switch gear disconnect

[ronball]

Spec'd on Frat house show conduit from power company going down thru
couduit underground to foundation wall, LB thru wall on go over head in basement approx. 20' to main switch gear disconnect. Inspector says it needs outside disconnect because it goes more than 20' inside bld. without protection. Is this true, or is he missing something. I just did hotel and conduit come up thru ground 30 ' inside mechanical room without outside disc. Help!!!!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Unless you are encased in concrete in the basement you must abide by this article. 20 feet may be a local amendment but the NEC does not state a distance.

230.70 General.
Means shall be provided to disconnect all conductors in a building or other structure from the service-entrance conductors.
(A) Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed in accordance with 230.70(A)(1), (A)(2), and (A)(3).
(1) Readily Accessible Location. The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.

 

[infinity]

Inspector is correct on this one. Around here even 10' would be far too much.

 

[Volta]

... I just did hotel and conduit come up thru ground 30 ' inside mechanical room without outside disc...

That 30' isn't considered inside if under the building. Only the vertical section up from the slab 230.6(1).

 

[augie47]

That question probably pops up about 50 times a year here due to the NEC's wording "nearest" as shown by Dennis.
Since there is no specific, it all becomes an AHJ call, and, as you have experienced, the distance required may vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and, at times, based on conditions.
Few areas that I have ever seen will allow 20 ft. especially on residential.

 

[ronball]

Thanks for all the answers. Now I don't have to go bitch at the inspector. He actually is a good guy. Ronball