Article
Article
Branch circuit
Article By:
McPartland, Brian J. Consultant, Tappan, New York.
McPartland, Joseph F. Consultant, Tenafly, New Jersey.
Last reviewed:November 2019
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.093400
As defined by the National Electrical Code, the portion of an electrical wiring system that extends beyond the final, automatic overcurrent protective device (circuit breaker or fuse), which is recognized by the National Electrical Code for use as a branch-circuit overcurrent protector, and that terminates at the utilization equipment or outlet (such as a lighting fixture, motor, receptacle, or heater). Thermal cutouts, motor overload devices, and fuses in luminaires or plug connections, which are considered “supplementary overcurrent” devices, are not approved for branch-circuit protection and do not establish the point of origin of a branch circuit (see illustration).
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