The motor-circuit protective device shall be capable of carrying the starting current of the motor. Which statement best reflects this requirement?

The motor-circuit protective device shall be capable of carrying the starting current of the motor. Which statement best reflects this requirement?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Only if starting current equals running current
• D. Only for motors under 1 hp

Answer: (A)

The starting surge matters: when a motor starts, it draws a current much higher than its running current. A motor circuit protective device must be able to handle that inrush for the brief startup period, otherwise it would trip or interrupt the start. That’s why the best statement is that the protective device shall be capable of carrying the starting current. The other ideas don’t fit because starting current is typically not equal to running current, and protection isn’t limited to motors under a certain horsepower—the inrush can occur across many motor sizes, so a device must be designed to tolerate it to allow proper starting.

The starting surge matters: when a motor starts, it draws a current much higher than its running current. A motor circuit protective device must be able to handle that inrush for the brief startup period, otherwise it would trip or interrupt the start. That’s why the best statement is that the protective device shall be capable of carrying the starting current.

The other ideas don’t fit because starting current is typically not equal to running current, and protection isn’t limited to motors under a certain horsepower—the inrush can occur across many motor sizes, so a device must be designed to tolerate it to allow proper starting.