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Section

10
Motor Feeders and Starters

10.1.0 Introduction
10.1.1 Sizing Motor-Circuit Feeders and Their Overcurrent Protection
10.1.2 NEC Table 430.7(B), Locked-Rotor-Indicating Code Letters
10.1.3 Motor-Circuit Data Sheets
10.1.4 480-V System (460-V Motors) Three-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders
10.1.5 208-V System (200-V Motors) Three-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders
10.1.6 115-V Single-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders
10.1.7 200-V Single-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders
10.1.8 230-V Single-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders
10.1.9 Motor Starter Characteristics (for Squirrel-Cage Motors)
10.1.10 Reduced-Voltage Starter Characteristics
10.1.11 Reduced-Voltage Starter Selection Table

10.1.0 Introduction
Motors comprise a significant portion of a building’s electrical system loads. They
are needed to power fans and pumps for basic mechanical building infrastructure
such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, fire protection, elevators,
and escalators. They are also needed to power equipment endemic to the occupancy,
such as commercial kitchen equipment in an institutional facility, CT and MRI
scanners in a hospital, and process equipment such as conveyors and machinery in
an industrial plant or stone quarry. Consequently, designing motor-circuit feeders is
very much in the mainstream of the electrical design professional’s daily work. To
save time in this process, the following information is provided.

10.1.1 Sizing Motor-Circuit Feeders

and Their Overcurrent Protection
AC Single-Phase Motors, Polyphase Motors Other Than Wound-Rotor (Synchronous*
and Induction Other Than Code E †)
1. Feeder wire size 125 percent of motor full-load current minimum.
2. Feeder breaker (thermal-magnetic fixed-trip type) 250 percent of full-load current
maximum.
3. Feeder breaker (instantaneous magnetic-only type) 800 percent of full-load
current maximum.
*Synchronous motors of the low-torque, low-speed type (usually 450 rpm or lower), such as those used to drive reciprocating compressors, pumps,
etc., that start unloaded, do not require a fuse rating or circuit breaker setting in excess of 200 percent of full-load current.
† For code E induction motors, everything is the same as above except that if an instantaneous magnetic-only type circuit breaker is used, it shall
have a maximum setting of 1100 percent.

10.1
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10.2 Section Ten

4. Feeder fuse (dual-element time-delay type) 175 percent of full-load current

maximum.
5. Feeder fuse (NEC non-time-delay type) 300 percent of full-load current maximum.

For Wound-Rotor Motors

1. Feeder wire size 125 percent of motor full-load current minimum.
2. Feeder breaker (thermal-magnetic fixed-trip type) 150 percent of full-load current
maximum.
3. Feeder breaker (instantaneous magnetic-only type) 800 percent of full-load
current maximum.
4. Feeder fuse (dual-element time-delay type) 150 percent of full-load current
maximum.
5. Feeder fuse (NEC non-time-delay type) 150 percent of full-load current maximum.

For Hermetic Motors (Special Case). Hermetic motors are actually a combination
consisting of a compressor and motor, both of which are enclosed in the same hous-
ing, with no external shaft or shaft seals, the motor operating in the refrigerant;
thus their characteristics are different from those of standard induction motors.
Calculating their feeder size and overcurrent protection is based on their nameplate
branch-circuit selection current (BCSC) or their rated-load current (RLC),
whichever is greater. The BCSC is always equal to or greater than the RLC. Hence,
the following:
1. Feeder wire size 125 percent of BCSC/RLC maximum.
2. Feeder breaker (thermal-magnetic fixed-trip type) 175 to 225 percent of
BCSC/RLC maximum.
3. Feeder breaker (instantaneous magnetic-only type) 800 percent of BCSC/RLC
maximum.
4. Feeder fuse (dual-element time-delay type) 175 to 225 percent of BCSC/RLC maxi-
mum.
5. Feeder fuse (NEC non-time-delay type) not recommended—Do not use.

DC (Constant-Voltage) Motors

1. Feeder wire size 125 percent of motor full-load current maximum.

2. Feeder breaker (thermal-magnetic fixed-trip type) 150 percent of full-load current
maximum.
3. Feeder breaker (instantaneous magnetic-only type) 250 percent of full-load cur-
rent maximum.
4. Feeder fuse (dual-element time-delay type) 150 percent of full-load current
maximum.
5. Feeder fuse (NEC non-time-delay type) 150 percent of full-load current maximum.

For Multiple Motors on One Feeder. First, size feeder and overcurrent protection for
largest motor and add the full-load current of the remaining motors to size the
overall feeder and overcurrent protection.

