ARTICLE

215 FEEDERS
Introduction to Article 215—Feeders
Article 215 contains the general requirements for feeder conductors which extend between a service disconnect, transformer, gener-
ator, PV system output circuit, or other power-supply source and the branch-circuit overcurrent protective device. Feeders have specific
requirement permissions that differ from branch circuits making the proper identification of feeders critical. Some of these rules are
outside of the scope of this material, however we do cover the following topics in this article:
} Scope
} Feeder Rating and Size
} Overcurrent Protection
} Equipment Grounding Conductor

(1) Without Conductor Ampacity Correction/Adjustment. Feeder

215.2 Conductor Sizing
conductors must be sized to have an ampacity of not less than 125
(A) General. Feeder conductors must be sized to have an ampacity percent of the continuous loads, plus 100 percent of the noncontinuous
not less than the largest of the calculations contained in 215.2(1) or loads, based on the temperature rating of equipment in accordance
(2). Figure 215–4 with 110.14(C)(1) and Table 310.16, prior to conductor ampacity
correction and/or adjustment. Figure 215–5

}Figure 215–4
}Figure 215–5

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215.2 | Feeders

} Example 1
Question: What size conductors are required for a 100A continuous
load and 100A noncontinuous load where the equipment is rated for
75°C conductor? Figure 215–6
(a) 1/0 AWG (b) 2/0 AWG (c) 3/0 AWG (d) 4/0 AWG

}Figure 215–7

Ex 2: Conductors that terminate to pressure connectors in separate

enclosures or wireways at both ends in accordance with 110.14(C)(2)
can have an ampacity of 100 percent of all loads based on the 90°C
}Figure 215–6 column of Table 310.16. Figure 215–8

Step 1: Determine the minimum conductor ampacity.

Minimum Conductor Ampacity = (100A × 125%) x 100A
Minimum Conductor Ampacity = 225A
Step 2: Determine the conductor size.
4/0 AWG THWN-2, rated 230A [Table 310.16, 75°C column]
Answer: (d) 4/0 AWG

f Example 2
Question: What size conductors are required for a 180A continuous
load where the equipment is rated for 75°C conductor? Figure 215–7
(a) 1/0 AWG (b) 2/0 AWG (c) 3/0 AWG (d) 4/0 AWG }Figure 215–8

Solution:
Step 1: Determine the minimum conductor ampacity.
Minimum Conductor Ampacity = 180A × 125%
Minimum Conductor Ampacity = 225A
Step 2: Determine the conductor size.
4/0 AWG THWN-2, rated 230A [Table 310.16, 75°C column]
Answer: (d) 4/0 AWG

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 Feeders | 215.2

f Example
Question: What size AWG, THWN-2 feeder conductors rated 90°C are
required between power distribution blocks rated 90°C for a circuit
supplying a 180A continuous load where the circuit overcurrent protec-
tion is 225A? Figure 215–9
(a) 1/0 AWG (b) 2/0 AWG (c) 3/0 AWG (d) 4/0 AWG

}Figure 215–10

f Example
Question: What size neutral conductor rated 90°C is required for a
125A continuous neutral load where the equipment is rated for 75°C
}Figure 215–9 conductor? Figure 215–11

Solution: (a) 1 AWG (b) 2 AWG (c) 3 AWG (d) 4 AWG

Step 1: Determine the minimum conductor ampacity. Solution:
When terminals of separately installed connectors at each end of a Step 1: The neutral conductor is sized to the 125A continuous load
conductor are rated at least 90°C, the feeder conductor between the at 100 percent [215.2(A)(1) Ex 3].
90°C rated connectors can be sized to no less than 100 percent of
the 180A continuous load based on the 90°C column of Table 310.16 Step 2: Size the conductors in accordance with 110.14(C)(1)(b)(2)
[215.2(A)(1) Ex 2]. and Table 310.16.
••• 1 AWG has an ampacity of 130A [Table 310.16, 75°C column].
Minimum Conductor Ampacity = 2/0 AWG THWN-2, rated 195A
at 90°C.
Step 2: Determine the conductor size.
The feeder conductors must be sized so they are protected by a 225A
circuit breaker in accordance with 240.4.
2/0 AWG THWN-2 rated 195A at 90°C is not permitted to be protected
by a 225A circuit breaker.
3/0 AWG THWN-2 rated 225A at 90°C is permitted to be protected
by a 225A circuit breaker.
Answer: (c) 3/0 AWG
}Figure 215–11
Ex 3: Neutral conductors are permitted to have an ampacity of 100
percent of the continuous and noncontinuous loads. Figure 215–10 Answer: (a) 1 AWG

