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dpb

On 13-Nov-17 12:06 PM, wrote:
....

Sure, but why is that wire less susceptible to a short than a wire not
feeding a motor? If the OCD is there to protect the wire, it doesn't
matter what fails on the other end of it.

It isn't, but a short is by definition a high-current event so the size
of the breaker is essentially immaterial.

The amperage rating of the breaker protects against continuous
overcurrent; the motor is different in that the high current only lasts
for a few msec at most; the current draw is well within the ampacity of
the wire otherwise.

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