Can a 200A Breaker Be a Service Disconnect

kwired said:
That is exactly what I was addressing in post 24. If you utilize any of the branch breaker spaces in that, how can the inside panel contain the "service disconnect" and still be aligned with NEC definitions?
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I can think of a few situations to ponder with 230.85, its not adopted here so I have never given it much thought.
It basically allows a the multi grounded neutral (MGN) system or (TN-C) to be extended past the first means of disconnect (now called an emergency disconnect).
Those extra breakers could possibly be for
A dwelling on a property with some accessory structures, using 230.40 Exception No. 3 you could normally run a set of service conductors (TN-C / MGN) to each detached structure from a single service drop, set of overhead service conductors, set of underground service conductors, or service lateral, I don't read anything stopping you from using those breakers for that, though I probably missed it? You'd essentially be mixing 230.85 & 230.40 Exception No. 3. Thought from the panel you'd still need a 4-wire feeder (TN-C-S)
Another situation to ponder would be using one of those breaker positions as line side connection for PV system, NEC 705.11 vs 705.12
 
infinity said:
If it's marked as suitable for use only as service equipment it cannot be used as an EM disconnect that is not service equipment.
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The way I understand it, that is because "suitable for use only as service equipment" implies that neutral and the enclosure are bonded and cannot be separated.
 
ggunn said:
The way I understand it, that is because "suitable for use only as service equipment" implies that neutral and the enclosure are bonded and cannot be separated.
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Right, but an EM disconnect on the utility side of the service disconnect is required to have its neutral and enclosure bonded. A permanent bond is not a problem.

So the conflict is purely linguistic. If the phrase SOUSE were instead "extra special", there would be no reason to prohibit "extra special" equipment from serving as the EM disconnect.

Fortunately, this will all be moot under the 2026 NEC. [Unless you want to try to use the "meter disconnect" allowance of 230.82.]

Cheers, Wayne
 
LarryFine said:
Agreed. While an emergency disconnect may not be "the service disconnect", it is clearly service equipment, so the bonded neutral should not be an issue.
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Part of the lingusitic conflict is the logical contortion that 230.85 does in requiring that the EM disconnect be labeled "not service equipment."

Cheers, Wayne
 
LarryFine said:
Do you mean the feeder to the inside panel, to any other outside loads, or to both?

Are you saying that the main breaker in a feed-thru cannot be the emergency disco?
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This is what I was thinking might be a possibility if you have a meter center with more than one main breaker like kwired was discussing, one main is the emergency disconnect the other breakers(s) could be service disconnects for a outbuilding or PV system? I dont know. dual_200A.png
 
tortuga said:
This is what I was thinking might be a possibility if you have a meter center with more than one main breaker
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What product is that? It looks like it has 3 separate covers, to comply with the separate compartment requirement of 230.71(B)?

Although in the vein of your previous post, I see no language in the 2023 NEC prohibiting a single service disconnect from being in the same compartment as an emergency disconnect. : - )

Cheers, Wayne
 
wwhitney said:
What product is that? It looks like it has 3 separate covers, to comply with the separate compartment requirement of 230.71(B)?

Although in the vein of your previous post, I see no language in the 2023 NEC prohibiting a single service disconnect from being in the same compartment as an emergency disconnect. : - )

Cheers, Wayne
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It's the Siemens 320 can they made just for 2020 code changes. Last I saw it was 1600 and in backorder.
 
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