168 Modern Commercial Wiring Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. • Feeder—A conductor that originates at the main distribution or main disconnect device and terminates at another distribution center, panelboard, or load center. • Subfeeders—These conductors originate at distribution centers other than the main distribution center and extend to panelboards, load centers, and disconnect switches that supply branch circuits. • Panelboard—This can be a single panel or multiple panels containing switches, fuses, and circuit breakers for switching, controlling, and protecting circuits. • Branch circuits—The portion of the wiring system extending past the final overcurrent fi device. These circuits usually originate at a panel and transfer power to load devices. 12.2 Branch Circuits Any circuit that extends beyond the final fi overcurrent protective device is called a branch circuit. This includes circuits servicing single motors (individual) and circuits serving many lights and receptacles (multiwire). Branch circuits are usually low current (30 amps or less), but can also supply high currents. A basic branch circuit is made up of conduc- tors extending from the final overcurrent pro- fi tective device to the load. Some branch circuits originate at safety switches (disconnects), but most originate at a panelboard. The follow- ing are several branch circuit classificationsfi (Figure 12-2): • Individual branch circuit—A branch circuit that supplies a single load. • Multioutlet branch circuit—A branch circuit with multiple loads. • General purpose branch circuit—A multioutlet branch circuit that supplies multiple outlets for appliances and lighting. • Appliance branch circuit—A branch circuit that supplies a single appliance load. • Multiwire branch circuit—A branch circuit with two or more ungrounded conductors and one grounded conductor. Goodheart-Willcox Publisher Figure 12-1. Conductors are classified based on their location in the electrical supply system. Main service disconnect Feeders Distribution center Panelboard (final OCPD) Branch circuits Subfeeders Service conductors Panelboard (final OCPD)