brian john
Senior Member
- Location
- Leesburg, VA
I have ALWAYS been of the belief (and taught) that the maximum number of service disconnects for anyone building was 6 Main Line Service Disconnects or circuit breakers. I have a building with a single electric room 4 separate services, one 1200 amp 480/277 (1-main), one 3000 amp 208/120 (3-mains), one 4000 amp 208/120 (5-mains), one 800 amp 208/120 (5-mains). All of these 4-services are served by separate service laterals underground from the street. 4 Different switchboards. This building has 14 main service disconnects and an additional one for the Emergency Service 400 amp 208/120.
My stance was this is a violation unless they have a special exception from the AHJ. Their engineer is telling me I am misinterpreting the NEC, see bold below. They are telling 14 are allowed as it is 6 mains per Service )(SWITCHBOARD) and they have 4 Services (switchboards)
230.71
From the 2017 National Electrical Code
230.71 Maximum Number of Disconnects.
(A) General. The service disconnecting means for each serv ice permitted by 230.2, or for each set of service-entrance conductors permitted by 230.40,
Exception No. 1, 3, 4, or 5, shall consist of not more than six
switches or sets of circuit breakers, or a combination of not more
than six switches and sets of circuit breakers, mounted in a
single enclosure, in a group of separate enclosures, or in or on a switchboard or in switchgear. There shall be not more than six sets of disconnects per service grouped in any one location.
My stance was this is a violation unless they have a special exception from the AHJ. Their engineer is telling me I am misinterpreting the NEC, see bold below. They are telling 14 are allowed as it is 6 mains per Service )(SWITCHBOARD) and they have 4 Services (switchboards)
230.71
From the 2017 National Electrical Code
230.71 Maximum Number of Disconnects.
(A) General. The service disconnecting means for each serv ice permitted by 230.2, or for each set of service-entrance conductors permitted by 230.40,
Exception No. 1, 3, 4, or 5, shall consist of not more than six
switches or sets of circuit breakers, or a combination of not more
than six switches and sets of circuit breakers, mounted in a
single enclosure, in a group of separate enclosures, or in or on a switchboard or in switchgear. There shall be not more than six sets of disconnects per service grouped in any one location.
