ESS and inverter in a separate building

[jaggedben]

I have a somewhat convoluted situation I want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

A new dwelling is being built on a property as a separate outbuilding from the main existing house. Solar panels are to be put on the outbuilding. There is a feeder being run from the service at the house to a new panelboard for the outbuilding. However, the client wants the option of submetering the outbuilding and therefore does not want the solar inverter connected to the outbuilding subpanel. So a separate conduit had been laid (already buried in trench) for the solar inverter output to connect back to the service at the house.

Now the client is also interested in battery backup for loads at the house, and the only really suitable location for such equipment is in the new outbuilding. This means that the conduit mentioned above will now need to carry two circuits: the one going from the service to the inverter for grid backfeed, plus the one for powering the critical loads panel. Running these in separate conduits is not really an option at this point.

Anybody see any violations to this arrangement? I don't think it's a violation to have those two AC circuits in the same conduit, but I want to make sure I'm not missing anything with both of these buildings having two points of supply.

 

[shortcircuit2]

So a feeder and an output circuit in the same conduit...I don't see any Code issue. You should placard the multiple supplies.

 

[jaggedben]

I guess I was most concerned about 225.30, number of supplies to the buildings. But it seems like this all fits under 225.30(A) (4) and (5) for optional standby systems and parallel production sources. I agree I'll need some extra disconnecting means and placards.

If anyone disagrees let me know.

 

[pv_n00b]

Not a code issue, maybe. If it's a separate parcel there might be issues with feeding power across parcel boundaries that has nothing to do with the code. I did it once and it was a pain. By submetering do they want a separate utility service at the outbuilding that can be billed separately or just an energy meter they can monitor? If a new service that can't be fed through another building.

 

[jaggedben]

Not a separate parcel or utility service. Good points though, thanks for responding.