230.7 Other Conductors in Raceway or Cable.

Only Service conductors are permitted within the service raceway. Question, based on the word “line” marked in the service disconnect, which side of the service disconnect must the service conductors be terminated to? Notice that the grounded neutral service conductor is taped white at the terminations. Would this be permitted if the neutral was 6 AWG?
Click to Enlarge
Only Service conductors are permitted within the service raceway. Question, based on the word “line” marked in the service disconnect, which side of the service disconnect must the service conductors be terminated to? Notice that the grounded neutral service conductor is taped white at the terminations. Would this be permitted if the neutral was 6 AWG?

Code Change Summary: Clarifications were made as to what is permitted to be installed in service cables and raceways.

Conductors other than service conductors are not permitted in the same service raceway or service cable in which the service conductors are installed.

The previous 2014 code language in this section was pretty clear before, but someone must have felt that it needed further clarification.

One main point to keep in mind is that the code section applies only to service raceways and service cables, not service gutters or the cross section of a service panel cabinet where the service conductors are permitted to intermingle among branch circuit conductors and feeders.

Keeping branch circuits and feeders out of the service raceway ensures that in the event of a fault condition, the unprotected service conductors do not energize feeders or branch circuits with current levels higher than they are rated to carry.

Below is a preview of Article 230. See the actual NEC® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2017 NEC® edition of NFPA 70.

2014 Code Language:

230.7 Other Conductors in Raceway or Cable. Conductors other than service conductors shall not be installed in the same service raceway or service cable.

Exception No. 1: Grounding electrode conductors and equipment bonding jumpers or conductors.

Exception No. 2: Load management control conductors having overcurrent protection.

2017 Code Language:

230.7 Other Conductors in Raceway or Cable. Conductors other than service conductors shall not be installed in the same service raceway or service cable in which the service conductors are installed.

Exception No. 1: Grounding electrode conductors or supply side bonding jumpers or conductors shall be permitted within service raceways.

Exception No. 2: Load management control conductors having overcurrent protection shall be permitted within service raceways.

Did You Like This? Let Us Know With A Like! Thanks!

230.7 Other Conductors in Raceway or Cable.

Below is a Real Question from our Electrical Continuing Education Courses for Electrical License Renewal:

Which of the following is true of a raceway containing service conductors?

A: It can also contain branch circuit conductors.
B: It can also contain feeder conductors.
C: It CANNOT contain branch circuits and feeders.
D: It CANNOT contain service cables.
Please register or sign in for electrical continuing education courses.

If you were already signed in, your session probably expired, please sign back in.