230.85 Emergency disconnect

[PaulEd]

Not sure if this has been asked and answered yet. I’ve seen such conflicting things about 230.85 and the dreaded disconnect.

New service. SER cable to the meter. 3 wire.
Out of the meter to the disconnect. Disconnect labeled “EMERGENCY DISCONNECT”
Out of the disconnect with SER to the panel inside the house. 3 wire. Ground rods and meter grounding at the panel inside the house. Panel had a man disconnect breaker as well.

State of NJ

Compliant?

 

[augie47]

In your case I believe the actual required wording for the emergency disconnect is "Emergency Disconnect, Not Service Equipment".
Otherwise, compliant

 

[infinity]

SER is generally 4 wire, SEU is 3 wire. Your installation is code compliant as long as the EM disconnect is properly labeled.

 

[PaulEd]

Thank you guys. Two of the best on this site

 

[hornetd]

Compliant?

I would say so, at least under the 2020 and 2023 editions of the US National Electric Code (NEC). Word is that the rule is going to be markedly simplified under the 2026 edition to require that the Service Disconnect be mounted outdoors. No more special labeling. I have been told, but have not taken the time to confirm, that the Service Disconnect will be allowed to be "within sight" of the dwelling though it will still be permissible to mount it on the building's exterior. That would invoke the requirement that the building only have one source of supply and would previously have invoked the requirement in the chapter on outside feeders and branch circuits that there needed to be a building disconnect at or near the point of entry of the supplying conductors. Hopefully the change will make a Service Disconnect that is within sight of the building enough. I would readily understand the requirement for the building disconnect if the service disconnect were farther away than 50 feet or was not visible which are both part of the definition of "In Sight Of."

Ground rods and meter grounding at the panel inside the house. Panel had a man disconnect breaker as well.

What do you mean by "and meter grounding." There ae some utilities whose State Regulatory Agency approved Service Standard requires the installation of a Ground Rod with its Grounding Electrode Conductor terminated in the meter socket enclosure. The Service Standard is often posted on the utilities web site. If your utility serves more than one State make sure you get the Service Standard for your State. If it is not required by the Service Standard then do not terminate any Grounding Electrode Conductor in the Meter Socket Enclosure. If it is not in their Service Standard the Utility will require it to be removed before they provide service. Such utilities do not like giving any reason for anyone to be inside the meter socket enclosure except their employees. The meter socket enclosure is bonded to the Grounded Conductor of the supply conductors as are all other conductive parts of the Service on the line side of the service disconnecting means. For the Grounded Conductor its service disconnect is the terminal that attaches it to the busbar were all of the Grounded Conductors, Grounding Electrode Conductors, and Equipment Grounding Conductors are connected to the Grounded Service Conductor.