In a typical electrical system, what is a feeder?

• A. A term for the wiring inside a single device.
• B. A circuit that supplies lighting only.
• C. A protective device that opens on fault.
• D. Conductors and equipment that distribute power from the service to subpanels or distribution points.

Answer: (D)

Feeder power paths are the main arteries of an electrical system, carrying power from the service equipment to where it’s distributed further, such as subpanels or other distribution points. A feeder includes the conductors and the equipment needed to move that power to downstream panels, and it is sized to carry the load that will be fed to those downstream locations. The protective device that limits current for the feeder is typically located at its origin, in the service panel or main disconnect.

This is different from a branch circuit, which is a smaller path from a panel to individual loads like lights or outlets, and from the device’s internal wiring or a protective device itself (a breaker), which are not the entire distribution path described by a feeder. For example, power from the main panel to a subpanel in a detached garage is a feeder.