NEC 230.82(3) interrupting and FPL

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Bjenks

Senior Member
Location
East Coast of FL
I was looking at the updated rules in 2008 for 230.82(3) and noticed they added the meter disconnect switch must be capable of interrupting the load and able to handle the short-circuit current. I am trying to decide if capable of interrupting the load served means a switch or OCPD. I ask this as by definition a switch is an interrupting device so I am thinking they mean OCPD. Then I did some searches online for different utility requirements and some say you must put a fuse in the enclosure and other such as my local utility FPL as shown below say you can't (document below is dated 2007 and in error says 480V to ground instead of 277V).

http://www.fpl.com/doingbusiness/builder/pdf/Ess6MeterEquip.pdf
Pg1

FPL
On all self-contained, metered installations where the service voltage is 480V to ground (320 amperes or less, 2 wire), a non-automatic disconnect device shall be provided and installed by the Customer on the line side of each individual meter. For meter centers, there shall be one disconnect device on the line side of each meter. The disconnect device shall be lockable or
sealable by FPL and adjacent to each meter. The Customer-owned non-automatic (no overcurrent protection) disconnect device ampacity must meet all NEC Guidelines.


I want to call FPL, but I want to go to you guys first on what interrupting the load served really means to you.
 

shepelec

Senior Member
Location
Palmer, MA
It does not mean it has to be an OCPD. It simply means if you have a 200A load then your switch must be capable of opening under a 200A load. The switch must be rated for the capacity of the service.:)
 

augie47

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Tennessee
Occupation
State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
One of the POCOs in our area requires non-fused disconnects for cold sequence metering. When discussed they advised they would consider it POCO equipment and exempt it from our inspection.
 

Bjenks

Senior Member
Location
East Coast of FL
It is crazy that they had to waste all that ink just to make sure someone doesn?t put in a switch that is underrated and can?t handle the fault current. This is already true for the service disconnect 3 feet away; you would think that the redundancy wasn?t needed. I figured they were expanding the requirement not expanding the obvious.
 
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