Reconditioned and Surplus Busway Tap Boxes

Like all things a busway system has to start somewhere. In many cases the start of a busway system is a tap box. The most common tap box use is to feed power at the beginning of the busway run, connected by pipe and wire from a distribution panel.

Legacy stocks and sources recondioned and surplus tap boxes for all manufacturer's busway series.

Flavors

Tap boxes come in a few different types. The most common are explained below.

End Cable Tap Box

This is the most common. The tap box plugs on to one end of the busway run. A neck extends from a metal housing that encloses the lugs to supply power to the bus bars. The sides remove to allow access to the lugs. Pipe and wire is normally used to supply the power.

Plug-in Tap Box

Another common tap box soluton that plugs in to plug-in busway through a port hole. These install like a bus plug (no over-current protection). A plug-in tap box requires two end closures for the busway run. There are a couple of advantages to this style. One is that it can plug in anywhere along the bus run. Two, a plug-in tap box can easily be relocated along the busway line. Third, a plug-in tap box is independent of the busway material (aluminum or copper).

Center Tap Box

A center tap box allows power to be supplied to the middle of the busway run. center tap boxes access the busway at the joints between two busway sections. This style is available for Westinghouse Lifeline busway and Siemens Bull Dog busway, for a few examples.

Every Beginning Needs an End

A busway run is started with a tap box, but it is ended with an end closure, or more commonly referred to as an "end cap". Electrical code (and common sense) requires that the busway be closed to avoid accidents and contamination inside the busway. If an end cable tap box is used, one end closure is required, if a plug-in or center-tap box is used, two end closures will be required.