Main Breaker Outside?
- Thread starter IMSTILLME
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Bremerton, Washington
- Occupation
- Master Electrician
Re: Main Breaker Outside?
No.
Is it a recommendation or requirement?
[ November 30, 2005, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: tom baker ]
No.
Is it a recommendation or requirement?
[ November 30, 2005, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: tom baker ]
jeff43222
Senior Member
- Location
- Minneapolis, Minnesota
Re: Main Breaker Outside?
I think the key word is recommends. I'm not sure why they would recommend this; it's certainly not common in my area. The NEC does require that the service have its disconnecting means either outside the building or "inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors." If you install an outdoor main, that will allow you to enter the house with the service conductors anywhere and then continue inside to anyplace you like for your panel. Without the outdoor main, you have to have your main panel right where the service entrance conductors come inside, or have a disconnecting means there and then a subpanel for your branch circuits.
The only time I've installed an outdoor main was when the homeowner didn't want the main panel right where the service entrance conductors came in, so the AHJ required the outdoor switch. My price at the supply house for the 200A Siemens breaker and the enclosure for it was $350.
I think the key word is recommends. I'm not sure why they would recommend this; it's certainly not common in my area. The NEC does require that the service have its disconnecting means either outside the building or "inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors." If you install an outdoor main, that will allow you to enter the house with the service conductors anywhere and then continue inside to anyplace you like for your panel. Without the outdoor main, you have to have your main panel right where the service entrance conductors come inside, or have a disconnecting means there and then a subpanel for your branch circuits.
The only time I've installed an outdoor main was when the homeowner didn't want the main panel right where the service entrance conductors came in, so the AHJ required the outdoor switch. My price at the supply house for the 200A Siemens breaker and the enclosure for it was $350.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Re: Main Breaker Outside?
Regarding the 200 amp 3R enclosure I believe that Big Orange sells SQ D versions for about half of the 350 bucks that you paid.
Just for the sake of clarity the conductors from the outdoor main to the panel would be feeder conductors not service entrance conductors, they would end at the main service disconnect.
Regarding the 200 amp 3R enclosure I believe that Big Orange sells SQ D versions for about half of the 350 bucks that you paid.
sceepe
Senior Member
Re: Main Breaker Outside?
Local AHJ requires exterior service disconnect here. It is not a NEC thing but a local ordinance. Purpose is so that the fire department can quickly kill power to the structure before they start spraying water everywhere. They don't want to pull the meter under load or search all over for your panel.
This is a commercial requirement, I don't do residential so I am not sure if they are requiring for residential but I would not be surprised. Also, I have been allowed to install an interior main with shunt trip main breaker and put the shunt trip button in a locakable, identified box on the outside of the building.
Local AHJ requires exterior service disconnect here. It is not a NEC thing but a local ordinance. Purpose is so that the fire department can quickly kill power to the structure before they start spraying water everywhere. They don't want to pull the meter under load or search all over for your panel.
This is a commercial requirement, I don't do residential so I am not sure if they are requiring for residential but I would not be surprised. Also, I have been allowed to install an interior main with shunt trip main breaker and put the shunt trip button in a locakable, identified box on the outside of the building.
macmikeman
Senior Member
- Location
- Planet macmikeman
Re: Main Breaker Outside?
There is about a half a dozen states, and all the provinces of Canada where I could guess that requiring the main disconnecting means be on the exterior of the building, could become a problem in the winter months. Fortunately for me, I don't have to worry too much about this particular problem.
There is about a half a dozen states, and all the provinces of Canada where I could guess that requiring the main disconnecting means be on the exterior of the building, could become a problem in the winter months. Fortunately for me, I don't have to worry too much about this particular problem.
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