Locating service

[HoosierSparky]

Can a service be located remotely from the building it serves? The POCO states that placing the service at or on the building will prohibit their ability to approach the service with their truck and trailer. The architect doesn't want it on the building anyway. They aren't aesthetically pleasing.....

The POCO and architect are proposing placing the service against a wall 20-25ft from the building. It doesn't seem right, but I cannot find anything in 230 to prohibiting it. Thoughts?

 

[augie47]

It cn be and it's not unusual. You do need to keep Art 225 into account, however, and provide a disconnect at the building but it can be on the interior nearest the point of entry of the conductors (225.32).

 

[Coppersmith]

They aren't aesthetically pleasing.....

What! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I think they are lovely! :happyyes:

 

[hhsting]

Can a service be located remotely from the building it serves? The POCO states that placing the service at or on the building will prohibit their ability to approach the service with their truck and trailer. The architect doesn't want it on the building anyway. They aren't aesthetically pleasing.....

The POCO and architect are proposing placing the service against a wall 20-25ft from the building. It doesn't seem right, but I cannot find anything in 230 to prohibiting it. Thoughts?

Each POCO has their own local rules in their handbook which may or may not reflect rules from NEC.

With that said over here where I am at their is a rule in their unit handbook of standards which says that POCO transformer has to be accessible to them and their trucks must be able to enter and must have certain workspace different from NEC and engineer has to submit site plan with transformer for POCOs approval. If not then yes they can move it to their pleasing to acceptable to their handbook rule. However, that is overe here. Might want to check your POCO handbook.

 

[tom baker]

A well designed and laid out service gear is a thing of beauty... level across the top of the gear, strut, same type of fittings, conduit...

 

[HoosierSparky]

It cn be and it's not unusual. You do need to keep Art 225 into account, however, and provide a disconnect at the building but it can be on the interior nearest the point of entry of the conductors (225.32).

Thanks Augie. That's what I thought. Just hoping I missed something. I prefer keeping it all on or in the building. Easier for my fire dept.

 

[kwired]

Can a service be located remotely from the building it serves? The POCO states that placing the service at or on the building will prohibit their ability to approach the service with their truck and trailer. The architect doesn't want it on the building anyway. They aren't aesthetically pleasing.....

The POCO and architect are proposing placing the service against a wall 20-25ft from the building. It doesn't seem right, but I cannot find anything in 230 to prohibiting it. Thoughts?

Location of service disconnecting means is one thing, location of meter and other POCO owned/maintained/or otherwise need for POCO access is another.

POCO should have no say over what is beyond what NEC now calls "service point". Only thing that might be past that point on a typical dwelling is the meter socket. They usually don't require bringing trucks or other heavy equipment close to a meter socket for any typical maintenance or other operations though.

If they want to place the "service point" at/near the perimeter of the property they certainly can. In that case their meter is probably at/near property line also, but nothing in NEC prohibits you from having service conductors beyond that point supplying a service disconnect in or on your building, difference may be that such conductors are owned and maintained by the owner instead of POCO.

 

[PaulMmn]

A well designed and laid out service gear is a thing of beauty... level across the top of the gear, strut, same type of fittings, conduit...

...with decorative plantings all around to make sure no one's view is offended by seeing a piece of infrastructure...