Horse Barn

[newt]

Im doing a service to a horse barn. Putting a meter only on a 4x6 then going 200 feet to barn, inspector telling me that I would need to put a panel outside by the meter and run a 4 wire to the horse barn 200 feet away because it is agriculture. Is this true I have never heard of that? I cant find anything.

 

[raider1]

Ask him for a code reference.

Chris

 

[newt]

Thats what Im doing. Thanks

 

[augie47]

From an inspector's standpoint horse barns can present some unique arrangements/
Be sure to review Art 547.
Are there more than one structures being supplied from your metering point ?
If so he might be referencing "Site Isolation Device" in making such a requirement.

 

[newt]

2 Meters at customer 1 for horse barn 1 for house 1 service drop

 

[ceb58]

2 Meters at customer 1 for horse barn 1 for house 1 service drop

He may be thinking 547.9 D 2011 but it dosent have anything to do with a disconnect.

 

[augie47]

I'm with Chris in that I would like to know his Code reference.
Explain to him the "inquiring minds want to know"

 

[newt]

The inspector got back to me and said I did not have to do that after all, thanks for the replies.

 

[wawireguy]

I probably would put a 200 amp meter/main with feed through lugs in if there is any possibility you might need power near the service sometime.

 

[Hendrix]

From an inspector's standpoint horse barns can present some unique arrangements/
Be sure to review Art 547.
Are there more than one structures being supplied from your metering point ?
If so he might be referencing "Site Isolation Device" in making such a requirement.

Isn't the 4X6 a "structure" therefore requiring a disconnect?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Isn't the 4X6 a "structure" therefore requiring a disconnect?

In the true sense of the word structure you are correct. The purpose of a disconnect is to disconnect the wiring in or on the structure. What sense would it be to add a disconnect-- the only thing you would disconnect is everything down stream of the 4X6 which will have it's own disconnect. :grin:

 

[inspector 102]

Could this be an issue of grouping disconnects? Since one goes to the house and the second to a barn, the service could not be shut off at one location. With a disconnect(s), these now becomes feeders and would require the 4-wire assembly. I have seen this many times due to the utility requirements on how far they will go with service entrance cables.

 

[kwired]

One problem with 547 is it does not take into consideration that some agricultural operations are no longer small operations like they used to be and they are basically small industrial plants. I have seen dairy barns, hog farms, and beef cattle operations with 1200+ amps services. The distribution point mentioned in 547.2 is the POCO padmount transformer. It will usually supply large switchgear in the main structure but additional structures will be supplied from that gear. Is probably the best way to do it but does not really comply with 547 requirements.

I do work at a dairy farm that has a bigger, nicer, better layed out mechanical room with 1200 amp 480 volt service in it than a small industrial plant that I also do work at that has even larger service supplying it.

This is not your father's or grandfathers dairy that was able to be supplied by 60 amps 120/240 single phase service. And they milk a lot more than 15-20 cows.