# 312.8



## Plakerio (Apr 3, 2011)

I have little space to work with so as opposed to doing elaborate pipe work I placed my disconnects on top of each other, with a rigid nipple and chase nipples. My question is the way I read 312.8 I can have my wire run thru my disconnects to feed the other disconnect, as long as I don't exceed 40% fill and label with closest disconnect means. So why then does everyone I talk to shy away from this as a practice?


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Plakerio said:


> I have little space to work with so as opposed to doing elaborate pipe work I placed my disconnects on top of each other, with a rigid nipple and chase nipples. My question is the way I read 312.8 I can have my wire run thru my disconnects to feed the other disconnect, as long as I don't exceed 40% fill and label with closest disconnect means. So why then does everyone I talk to shy away from this as a practice?


Because with the wording of that section in the 2008 and earlier codes, most stopped reading at the end of the first sentence and that told you that you could not run other circuits through the disconnect.


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

Many people may be thinking of 230.7 where you cannot run service conductors in the same raceway as non service conductors. They learn this and then generalize to all conductors.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Plakerio said:


> I have little space to work with so as opposed to doing elaborate pipe work I placed my disconnects on top of each other, with a rigid nipple and chase nipples. My question is the way I read 312.8 I can have my wire run thru my disconnects to feed the other disconnect, as long as I don't exceed 40% fill and label with closest disconnect means. So why then does everyone I talk to shy away from this as a practice?


This is what the 2011 says.



> *312.8 Switch and Overcurrent Device Enclosures with
> Splices, Taps, and Feed-Through Conductors.*
> The wiring space of enclosures for switches or overcurrent devices
> shall be permitted for conductors feeding through, spliced,
> ...


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## MasterE (Dec 31, 2011)

Not to mention if you have to go back and change one disconnect out depending on which one, you could end up re pulling every one just to replace one disconnect. Is there room to run a vertical wire way next to the disconnects ?


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

MasterE said:


> Not to mention if you have to go back and change one disconnect out depending on which one, you could end up re pulling every one just to replace one disconnect. Is there room to run a vertical wire way next to the disconnects ?


exactly a trough.


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## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Be prepared to have it questioned.


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## BuzzKill (Oct 27, 2008)

when I first started the trade I always heard you couldn't make taps in a panel


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## BBQ (Nov 16, 2010)

MasterE said:


> Not to mention if you have to go back and change one disconnect out depending on which one, you could end up re pulling every one just to replace one disconnect.


So what if you do?


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