].
The grounded (neutral) conductor of a feeder must be identified per 200.6 [215.12(A)] (Fig. 3).
The equipment grounding conductor must be identified per the requirements of 205.119, but it's
not really a grounding conductor. It's actually a bonding conductor. This conductor creates a lowimpedance path between metallic objects. Because of the low impedance, the voltage differential
between objects is low. The result is an equipotential plane between objects bonded by the
equipment grounding (bonding) conductors. Equipment grounding (bonding) conductors:

Can be bare, or individually covered or insulated.

Sized 6 AWG and smaller that are insulated must have a continuous outer finish that is
either green or green with one or more yellow stripes [250.119].

Larger than 6 AWG and insulated can be permanently reidentified with green marking (at
the time of installation) at every point where the conductor is accessible [250.119(A)].

Ungrounded conductors

Where the premises wiring system contains feeders supplied from more than one voltage system,
each ungrounded conductor (where accessible) must be identified. Identification can be by colorcoding, marking tape, tagging, or other means approved by the AHJ. System identification must
be permanently posted at each feeder panelboard or similar feeder distribution equipment.
Service conductors supply power to the service equipment, and feeders run from the service
equipment to the branch OCPD. Feeders are the between circuits that occupy the between
space in power distribution.
Sidebar: Color System
Electricians often use the following color system for power and lighting conductor identification:

120/240V single-phase black, red, and white

120/208V, 3-phase black, red, blue, and white

120/240V, 3-phase black, orange, blue, and white

277/480V, 3-phase brown, orange, yellow, and gray; or, brown, purple, yellow, and
gray.