Clearance from gas meters

Status
Not open for further replies.
G

ggunn

PE (Electrical), NABCEP certified
Location
Austin, TX, USA
Occupation
Consulting Electrical Engineer - Photovoltaic Systems
Is there anything in the NEC that governs the required clearance from a gas meter relief valve to a disconnecting means? All I can find in the AHJ design criteria is the required clearance from the gas valve to an electric meter, and I haven't been able to find any pertinent information in the NEC.
 
In California this is the mechanical code, 3ft from the gas manifold vent. It actually doesn't say electrical equipment, it says 'sources of ignition' if I recall correctly. The utilities have different and more stringent rules.
 
ggunn said:
Is there anything in the NEC that governs the required clearance from a gas meter relief valve to a disconnecting means? All I can find in the AHJ design criteria is the required clearance from the gas valve to an electric meter, and I haven't been able to find any pertinent information in the NEC.
Click to expand...
Yes. 110.26
 
ggunn said:
Where in 110.26? That's the first place I looked but I didn't see it in there. There's a lot in that article; maybe I just missed it?
Click to expand...
It’s the width of the required working space in 110.26.
It doesn’t say gas meter, but then again, it doesn’t say AC compressor either..
 
Around here the POCO dictates the minimum spacing. As JB stated it's also 3' here.
 
Yeah this is not the same as 110.26. A gas meter or vent can be off to the side of the 30" wide 110.26 required working space and still not meet the other separation requirements that we are talking about.
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Compliance with 110.26 will not always give you the 3' clearance between the gas meter and electrical equipment that is required by many gas utilities.
Click to expand...

I totally understand that.

Here’s a little insight…

Some fuel gas utilities require 3’ from inside meters and 12” from outside meters. Some require 3’ from all meter. It all depends on location. It’s a lot like our requirements that aren’t code, but are our requirements for service.
All they are doing is repeating the fuel gas code which does not pertain to utility gas meters.

Utility gas piping and meters are under a different code, just as electric has two codes for utilities and consumers.
That code requires 3’ from inside meters only and has no clearance requirements for outside meters.
Also, electric meters aren’t considered a “source of ignition” as defined in the fuel gas handbook.

The OP asked about articles in the NEC that will apply to clearances from a gas meter.

Thats the question I answered.. :)
 
Hv&Lv said:
I totally understand that.

Here’s a little insight…

Some fuel gas utilities require 3’ from inside meters and 12” from outside meters. Some require 3’ from all meter. It all depends on location. It’s a lot like our requirements that aren’t code, but are our requirements for service.
All they are doing is repeating the fuel gas code which does not pertain to utility gas meters.

Utility gas piping and meters are under a different code, just as electric has two codes for utilities and consumers.
That code requires 3’ from inside meters only and has no clearance requirements for outside meters.
Also, electric meters aren’t considered a “source of ignition” as defined in the fuel gas handbook.

The OP asked about articles in the NEC that will apply to clearances from a gas meter.

Thats the question I answered.. :)
Click to expand...
I understand, but compliance with only the NEC can be costly for the electrical contractor.
 
Here is an Arizona requirement. Same clearance applies to PV KWH meters and AC disconnects.
 

Attachments

  • Meter Separation from APS ESRM 2018.pdf
    161.4 KB · Views: 30
BillK-AZ said:
Here is an Arizona requirement. Same clearance applies to PV KWH meters and AC disconnects.
Click to expand...
I believe if one does the math and obeys the 36” requirement, they could still be in violation of 110.26
 
Here in this part of Iowa, the gas utility requires a 3' horizontal plane away from the manifold vent. You can go ahead and put your electric meter outside of that plane.
 
So I guess the answer is that here isn't anything in the NEC that covers it and it is up to the AHJ. That's what I thought.
 
ggunn said:
So I guess the answer is that here isn't anything in the NEC that covers it and it is up to the AHJ. That's what I thought.
Click to expand...
Actually, there is...
It’s what I’ve been posting. 110.26.
If a gas company doesn’t have any requirements (and they aren’t required to, see post #10) then the required clearance is 110.26

No requirement from the gas co, you are not allowed to put the disconnect over the top of the gas meter per 110.26
 
Once again, there may be other state or local building codes (e.g. mechanical code) that have clearance requirements, besides utility requirements.
 
I want to ask a question here that always puzzled me
whenever i encounter Panel upgrade utility wants us to relocate the main panel 3 ft away From Gas meter/riser and per 110.26 I agree,
But when no panel upgrade is required, AHJ and is fine with ,mounting inverter and AC Disconnect within 3ft of Gas meter. so whenever we mount electrical equipment with 3 ft. of gas meter isn't it the violation of 110.26?

Also installers have often mounted ac disconnect below main panel and sometime even less than 2 ft from ground,is it acceptable per 110.26, height of working space?
 
Designer101 said:
I want to ask a question here that always puzzled me
whenever i encounter Panel upgrade utility wants us to relocate the main panel 3 ft away From Gas meter/riser and per 110.26 I agree,
But when no panel upgrade is required, AHJ and is fine with ,mounting inverter and AC Disconnect within 3ft of Gas meter. so whenever we mount electrical equipment with 3 ft. of gas meter isn't it the violation of 110.26?
Click to expand...
No, 110.26 does not specify a 3' separation of electrical components and gas meters.
 
Designer101 said:
I want to ask a question here that always puzzled me
whenever i encounter Panel upgrade utility wants us to relocate the main panel 3 ft away From Gas meter/riser and per 110.26 I agree,
But when no panel upgrade is required, AHJ and is fine with ,mounting inverter and AC Disconnect within 3ft of Gas meter. so whenever we mount electrical equipment with 3 ft. of gas meter isn't it the violation of 110.26?

Also installers have often mounted ac disconnect below main panel and sometime even less than 2 ft from ground,is it acceptable per 110.26, height of working space?
Click to expand...

This has all been said already, but maybe this thread needs a summary...

110.26 simply requires working space in front of a panel. No further horizontal separation is required by that section. That is, the panel and the gas meter could be both nudged right up to the working space boundary, on opposite sides, and 110.26 is met.

Some utilities require 3ft of horizontal separation from the main panel to the gas riser coming out of the ground, and even more stringent stuff like no conduit in that area and so on. That is far beyond what 110.26 requires. But if you are not changing the service equipment then the utility is not involved so this doesn't come up. Non-utility AHJs typically don't enforce utility greenbook requirements.

Finally, in California at least, the gas meter manifold vent must be more than 3ft radially from 'sources of ignition'. If your AHJ isn't enforcing that, it's either because they don't know the requirement, don't care, or don't considery your equipment to fit under the vauge phrase 'source of ignition'. I have had AHJs prohibit inverters and such within 3ft of the gas vent but not often. Also the gas vent can typically be plumbed farther away as an option.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top