Application Tips

1. Refer to NEC Articles 430 and 440 for further details on sizing motor feeders
and overcurrent protection.
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Motor Feeders and Starters 10.3

2. For elevator motors, always try to get the full-load current because the nameplate
horsepower on many machines is about 10 to 25 percent below the actual rating.
3. For packaged-type evaporative condensers with many small fans nominally
rated 1 hp (for example), be sure to get the full-load current because these are
really equivalent to about 2 hp (for example) each, and feeders sized on nominal
horsepower ratings will be inadequate. Remember to size the feeder and over-
current protection as a multiple motor load. Also refer to NEC Article 440.
4. Note that maximum and minimum have precise meanings and that feeder
sizes shall not be less than the calculated minimum within 3 or 4 percent (e.g.,
30-A-rated no. 10 wire is OK for a 31-A load) and breaker sizes shall not be
more than the maximum indicated. In general, for larger motor sizes, the over-
current protection needed decreases considerably from the maximum limit.
5. In sizing nonfused disconnects for motors, use the horsepower rating table in the
manufacturer’s catalog or realize that, in general, a nonfused disconnect switch
should be rated the same as a switch fused with a dual-element time-delay fuse.
6. When sizing feeders for tape drives in mainframe data centers, it is usually
necessary to oversize both the overcurrent protection and the feeder to accom-
modate the long acceleration time characteristic of this equipment.
7. Today’s highly energy-efficient motors are characterized by low losses and high
inrush currents, thus requiring overcurrent protection sized at or near the
maximum limit prescribed by the NEC when these motors are used.
8. For NEC locked-rotor-indicating code letters, refer to Table 10.1.2 [NEC Table
430.7(B)].

10.1.2 NEC Table 430.7(B),

Locked-Rotor-Indicating Code Letters

TABLE 10.1.2

(© 2001, NFPA)

10.1.3 Motor-Circuit Data Sheets

The following motor-circuit data sheets provide recommended design standards
for branch-circuit protection and wiring of squirrel-cage induction motors of the
sizes and voltages most frequently encountered in commercial, institutional, and
industrial facilities. Experience has shown that most facilities of this type use cop-
per wire and use no. 12 AWG wire and 3⁄4-in conduit as minimum sizes for power
distribution. These standards are reflected in the tables that follow. Refer also to
the notes to these tables for assumptions and other criteria used.
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10.4 Section Ten

10.1.4 480-V System (460-V Motors) Three-Phase

Motor-Circuit Feeders

TABLE 10.1.4
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Motor Feeders and Starters 10.5

10.1.5 208-V System (200-V Motors) Three-Phase

Motor-Circuit Feeders

TABLE 10.1.5
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10.6 Section Ten

10.1.6 115-V Single-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders

TABLE 10.1.6

10.1.7 200-V Single-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders

TABLE 10.1.7
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Motor Feeders and Starters 10.7

10.1.8 230-V Single-Phase Motor-Circuit Feeders

TABLE 10.1.8

10.1.9 Motor Starter Characteristics

(for Squirrel-Cage Motors)
There are fundamentally two types of motor starters, full voltage (both reversing
and nonreversing) and reduced voltage. In the information that follows, their
characteristics and selection criteria are briefly summarized.

Full-voltage starters. A squirrel-cage motor draws high starting current

(inrush) and produces high starting torque when started at full voltage.
While these values differ for different motor designs, for a typical NEMA
design B motor, the inrush will be approximately 600 percent of the motor
full-load amperage (FLA) rating, and the starting torque will be approximately
150 percent of full-load torque at full voltage. High current inrush and starting
torque can cause problems in the electrical and mechanical systems and may
even cause damage to utilization equipment or materials being processed.

Reduced-voltage starters. When a motor is started at reduced voltage, the

current at the motor terminals is reduced in direct proportion to the voltage
reduction, whereas the torque is reduced by the square of the voltage reduction.
If the “typical” NEMA design B motor is started at 70 percent of line voltage,
the starting current would be 70 percent of the full-voltage value (i.e., 0.70 
600%  420% FLA). The torque would then be 0.70 2, or 49%, of the normal
starting torque (i.e., 0.49  150%  74% full-load torque). Therefore,
reduced-voltage starting provides an effective means of both reducing inrush
current and starting torque.
If the motor has a high inertia, or if the motor rating is marginal for the applied
load, reducing the starting torque may prevent the motor from reaching full speed
before the thermal overloads trip. Applications that require high starting torque
should be reviewed carefully to determine if reduced-voltage starting is suitable. As
a rule, motors with a horsepower rating in excess of 15 percent of the kVA rating of
the transformer feeding it should use reduced-voltage start.
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10.8 Section Ten

There are several types of electromechanical as well as solid-state reduced-voltage

starters that provide different starting characteristics. The following tables from
Square D Company are a good representation of industry standard characteristics.
Table 10.1.10 shows the starting characteristics for Square D’s class 8600 series of
reduced-voltage starters compared with full-voltage starting along with the advan-
tages and disadvantages of each type. Table 10.1.11 provides an aid in the selection of
the starter best suited for a particular application and desired starting characteristic.

10.1.10 Reduced-Voltage Starter Characteristics

TABLE 10.1.10

(Courtesy of Square D/Schneider Electric)

10.1.11 Reduced-Voltage Starter Selection Table

TABLE 10.1.11

(Courtesy of Square D/Schneider Electric)