Disconnect for house on detached garage?

[sw_ross]

Currently the service is on the detached garage. It’s a meter/main. I can have my hand on the meter and touch the house 4-feet away.
We plan to run the feeder out of the meter/main and LB into the house and then transition to SER cable for the run to the 200amp panel.

Do I need a disconnect on the side of the house, 4-feet away from the service disconnect on the garage?

If there’s an exception I would think it would be in 225 but I couldn’t find it.

Thanks

 

[Strathead]

I would say you would need a disconnect for the garage and another disconnect for the house, Whether you could leave it on the garage would be an AHJ call to me. the code section would be 225.32 and whether 4 feet away is nearest the point of entry. I am not sure how I would rule. My common sense says place permanent label on the disconnect and go for it.

 

[sw_ross]

Besides the cost of the disconnect, the disconnect for the house would be about 4 feet from the meter/main 200 amp disconnect.

 

[augie47]

We have had similar threads here where the AHJ has allowed the "remote" disconnect. As strathead states, 225.32 would require one but you might get a waiver from your AHJ.

 

[VirutalElectrician]

My AHJ says no if it can be seen and it's a reasonable distance (seems to be about 50'). Now that applies to power pedestal designs, which are somewhat of a common thing around here. Having the disconnect on another building, even 4' apart, might be confusing during an emergency as to what structure that actually applies to.

 

[sw_ross]

I sent a request to my AHJ. I’ll be interested to see what she’ll say.

 

[Rick 0920]

If they accept a disconnect mounted on a pole 20' away from a building I don't see why this wouldn't be acceptable.

 

[Strathead]

If they accept a disconnect mounted on a pole 20' away from a building I don't see why this wouldn't be acceptable.

I can. It is mounted on another building, so it isn't instinctively serving the house.

 

[wwhitney]

On a related note, I hadn't previously noticed the contrast between the language in 230.70(A)(1) and 225.32: (2017 versions for ease of cut and paste):

230.70(A)(1) The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.

225.32 The disconnecting means shall be installed either inside or outside of the building or structure served or where the conductors pass through the building or structure. The disconnecting means shall be at a readily accessible location nearest the point of entrance of the conductors. . . .

The language in 225.32 requires the disconnecting means to be "nearest the point of entrance of the conductors" whether inside or outside, while in 230.6 that phrase only applies if the disconnecting means is inside. So apparently it's prohibited to bring a feeder to a separate building, hit an exterior disconnect, then run the feeder outside the building 20' around the corner, and only then bring the feeder inside the building (without a second disconnect).

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Rick 0920]

I can. It is mounted on another building, so it isn't instinctively serving the house.

I would hope that it becomes a common sense issue with the AHJ. Because if it's on the same property, you could put the disconnect on the house, then pull a couple of circuits over to the detached garage and it would be perfectly fine.

 

[gadfly56]

On a related note, I hadn't previously noticed the contrast between the language in 230.70(A)(1) and 225.32: (2017 versions for ease of cut and paste):





The language in 225.32 requires the disconnecting means to be "nearest the point of entrance of the conductors" whether inside or outside, while in 230.6 that phrase only applies if the disconnecting means is inside. So apparently it's prohibited to bring a feeder to a separate building, hit an exterior disconnect, then run the feeder outside the building 20' around the corner, and only then bring the feeder inside the building (without a second disconnect).

Cheers, Wayne

If you have a panel with a main breaker, doesn't the main breaker serve as the disconnecting means?

 

[wwhitney]

If you have a panel with a main breaker, doesn't the main breaker serve as the disconnecting means?

Yes, if the feeder goes only to that panel, and the panel meets the location requirements of 225.32. But in my example, it would be a problem if the interior panel is MLO, or if it's not "nearest the point of entrance of the conductors."

Cheers, Wayne