Voltage Drop as a Design

Issue…
How far
can
you
go?
75’ 15A/120V RCP
outlet in shed
supplied by 100+
ft. run of#14
There is no limit in the NEC as to how far a 15
or 20A/120V branch circuit can be run from a
service to supply an outlet. This would be
merely a design issue, except that at a certain
point, the circuit breaker may not function as
required if a ground-fault or short-circuit
occurs.
outbuildin
g
Thermal/magnetic circuit
breakers…
 Thermal: Inverse time response
 Always engaged
 Time shortens as overcurrent
increases
 Intended as protection against low-
level overcurrents
 Magnetic: Instantaneous
response
 Engages when a preset
overcurrent is reached
 When engaged, magnetic
response
“Magnetic Tripping clears circuit in 1-cycle
Characteristics:
The lower rightor less
portion of each trip curve displays the magnetic tripping response of the circuit breaker.
This takes place when overcurrents of sufficient magnitude operate an internal magnetic armature
which unlatches the mechanism. Magnetic tripping occurs with no intentional time delay.”
-Schneider/Square D- Characteristic Trip Curve #730-2: QO 15A/1-pole
The Problem…
Short-circuit field test data reveals that the
magnetic response in the circuit breaker
protecting the majority of installed 15A/120V
receptacle outlets is not triggered by a short-
circuit or ground-fault, leaving those outlets with
thermal overload protection only, in
violation of NEC 250.4(A)(5) and other NEC
requirements.
Among those outlets in which a thermal
mechanism is the breaker’s only available
response to a short-circuit or ground-fault,
nearly 1 in 5 circuits incur insulation
damage*when a short-circuit or ground-fault
occurs, creating an unsafe wiring condition in
those circuits.
Substantiation: Test Data
Number of outlets in sample: 1017
CIRCUIT BREAKER RESPONSE SUMMARY DATA
MAGNETIC RESPONSES (<=1 cycle): 43% 438
HIGHEST I2T VALUE OF ANY MAGNETIC RESPONSE IN 20,358
SAMPLE: (amps-squared-seconds)
THERMAL RESPONSES (> 1 cycle): 57% 579
POTENTIAL INSULATION DAMAGE: 18% 104
# THERMAL RESPONSES > ICEA limit
(47,000 amps-squared-seconds = ICEA limit on I2T heating for #14 cable* )
INSULATION DAMAGE: 88,804
Highest recorded I2T conductor heating value

ICEA: Publication P32-382-2007, “Short-Circuit Characteristics of Insulated

Cables”
Substantiation: Fire Data…
“One-half of 2002-2005 non-confined home structure
fires involving wiring involved an unspecified short-
circuit arc or unclassified electrical failure…These 2
leading factors lack details on the nature of the failure.”
“One-third of 2002-2005 non-confined home structure
fires involving wiring began with ignition of wire or
cable insulation.”
HOME STRUCTURE FIRES INVOLVING
ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION OR LIGHTING EQUIPMENT
National Fire Protection Association
March 2008
250.4(A)(5) requires
instantaneous breaker response
to ground-faults…
“Electrical equipment and other electrically conductive
material likely to become energized shall be installed in a
manner that creates a permanent, low-impedance circuit
facilitating the operation of the overcurrent device
[underlining added] or ground detector for high-impedance
grounded systems. It shall be capable of safely carrying
the maximum ground-fault current likely to be imposed on
it from any point on the wiring system where a ground-
fault may occur to the electrical supply source. The earth
shall not be considered as an effective ground-fault current
path.”

By the use of the phrase, “…facilitating the operation of the

overcurrent device…”, CMP-5 intends that a
thermal/magnetic circuit breaker must respond
magnetically to a fault to the equipment-grounding
conductor of the circuit.
-CMP-5 re intent of 250.4(A)(5)
There is a Simple Solution …

Limiting voltage-
drop will assure
that sufficient
fault current is
available to
trigger
instantaneous
breaker response
to fault current.
Voltage Drop &
Available Short-Circuit
Current
15A/120V
1 1 1
OUTLET DISTANCE 14V
50 20V
52 26V
55
15A VD 5.0 5.0 5.0
ASCC 298 301 299
MULTIPLE 20 20 20
I 2T (max safe = 47,000) 1,480 1,508 1,491

20A/120V
1 1 1
OUTLET DISTANCE 14V
59 20V
62 26V
65
15A VD 5.0 5.0 5.0
ASCC 400 401 401
MULTIPLE 20 20 20
I 2T (max safe=120,000) 2,677 2,684 2,691
Compliance…

Plug-in voltage drop

testers are available to
establish VD @
panelboard
Pocket calculators,
charts & on-line
calculators are all
readily available to
calculate branch circuit
VD, based on inputted
wire size and length.
Relative 15A/120V
outlet 75’
Cost… from main

Approximate material
costs for a 50’- 100A SECOND FLOOR
aluminum feeder and
subpanel, 6- 20A, 6-
15A/120V and 1- LIVING/DINING KITCHEN
50A/240V range ckt 25’
each for kitchen and
vicinity = $145 BASEMENT
Approximate material
costs for 6- 20A, 6- MAIN PANEL- 100A
15A/120V and 1 VD = 1.0% FEEDER TO
50A/240V range circuit 100A
SUBPANEL
all individual copper
branch
NET circuitsSAVINGS
MATERIALS 75’ long W/ SUBPANEL $100.
for kitchen and vicinity
Enforcement
At final inspection of an
installation, plug a voltage- SECOND FLOOR
drop tester into the
furthest outlet from the
service.
Set the test load to the FIRST FLOOR
rating of the branch circuit
being tested (15 or 20A).
A reading of 5% or less at BASEMENT
the furthest outlet from a
load center or panelboard
is acceptable. All other MAIN
outlets powered by that SERVICE
same panelboard will DISCONNEC
exhibit VD <= the furthest T
outlet.