Wording Question

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Zachh

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I had a question on the wording of these slides. If you look at the branch circuit slide (both attached), the wording says “no less than 125% of continuous, plus 100% of noncontinuous.” If you look at the other slide, it’s the same wording (except 100 amps).


On one, you literally mean PLUS (addition +), the other you mean plus (in addition to, also). Is that correct? That’s according to the math you show on both too.


One is literally addition math, but the other could benefit wording like “no less than 125% of continuous load and also no less than 100% of the noncontinuous load.” That may avoid confusion on the 45A example.

I’m confirming I have my thought process correct, not correcting your work. Thank you!



318AEC3B-0EEB-4211-96AE-D6BDDFCFA82B.jpg 792702A7-3F2C-4C19-B32C-DE1465C89932.jpg
 

Adamjamma

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the second picture shows a continuous load only, with no non continuous loading... so you only need the 125% of the 45 amps... which takes it to the need of a conductor that under the next size up rules gives you a 70 amp conductor at the 60 degrees requirement of the connectors...
The first picture shows continuous plus noncontinuous...

But if you want to think about it, they are both identical...

100 A * 125% = 125 for continuous, then add noncontinuous 100A so wire needed must handle 225 amps in one picture.
45 A *125% = 56.25 amps plus noncontinuous load 0 amps equals 56.25 amps.

So what wire do you need? In each case?
 

GoldDigger

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I do not think that anybody would seriously interpret either of them as meaning "125% of continuous, and also 100% of non-continuous" meaning it must be greater than both individually rather than the sum.
I do not see any ambiguity or clear lack of proper grammar in either example.


The only place I see room for nit picking is that "plus" clearly refers to addition of numbers but refers to the combination of things which are not directly numbers.

That was not very clear either. What I mean is that you can directly add the continuous amps and the non-continuous amps, but you combine the continuous loads and the non-continuous loads and then calculate the corresponding amperage.
 

infinity

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The NEC uses the word plus to mean add them together in a few different code Articles. If you look in Annex D Examples you'll see where this is clearly delineated.
 
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