incoming service

[sleepy]

hi, i have a question, we are doing a small apartment complex, we have a trough, to a meter, to a 100amp disconnect at our service location, which goes to the 100amp panel, it has a 100amp main, in the apartments. the electrician and the elec inspector are saying that we have to make the location of the main service accessable to the tenants so the can disconnect the panel. why would that be if we have a main in the apartment panels.
any help, thank you

 

[tom baker]

Re: incoming service

From the 2002 NEC
230.72 (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.

 

[allenwayne]

Re: incoming service

Curious how many apts. are there on this 100 amp main ?

 

[sleepy]

Re: incoming service

just 1 apartment per 1-100amp main panel

 

[allenwayne]

Re: incoming service

The main in each apt would only protect the load side of the situation,guess it would matter who supplies the electic service to these units.Another GREY NEC area

 

[George Stolz]

Re: incoming service

In this situation, isn't the feeder protected by the 100 amp main in the apartment? If the feeder is supplying more, it'll trip the OCPD in the panel.

I notice that 215.3 refers us only to Part I of 240, which doesn't include the stipulations of 240.21.

Wait a sec. Why doesn't 215.3 reference all of 240, given that 240.21(B) "Feeder Taps" is in Part II?

Edit: Corrected reference.

[ May 12, 2005, 11:27 PM: Message edited by: georgestolz ]

 

[charlie b]

Re: incoming service

The location of the main never has to be accessible to the tenants. If the room is locked, and if the owner keeps a 24/7 representative (not necessarily awake 24/7, but at least available if you knock on the right door), that satisfies the Exception that Tom quoted.

But I think the main breaker in each apartment?s panel satisfies 230.72(C), even without looking at the exception. The problem that we are trying to avoid is having a main breaker trip (leaving the owner without power), and the owner having to way to reset the breaker. Since the panel?s main is in the same panel, the owner can reset it without even contacting the building manager.