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215.2 | Feeders

Ex: If the assembly, including the overcurrent devices protecting the

Conductor Ampacity at 90°C = Continuous Load at 100%/
feeder, is listed for operation at 100 percent of its rating, the ampacity
(Correction × Adjustment)
of the conductors can be sized at 100 percent of the continuous load
plus the noncontinuous load. Continuous Load = 180A

(2) With Conductor Ampacity Correction/Adjustment. Conductors Correction [Table 310.15(B)(1)(1)] = 91% (100°F ambient tempera-
must be sized to have an ampacity of not less than 100 percent of ture with 90°C Conductor)
the total load after conductor ampacity correction and/or adjustment Adjustment [Table 310.15(C)(1)] = 80% (four current-carrying
in accordance with Table 310.15(B)(1)(1) and Table 310.15(C)(1). conductors)
Figure 215–12
Conductor Ampacity at 90°C Column = 180A/(91% × 80%)
Conductor Ampacity at 90°C Column = 180A/73%
Conductor Ampacity at 90°C Column = 247A
Step 2: Select the conductors from the 90°C column of Table 310.16
[110.14(C)(1)(b)(2)]. Figure 215–13

}Figure 215–12

f Example
}Figure 215–13
Question: What size conductors rated 90°C are required for four
current-carrying conductors supplying a 180A continuous load in 4/0 AWG THWN-2 is suitable because it has an ampacity of 260A at
an ambient temperature of 100°F where the equipment is rated for 90°C before any correction and adjustment.
75°C conductor?
Note: According to 215.2(A), the feeder conductor size is determined
(a) 4/0 AWG (b) 300 kcmil (c) 500 kcmil (d) 600 kcmil by the larger of 215.2(A)(1) or (2). In this case, based on the conditions
Note: According to 215.2(A), the feeder conductor size is determined specified in this example, 4/0 AWG is the minimum size. Figure 215–14
by the larger of 215.2(A)(1) or (2). Answer: (a) 4/0 AWG
Solution:
Step 1: The circuit conductors must have an ampacity of 180A after
conductor ampacity temperature correction [Table 310.15(B)(1)(1)]
and adjustment [Table 310.15(C)(1)], based on the conductor’s insula-
tion rating of 90°C. One way to find the conductor size is to determine
the conductor ampacity required to supply a 180A continuous load
at 100 percent after correction and adjustment.

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 Feeders | 215.2

f Example
Question: What size neutral conductor is required for a feeder consisting
of 3/0 AWG phase conductors and one neutral conductor protected
by a 200A overcurrent protective device when the unbalanced load is
30A and the equipment is rated for 75°C conductor? Figure 215–16
(a) 3 AWG (b) 4 AWG (c) 6 AWG (d) 8 AWG

}Figure 215–14

Note 2: The NEC recommends that feeder conductors be sized to

prevent a voltage drop of not more than 3 percent. In addition, it recom-
mends that the total voltage drop on both feeders and branch circuits
should not exceed 5 percent.
(B) Neutral Conductor Size. The neutral conductor must be sized }Figure 215–16
to carry the maximum unbalanced load in accordance with 220.61,
but must not be smaller than the equipment grounding conductor in Solution:
accordance with 250.122. Figure 215–15 Section 220.61 and Table 310.16 permits 10 AWG neutral conductor
rated 30A at 75°C [110.14(C)(1) and Table 310.16] to carry the 30A
unbalanced load, but must not be smaller than the 6 AWG equipment
grounding conductor in accordance with 250.122.
Answer: (c) 6 AWG

}Figure 215–15

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