Disconnect Necessary or When Is It Necessary?

Status
Not open for further replies.
N

njtrombley

Member
In the past we have wired un-attached garages or pole barns with two circuits, one for lighting and one for power, and when we did this we would just run two UF wires out to the building and we would never put a disconnect in. The disconnect would be the breaker in the panel in the house. So we would come from the panel in the house and out to the garage/barn and right into the first plug or light switch. Is that legal still today? Some people we've talked to told us that we should put two single pole switches in up high for our disconnect, some people say we need a panel with ground rods and the whole 9 yards. If a disconnect isn't needed for two circuits, then my question is why can't we run 10 circuits out to a garage/barn without a disconnect? When does it stop or where is the limit?
 
What you've described is multiple code violations. First, you can only run one circuit to a building (assuming the circuits have similar voltages and doesn't meet one of the other exemptions like emergency/standby use, etc). The one circuit can be:

A branch circuit
A multiwire branch circuit
A feeder

Each of these requires a disconnect at the detached building. For a branch circuit or multiwire branch circuit, a snap switch is an acceptable disconnect. For a feeder, the disconnet must be Suitable for use as Service Equipment.

The "two circuits" you ran could only be done legally as a multiwire branch circuit (e.g. 12-3 cable). Running two separate 12-2 cables would violate another rule stating that all conductors of a circuit must be run together in the same raceway or cable. This multiwire branch circuit, as of 2008, would require a double pole breaker in the source panel. You could have two separate switches (grouped together) or a double pole switch at the remote building for the disconnect.

So if you want more than what appears to be 2 circuits, or even just 2 circuits with different amp capabilities, then you must run a feeder.
 
njtrombley said:
If I run one 10-2 w/ground to the garage do I need to drive a ground rod according to the 2008 NEC?
Click to expand...
No. Reference 250.32(A) Exception. But you need a 10/3, if you wish to supply lights and receptacles on separate breakers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top