Nearest point of entry

[jerrygar]

The standard way to feed a dwelling here is to install the service on a meter pole and then run a feeder to the dwelling. Because underground is very expensive here (trenching is $10 foot) we usually run triplex to the dwelling and feeder cable to the distribution panel which has a main breaker.

I have a job on a 1 acre lot that has 2 buildings: a main dwelling and a guest house. I put a 200 amp service with two 100 amp feeders on the meter pole. Triplex feeds to the guest house (the main dwelling has not yet been started) to a weatherhead and transitions to feeder cable to the distribution panel which has a main disconnect.

Because there are two buildings, the inspector is saying I per 225.32 I need a disconnect at the "nearest point of entry" which he interprets to be somewhere outside on the building. (The meter pole is about 200' from this building.)

If this were done in conduit underground from one building to another then then according to the inspector the nearest point of entry becomes the end of the conduit.

I am planning to put a disconnect on the outside, but I would like some clarity on this for future jobs.

Thanks,
Jerry

 

[david luchini]

The standard way to feed a dwelling here is to install the service on a meter pole and then run a feeder to the dwelling. Because underground is very expensive here (trenching is $10 foot) we usually run triplex to the dwelling and feeder cable to the distribution panel which has a main breaker.

I have a job on a 1 acre lot that has 2 buildings: a main dwelling and a guest house. I put a 200 amp service with two 100 amp feeders on the meter pole. Triplex feeds to the guest house (the main dwelling has not yet been started) to a weatherhead and transitions to feeder cable to the distribution panel which has a main disconnect.

Because there are two buildings, the inspector is saying I per 225.32 I need a disconnect at the "nearest point of entry" which he interprets to be somewhere outside on the building. (The meter pole is about 200' from this building.)

If this were done in conduit underground from one building to another then then according to the inspector the nearest point of entry becomes the end of the conduit.

I am planning to put a disconnect on the outside, but I would like some clarity on this for future jobs.

Thanks,
Jerry

225.32 says the disconnecting means shall be installed EITHER inside or outside the building. If your conductors enter the building and land on the panel at that location, the MCB should be fine for the disconnecting means.

If you enter the building and run some distance to the panel, I'd say you need a separate disconnect at the entrance point.

In either case, the code allows the disc. to be inside the building

 

[don_resqcapt19]

If you are under the 2008 code, you can no longer use triplex for this application. The 2008 code requires an EGC along with the ungrounded and grounded conductors.

 

[hurk27]

now if only the meter was located on the pole and then you would only have SEC's running to each building, so then you would be ok with a 3-wire. the code only require a disconnect where you enter a structure, I have never seen any conductors enter a pole?

I have done a few farms that I mounted a meter with multiple lugs on a pole and went either underground or over head to each building hitting a main breaker just inside and never had a problem, got some funny looks though, when they were trying to find out how this was legal, but all I said is the conductors are not entering the pole so no disconnect is needed, It can be a POCO rule, or a Fire marshal rule. that require a disconnect outside each building???