230.85 Emergency disconnect

[barkett519]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on Emergency disconnects for 1 and 2 family dwellings. If I put a meter main 200 amp with ocpd outside is there any way I can still run a 3 wire feed to the panel inside? Instead of running a 4 wire? What are you guys using to accomplish this? Thanks.

 

[Dsg319]

Hi all,

I'm hoping someone can shed some light on Emergency disconnects for 1 and 2 family dwellings. If I put a meter main 200 amp with ocpd outside is there any way I can still run a 3 wire feed to the panel inside? Instead of running a 4 wire? What are you guys using to accomplish this? Thanks.

From my understanding if it meets all the criteria of being an emergency disconnect. And you label it as such and and use it only as an emergency disconnect (meaning you do not make any GEC bond there).

Than I believe yes you could still consider the rest of the run service conductors, and the main panel in the house would still be the “service disconnect”. As long as it’s labeled and permitted for use as service equipment. And that’s is where your bonding and GEC would terminate.

(Personal opinion)
I would just use the 200amp meter/main as the emergency and service disconnect and run a 4wire cable, but with prices on supplies today, I can totally understand utilizing this. Well see what others have to say..

 

[barkett519]

From my understanding if it meets all the criteria of being an emergency disconnect. And you label it as such and and use it only as an emergency disconnect (meaning you do not make any GEC bond there).

Than I believe yes you could still consider the rest of the run service conductors, and the main panel in the house would still be the “service disconnect”. As long as it’s labeled and permitted for use as service equipment. And that’s is where your bonding and GEC would terminate.

(Personal opinion)
I would just use the 200amp meter/main as the emergency and service disconnect and run a 4wire cable, but with prices on supplies today, I can totally understand utilizing this. Well see what others have to say..

 

[barkett519]

Thanks for your response the reason i ask about still using the 3 wire, if some still have old 3 wire running to their range or dryer than that will need to be updated once the panel in the house becomes a sub with a 4 wire feeding it correct? I would like to eliminate that extra cost on the customer, but want to be code compliant. The only Meter main I have seen is marked emergency disconnect, service disconnect if that is outside don't I have to then bond everything outside? It doesent come with different labeling. What are most guys using to still run a 3 wire to inside? Thanks for you input

 

[wwhitney]

if some still have old 3 wire running to their range or dryer than that will need to be updated once the panel in the house becomes a sub with a 4 wire feeding it correct?

If the old 3 wire running to the range or dryer has an uninsulated neutral, then yes, that allowance for bonding the equipment to the neutral would require the old 3 wire circuit originate at the service panel. If all 3 conductors are insulated, then it can originate in a subpanel, with the non-ungrounded conductor being terminated to the neutral bar, not the EGC bar.

Cheers, Wayne