sub-panel mains

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Dennis Alwon

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Location
Chapel Hill, NC
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Retired Electrical Contractor
when do sub-panels require a main, Article references only please.

Article 225.33 a main is required if there are more than six circuit breakers. The six throws of the hand can be the disconnect but if there are seven then a main is needed.
 

jumper

Senior Member
You can but it still must be the main or no more than 6....in the scenario I mentioned

Thanks. I know. I believe the OP was referring to when is a main breaker needed and I was just fooling around. A main breaker is never required in a sub panel was my point. There are other methods.

As I told Chris, I read too many of charlie b's posts.:)
 

hurk27

Senior Member
A subpanel in the same building never needs a main because we are required to protect the feeders at the source to the subpanel, but when a subpanel is located in another building or even outdoors and has more then 6 breakers in it, while a main is still not required as a disconnect could be used ahead of it, but just installing a main breaker panel, and adding the ground bars is so much cheaper.
 

Twoskinsoneman

Senior Member
Location
West Virginia, USA NEC: 2020
Occupation
Facility Senior Electrician
A subpanel in the same building never needs a main because we are required to protect the feeders at the source to the subpanel, but when a subpanel is located in another building or even outdoors and has more then 6 breakers in it, while a main is still not required as a disconnect could be used ahead of it, but just installing a main breaker panel, and adding the ground bars is so much cheaper.

What is the code ref for this?
 

hurk27

Senior Member
Agreed. "or even outdoors" seemed to imply something else.
Indoor/Outdoor should not play into at all I think.

I just meant when we mount an R-3 panel like in one case I did an R-3 200 amp for holiday lighting out in a yard behind some bushes, and since it was considered a structure it needed a main and electrode system, but yes in any other place but the building that supply's the subpanel.
 
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