Disconnecting Means Enclosure as a Raceway

[Greentagger]

Inquiring if it is compliant to have service conductors travel through a service disconnecting means enclosure to get to the next one. Example would be a 320A meter base feeding 2-200A disconnecting means enclosure. I see 404.3(B) which references us to 312.6. The potential issue I see would be 312.8(A) (3), which references the closest disconnecting means for feed thru conductors. The meter base would not be a disconnecting means. Our utility company has told a contractor that he can’t come off opposite sides of meter base to feed two service disconnects because utility company will not allow third or the customers to cross in meter base anymore. Does not sound compliant. Help please. Thanks.

 

[hillbilly1]

Just did one like that, had to knock a hole on the other side to do it, because it only had a knockout on one side. POCO didn’t gripe about it, but I’m sure that’s why the meter base was designed that way. I have used a 3r wireway underneath to feed the disconnects, but I didn’t have the room on this particular install.

 

[Greentagger]

Sorry meant to say” will not allow theirs or the customers” instead of third.

 

[iquestionit]

Yikes! You cannot use the space in a switch devoted to conductor airspace as a raceway. You would need to put a raceway over the top of the disconnect means (trough) and come down to feed respective disconnects. This raceway can also serve as a means to tap service conductors since you can come out of a service meter only once. (Hence, only one knockout) note: length of unfused service conductors cannot exceed 6 feet, keep-’em short. And bond all raceway and equipment together with same size conductor as your service ground.


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[infinity]

Q. Mike, I recently saw a service disconnect that was being used as a conduit for two feeder circuits. Is this legal?

A. The requirement in 230.7 states that service conductors shall not be installed in the same raceway or cable with feeder or branch circuit conductors. However, this rule doesn't prohibit the mixing of service, feeder, and branch circuit conductors in the same service equipment enclosure. Therefore, what you described is permitted by the Code.

Do you mean something like this?

 

[infinity]

Yikes! You cannot use the space in a switch devoted to conductor airspace as a raceway. You would need to put a raceway over the top of the disconnect means (trough) and come down to feed respective disconnects. This raceway can also serve as a means to tap service conductors since you can come out of a service meter only once. (Hence, only one knockout) note: length of unfused service conductors cannot exceed 6 feet, keep-’em short. And bond all raceway and equipment together with same size conductor as your service ground.

Can you provide some code references for these?

 

[roger]

Can you provide some code references for these?

I second that question?

Roger

 

[Greentagger]

Do you mean something like this?

Good point Infinity. The graphic depicted definitely seems to make the installation compliant. I guess 230.7 would trump the other code references I mentioned in OP as it specifically mentions service conductors and service raceways? Thanks for insight.

 

[iquestionit]

Will do, but first, can you get me the entire page or reference to the 2008 picture you provided. I am assuming the first piece is a meter pan and the last breaker is within 6 feet but just want to make sure we are still using 2008 NEC code everywhere. And that we can use the meter as a disconnecting means since if you turn the first breaker off there is still live conductors passing through the equipment. We are a specific bunch where nit-picking is allowed.


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[infinity]

Will do, but first, can you get me the entire page or reference to the 2008 picture you provided. I am assuming the first piece is a meter pan and the last breaker is within 6 feet but just want to make sure we are still using 2008 NEC code everywhere. And that we can use the meter as a disconnecting means since if you turn the first breaker off there is still live conductors passing through the equipment. We are a specific bunch where nit-picking is allowed.

Not sure if this helps much but here's a link to Mike's article:

StackPath

 

[roger]

Will do, but first, can you get me the entire page or reference to the 2008 picture you provided.

Along with 230.7 read 312.8.

I am assuming the first piece is a meter pan and the last breaker is within 6 feet but just want to make sure we are still using 2008 NEC code everywhere.

why would 6 feet be an issue?

And that we can use the meter as a disconnecting means since if you turn the first breaker off there is still live conductors passing through the equipment.

There are live conductors in any service equipment / disconnect if the meter is plugged in.

Roger