Electrical Date: 01/2010

Author: Jim Cunningham

Shortz Document Number: 8998DB0803R01/10

Raleigh, NC, USA
www.schneider-electric.us/go/codes

Sizing of Motor Control Center Internal Conductors
Introduction
Keywords: Ampacity
Motor control center
MCC
Bus bar
Conductor
Schneider Electric frequently receives questions from the field about the
sizing of the bus bars in motor control centers (MCCs). Inspectors,
contractors, consultants, and end users are often under the misconception
that copper bus bars in MCCs must be sized at 1000 amperes per square
inch of cross section, and that insulated conductors must be sized per the
ampacity tables in National Electrical Code (NEC) Article 310.

Why the Misconceptions? Much of the confusion about the sizing of MCC bus bars probably comes
from the fact that some standards for similar equipment, such as UL 891,
Switchboards, and UL 67, Panelboards, allow bus bars to be sized based
on current density (amperes per square inch of cross section). One well-
known guideline is the 1000-amperes-per-square-inch rule for copper bars.
When bus bars are sized according to these current-density guidelines, it is
not necessary to validate the sizing through temperature-rise tests. What
does not seem to be as well known is that these standards also allow bus
bars to be sized based on temperature tests alone, without reference to any
current-density requirements.
The reason for the confusion about the sizing of insulated conductors is that
people assume that if the NEC requires a certain wire size to carry a given
current to or from a piece of equipment, then the same wire size should be
required inside the equipment. And, again, some standards for assembled
equipment, such as UL 891 and UL 67, allow equipment to be built with
internal insulated conductors sized per an ampacity table taken from
NEC Table 310.16. However, they also allow conductors to be sized based
on temperature tests instead of the table.

What Are the Requirements for UL Listed motor control centers must comply with the requirements of
MCCs? UL 845, Motor Control Centers, which says, A current-carrying part shall be
of such size that a temperature rise does not exceed the limits specified in
Table 22.1. This is the only requirement given in UL 845 for determining the
size of the bussing or insulated conductors within an MCC. There is no
requirement that the bus bars have a certain current density or that
insulated conductors be sized per NEC Article 310; temperature-rise testing
is done in lieu of those requirements. Schneider Electrics testing often
validates the use of smaller conductors than would be used if the
conductors were sized by these other methods. (It should be mentioned,
however, that Schneider Electric does sometimes build MCCs with bus
sized at 1000 amperes per square inch in order to meet a customer
specification or a local code.)
One difference in ULs treatment of motor control centers and their
treatment of switchboards is that switchboards may either be constructed
(and inspected) according to the requirements of the UL Procedure (which
describes more-or-less specific constructions that have been evaluated by
UL), or they may be built under the general guidelines of the UL 891
standard (which include the 1000-amperes-per-square-inch rule for bus

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Sizing of Motor Control Center Internal Conductors 8998DB0803R01/10
Electrical Shortz 01/2010

bars and an ampacity table for insulated conductors). MCCs, on the other
hand, must be constructed according to the specific descriptions in the UL
Procedure; building to the standard is not an option. Therefore, all MCC
power-circuit conductors must be evaluated by UL and described in the UL
Procedure.
The NEC requirements for sizing of insulated conductors apply only to field-
installed wires connected to the equipment, not to the wires inside the
equipment. The Code makes this very clear. Section 90.7 tells electrical
inspectors that ... factory-installed internal wiring ... need not be inspected
at the time of installation of the equipment, except to detect alterations or
damage, if the equipment has been listed by a qualified electrical testing
laboratory .... Section 310.1, which outlines the scope of Article 310 (the
article that contains the ampacity tables for insulated conductors) states,
...These requirements do not apply to conductors that form an integral part
of equipment, such as motors, motor controllers, and similar equipment... .
And Section 430.21 says that ...The provisions of Articles 250, 300, and
310 shall not apply to conductors that form an integral part of equipment,
such as motors, motor controllers, motor control centers, or other factory-
assembled control equipment.

Summary The sizes of bus bars and insulated conductors in motor control centers are
not based on the 1000-amperes-per-square-inch current-density rule or on
NEC Table 310.16, but are based on temperature-rise tests.

For More Information For more information, refer to UL 845, Motor Control Centers, Fifth Ed.,
Clause 8.2.8.3; UL 67, Eleventh Ed., 11.3.1.1 and 11.3.1.2; UL 891,
Eleventh Ed., 8.8.1.1, 9.1.1.7, and Table 28.
All above references to the NEC are to the 2005 Edition.

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