Dwelling Units

[herndon]

Here is a simple one.... If you do work with dwelling units....

Are they required to have a main breaker in the load center in the apartment?

P.s. The Apartment Load Centers will be fed from a Main Distribution Panel with branch breakers feeding the LCs.

Thanks....

 

[vanwalker]

Re: Dwelling Units

2002 230.72 c GEO

 

[herndon]

Re: Dwelling Units

THANKS ALOT....

 

[hornetd]

Re: Dwelling Units

Originally posted by vanwalker:
2002 230.72 c GEO

I don't see the answer to the original question in 230.72 (C).

What herndon asked was,

Are they required to have a main breaker in the load center in the apartment?

I believe that the answer is no. As long as the breaker that is protecting the individual unit feeders is not larger than the rating of the panel board it would be perfectly acceptable for them to be main lug only.

If, on the other hand, the feeders supply multiple units because individual metering is not being used then the panels would need to have a main breaker or breakers to comply with 408.16.

408.16 Overcurrent Protection.
(A) Lighting and Appliance Branch-Circuit Panelboard Individually Protected. Each lighting and appliance branch-circuit panelboard shall be individually protected on the supply side by not more than two main circuit breakers or two sets of fuses having a combined rating not greater than that of the panelboard.
Exception No. 1: Individual protection for a lighting and appliance panelboard shall not be required if the panelboard feeder has overcurrent protection not greater than the rating of the panelboard.

I think we would all agree that the panels serving dwelling units are inevitably lighting and appliance panelboards by definition.
--
Tom

 

[websparky]

Re: Dwelling Units

NEC 2002 230.72 Grouping of Disconnects.(C) Access to Occupants. In a multiple-occupancy building, each occupant shall have access to the occupant?s service disconnecting means.
Exception: In a multiple-occupancy building where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the service disconnecting means supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible to authorized management personnel only.

Handbook Commentary; A multiple-occupancy building may have any number of dwelling units, offices, and the like that are independent of each other. Unless electric service and maintenance are provided by and under continuous supervision of the building management, the occupants of a multiple-occupancy building must have ready access to their disconnecting means as required by 240.24(B).

 

[david]

Re: Dwelling Units

I agree as Tom stated, the issue of the service disconnect being made available to a tenet, and a main in the tenets distribution panel (sub- panel) are two different issues.

No you do not need a main in the sub panel as long as the breaker providing over current protection to that panel is sized to protect that panel.

Yes the tenet has to have access to the service disconnect or the land- lord has to provide a qualified individual to service the main if it trips.

 

[bbeste]

Re: Dwelling Units

Herndon,
I agree with David. If the tenet have access to their main disc at the main distribution panel then this should provide coverage for article 230-72c. If the tenet do not have access then the management must provide a qualified personel to reset the breaker if tripped.

Barry