Fixture wire on a 30-amp branch circuit is permitted to be ___.

Fixture wire on a 30-amp branch circuit is permitted to be ___.

• A. #10 AWG and smaller
• B. #10 AWG and larger
• C. #12 AWG and smaller
• D. #14 AWG and larger

Answer: (D)

Fixture wiring inside a luminaire is not sized to carry the full 30 A of the branch circuit. The circuit’s overcurrent protection and the feeder conductors determine that; the leads inside the fixture only need to carry the current the fixture actually draws, and they must be rated for the voltage and temperature. For a 30-amp circuit, the minimum allowable fixture wiring is 14 AWG, and thicker leads (12 AWG, 10 AWG, etc.) are also acceptable if the fixture requires them. So the fixture wiring can be 14 AWG or larger, but not smaller. This keeps the fixture safe while the circuit protection handles the higher current.

Fixture wiring inside a luminaire is not sized to carry the full 30 A of the branch circuit. The circuit’s overcurrent protection and the feeder conductors determine that; the leads inside the fixture only need to carry the current the fixture actually draws, and they must be rated for the voltage and temperature. For a 30-amp circuit, the minimum allowable fixture wiring is 14 AWG, and thicker leads (12 AWG, 10 AWG, etc.) are also acceptable if the fixture requires them. So the fixture wiring can be 14 AWG or larger, but not smaller. This keeps the fixture safe while the circuit protection handles the higher current.