Bundled conductors

[Greg Jenkins]

I am looking for some info. on how conductors are allowed to be bundled inside panleboards. Any help would be appreciated. Take a look a these pictures. This panel dates back to 1975.

[Jerry Peck]

Typically, in a panelboard that is not a problem because you have less than 24" conductors that way, however, ...


... in your photos, you will see that the conductors go down, are bent into a 'U' and go back up, so they may well be greater than 24" bundled up. The easy solution is to bend the conductors to the breakers as they come down to where the breakers are, cutting off the excess length - problem solved.

[Greg Jenkins]

Is there any reference to this in the nec?

[Jerry Peck]

Is there any reference to this in the nec?

To bundling? Yes.

If you mean "within a panel enclosure", yes, that is included in the *general statement* about bundling and lack of maintaining space.

Doubling those conductors back over themselves as shown simply doubles the number of conductors to be counted. The intent is to allow heat to ventilate out from the conductor, more conductors traps more heat in, bending them back over themselves does the same thing - there are still that many carrying current and the associated heat.

[Greg Jenkins]

Thanks Jerry!