Panel feeding another building 30 feet

[hhsting]

I have building A with service coming into main service disconnect at Panel A. Panel A has feeder breaker feeding to Panel B.

Panel B is located in separate building Building B not connected by anything 30 feet away from Building A.

I understand 250.32 is the code section but would like your opinion. Both buildings are close 30 feet apart would it be considered same building? Does Panel B still require grounding electrode system?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[bwat]

Certainly sounds like a separate structure to me. Driving a couple ground rods isn’t all that difficult.

 

[infinity]

I understand 250.32 is the code section but would like your opinion.
1)Both buildings are close 30 feet apart would it be considered same building?
2)Does Panel B still require grounding electrode system?

1) No, 30' apart is certainly not the same structure.
2) Yes, a GES is required at the separate structure unless it is fed by a single MWBC or single branch circuit.

 

[kwired]

One way to make them one building is to connect them somehow - just a roof that attaches to both with a breezeway under it can make them one building for code purposes. But if running a feeder to the second space about the only impact is the need for a grounding electrode and a main disconnect in the second space, you still need separate grounded and equipment grounding conductors on all new installations anyway.

 

[hhsting]

Building A and Building B cannot be connected. It’s a storage compound with separate building has road in between. Owner does not want them to be connected.

 

[infinity]

Building A and Building B cannot be connected. It’s a storage compound with separate building has road in between. Owner does not want them to be connected.

What would be the advantage of connecting them, not installing two ground rods?

 

[hhsting]

What would be the advantage of connecting them, not installing two ground rods?

I guess if connected it would be one structure or not separate building and may be not need to comply per 250.32.

My initial question was buildings are 30 feet apart pretty close to each other, not connected. If one of the buildings is fed by feeder, would the building fed by feeder still require grounding electrode system and building disconnect.

note you need grounding electrode system so if their is steel or metal under ground pipe needs to be bonded.

 

[kwired]

They can be connected and still be called separate buildings. For electrical codes you can't run multiple circuits between them if you are going to treat them as separate buidings. So basically one feeder to the second and then treat it as a separate building. In those cases fire and other codes probably also want a 2 hr partition and/or automatically closing doors if fire alarm is activated.

But for OP's situation where there is no structural connection - they are separate buildings.