Design Your Track Busway System
USA TrackBusway makes it simple to design overhead power that adapts as fast as your facility changes. Follow this step-by-step guide to plan circuits, layouts, feed locations, and PowerDrops—so your system installs quickly today and scales easily tomorrow
Step 1 — Select Your Circuit Type
Selecting the correct circuit type ensures the busway can support all equipment along the run.
Track Busway supports:
40A per phase (standard)
225A per phase (mission-critical)
Optional IG + 200% neutral
-
Single-Phase (1-Pole or 2-Pole)
Best for:
- 120V workstations
- Packaging lines
- General manufacturing
- Lighting loads (120V or 277V)
-
Three-Phase (1x4-Pole)
Best for:
- 120/208V three-phase
- Industrial equipmentc
- Larger machinery
- Multi-circuit loads
Step 2 — Choose Your Physical Layout (ROW, GRID, or RECTANGLE)
Track Busway layouts follow your workflow.
Use Straight ROWs when power needs to be distributed linearly along workstations, equipment lines, or aisles.
ROW configurations provide a simple, scalable backbone for overhead power and allow PowerDrops to be positioned anywhere along the run.
Ideal for:
- Assembly lines
- Conveyor paths
- Linear workstations
- Production environments
Advantages:
- Minimal feeds
- Easy future lengthening
- PowerDrops can be moved anywhere along the run
GRID layouts create a fully flexible overhead power matrix by intersecting multiple ROWs.This configuration allows power to be accessed anywhere across the grid, making it ideal for spaces with frequent layout changes or dense equipment.
RECTANGLE layouts define power around a fixed zone such as a room, cell, or production area.
By enclosing the space, power and PowerDrops remain accessible from all sides without running conduit through the center of the area.
Ideal for:
- Labs and R&D
- Automotive bays
- Manufacturing cells
- Worktable clusters
Advantages:
- Continuous power across multiple directions
- Supports lighting + power in the same overhead structure
- Excellent for multi-operator environments
BRIDGEs connect separate ROW, GRID, or RECTANGLE sections to span open areas or obstacles.
They maintain electrical continuity while allowing layouts to extend across walkways, aisles, or structural interruptions.
Ideal for:
- Crossing an aisle
- Connecting separated work zones
- Feeding power across open areas
Step 3 — Determine Feed Locations
Track Busway does not restrict feed points like older fixed-tap busway systems. You can place feeds at:
Supported Voltage Options
Click the red + on the wiring diagram to view all supported system voltages, including 120V, 208Y, 208V 3-phase 4-wire, and 480V.
Panelboard ‘A’ may be 120/208V or 277/480V depending on building service.
Available: 208/480V
Line to Neutral Available: 120/277V
Line to Line Available: 1Ph-208V or 1Ph-480V
Available: 208/480V
Track Busway feed locations are flexible by design, allowing engineers to balance loads, reduce homerun wiring, and plan for future expansion. Unlike fixed-tap busway, feeds can be placed where they make the most electrical and operational sense—now and as layouts evolve.
- The end of a ROW
- The center of a GRID
- A branch point feeding two directions
- A midpoint where loads are balanced
- General guidelines:
- Each standard run supports up to 40A per phase from a single feed.
- If loads exceed 40A, use:
- Feed-left / Feed-right strategy
- Double-deck (2x3-pole) layouts to split loads
- Junction-box splitters allow one feed to serve two directions per NEC tap rules.
Steel Track Busway combines the strength of steel strut, the continuous plug-in flexibility of commercial lighting track, and the electrical performance of busway. The open-slot design allows PowerDrops, lighting fixtures, and data modules to plug in anywhere — without predetermined tap windows or rewiring.
Step 4 — Plan Your Plug-In PowerDrops
PowerDrops are added last, after equipment locations are known — but they should be planned early.
-
PowerDrop Selection
- 1-Pole: 120V or 277V receptacles
- 2-Pole: 208V or 480V
- 3-Phase: 120/208V (4-pole: 3H + N)
-
Placement Strategy
- Start with known equipment
- Add spare drops for future relocations
- Use the continuous slot to reposition drops as layouts change
- No electrician required for moves or additions
Step 5 — Validate Loads & Future Expansion
Before finalizing, confirm:
Track Busway systems are designed to evolve over time. By validating loads upfront and planning for future equipment, automation, or layout changes, facilities can expand without rewiring, conduit modifications, or operational downtime
-
Electrical Checks
- Total amperage per phase
- Equipment diversity factor
- Any 200% neutral considerations
- Continuous vs non-continuous loads
-
Future-Proofing
Design for:
- Additional equipment
- Changing production lines
- Robotics or automation growth
- New lighting layouts
- Aisle reconfiguration
Track Busway’s modularity enables facility changes without rewiring, cutting conduit, or creating downtime.
Ready to Move Forward?
Let us help finalize your Track Busway layout.
WATCH: Movable TrackBusway Lengths — Adaptable Layouts Made Easy
As equipment layouts change, sections of busway can be repositioned—without conduit, rewiring, or electricians. This video shows how Track Busway adapts with your facility using a modular bridge kit and flexible PowerDrops.
Track Busway supports evolving workspaces with a sustainable, plug-in power system that reduces waste, speeds up changes, and keeps overhead power exactly where it’s needed.
View all Track Busway installation, power, and lighting videos in our Video Library →
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