AC wired directly to main

[Andy T. Bishop]

I need a little help.
Is it OK to wire the central air directly to the inlet feeds?
My first instinct is no! But i need a better explaination than NO!
Thanks

[Larry D. Kage]

Hi Andy. How about no because they won't have any over current protection wired like that.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

How about "Hell No?"

[Andy T. Bishop]

Wait, i did not say that quite right. It does have a sub panel but the sub is wired directly to the main wires.

[ROBERT W. NEWLAND, JR.]

Originally Posted by jpope

How about "Hell No?"

LOL!

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by abishop

Wait, i did not say that quite right. It does have a sub panel but the sub is wired directly to the main wires.

It doesn't matter. The double tap is not allowed and there is no OCP for those conductors (as previously stated).

[Andy T. Bishop]

Thanks Larry and Jeff.

[wsiegel]

"How about "Hell No?"

Easy answers are the best sometimes

[brian winkle]

Although the double tap is a violation, I believe a tap itself, if done thru a lug listed for two conductors, or thru a split bolt or a polaris type connector, would be permitted in the situation presented by the OP. It would not need separate overcurrent protection at it's source, provided it meets the requirements of 240-21.

Paul, Speedy, Greg, help me out on this one please. This is a very common setup for ganged subpanels, I think the only violation is usually the method of tapping.

It would be helpful info for the HI to know so as not to call out a violation on the OCP.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

I see where you're coming from Brian, but in this case it appears this tap is at the service conductors, which means there is no OCP at the line-side of these conductors.

240.21(B)(1)(4) implies that OCP must be provided (not to exceed 10X the conductor ampacity) at the enclosure where the tap originates (line-side of the conductors).

In other words (if I'm interpreting this correctly) the tap must be made on the load-side of the service disconnect, which would make sense to me.

[brian winkle]

Jeff, My bad, I didn't look at the pic that closely. Yes the tap would have to be made on the load side, after the first OCPD.

What we usually see here is older homes with a big knife switch outside for the main, and the AC guys will tap into the bottom of the switch, on the load side of the fuses, for their disco. It will almost always be two conductors under the screw and will get called at inspection time. The double tap will be wrong but I don't believe the tap itself is a violation, done on the load side.

I see pool equipment panels tapped this way as well.

[Jeffrey R. Pope]

Originally Posted by brian winkle

I see pool equipment panels tapped this way as well.

As do I.