At a loss 6 disconnects

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moresi

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Had a call today to look at a service at a multifamily building. Building has 6 apartments each with it's own meter / 100 amp panel. service consists of 2 3 position 125 amp sockets placed next to each other on exterior of building. About 2 years ago a hardwired central station alarm was installed and a 100 amp bypass socket was installed adjacent to house sockets on exterior of building. FAP has been fed via jumper in basement for last 2 years off a tenant's panel. AHJ has now required FAP service to be energized however will not allow it to pass since there would be more then 6 means of disconnecting power to building. The kicker is there is really no room to install larger equipment on the exterio of this building. I am at a loss for what to cost effectivly install to be code compliant. Any thoughts on this one?
 
Unfortunatley, your AHJ is correct, 6 means 6. A photo of the existing installation, perhaps with some dimensions include, would go along way in our ability to suggest some possible solutions.
 
Place a switch before all the tennant mains and you're good to go.

Properly sized, grounded and installed as per code of course
 
Service is 2 sockets? How are they fed? Is it one service or two? I know the odds are against it being two services, but if it is technically two services, the six disconnect rule is per service.
 
Main disconnect

Main disconnect

I don't know how many Amps is your service but , you can install a main disconnect before the 6 and afther that you can install as many as you wants, as long you have a proper load calculation.
 
There are many things that will allow more then 6 disconnects.

Fire walls between units will allow each unit to be treated a separate buildings

For the most part the NEC only allows one service unless you meet the Special Conditions in 230.2(A) or (B), the definition of a service is the service drop, or underground lateral, but the codes also allows many service entrance conductor sets as needed 230.40 exception 1, to feed as many service disconnects or groups of service disconnects but each group of service disconnects would be limited to 6, let say you have a 12 plex, with a fire wall between each set of 6 units, you could have one service drop and split to two six gang meter packs, one on each side of the fire wall, and each set of meter packs could have up to six disconnects, so allot will depend upon what the building is, and how it is constructed, and how its used.

Oh and for the OP see 230.40 exception #4 and then look at 210.25(B)

Charlie Eldridge helped me understand this when we were at a Indiana state IAEI meeting.
 
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In reading some of your replies I believe i could make a good argument for building owner to let POCO energize setup as it presently exists. Thing is i do not want to challange inspector who is also a very good friend of mine but I will bring this up. Present scenario has each 3 postition socket fed by a # 4/0 SEU service cable. Thus you have 2 4/0 SEU cables running up side of building to service drop. The 100 amp FAP socket has it's own #2 seu cable running up to service drop. The biggest issue is a massive lack of space to add a disco. / more equipment. Also to stay compliant with clearances, etc.
 
moresi said:
In reading some of your replies I believe i could make a good argument for building owner to let POCO energize setup as it presently exists. Thing is i do not want to challange inspector who is also a very good friend of mine but I will bring this up. Present scenario has each 3 postition socket fed by a # 4/0 SEU service cable. Thus you have 2 4/0 SEU cables running up side of building to service drop. The 100 amp FAP socket has it's own #2 seu cable running up to service drop. The biggest issue is a massive lack of space to add a disco. / more equipment. Also to stay compliant with clearances, etc.
Click to expand...

Can you get the poco to run a seperate 100a service for the FAP socket ? I think the rule is 6 disc. per service.
 
moresi said:
... Thus you have 2 4/0 SEU cables running up side of building to service drop. The 100 amp FAP socket has it's own #2 seu cable running up to service drop....
Click to expand...
If the service point is at the connection to the service drop (or anywhere loadside of that connection), you may have three services. Of course this is ultimately dependent on the AHJ's interpretation of a service.
IV. Service-Entrance Conductors
230.40 Number of Service-Entrance Conductor Sets.
Each service drop or lateral shall supply only one set of
service-entrance conductors.
Exception No. 1: A building with more than one occupancy
shall be permitted to have one set of service-entrance conductors
for each service, as defined in 230.2, run to each
occupancy or group of occupancies.
Exception No. 2: Where two to six service disconnecting
means in separate enclosures are grouped at one location
and supply separate loads from one service drop or lateral,
one set of service-entrance conductors shall be permitted to
supply each or several such service equipment enclosures.
Exception No. 3: A single-family dwelling unit and a separate
structure shall be permitted to have one set of serviceentrance
conductors run to each from a single service drop
or lateral.
Exception No. 4: A two-family dwelling or a multifamily
dwelling shall be permitted to have one set of serviceentrance
conductors installed to supply the circuits covered
in 210.25.
Exception No. 5: One set of service-entrance conductors
connected to the supply side of the normal service disconnecting
means shall be permitted to supply each or several
systems covered by 230.82(5) or 230.82(6).
Click to expand...
 
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AHJ not going to let it fly. We both discussed and a 400 amp disco. switch will be way to go. He even said he is not too concerned about the mounting height of it. Now if I can find an affordable type 3R switch.
 
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