Paul

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dugaselectric@roadrunner.

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I have installed a 200 amp nema 3 MB -8 space service panel over the years. The panel has lugs at the bottom of the buss. This was used near the road next to the meter.The lugs allowed us to feed 4/0 cable through underground to a panel in the house
I had to feed a garage with a 200 amp service because I had no room to hit the house overhead because of a pool. I wanted to use the same panel and feed-thru underground to the house panel useing 4/0-200 amp cable. The inspector said I could not use the 200 amp as a disconnect. He said you can't sub-feed useing the same size wire to the panel in the house.
What am I missing in the code? What application could you use that style panel with feed thru lugs.
 
First I need some clarification:

  1. When you say, "I had to feed a garage with a 200 amp service because I had no room to hit the house overhead because of a pool", does that mean the "200 amp nema 3 MB -8 space service panel" is located at the garage and not another at the road?
  2. This service panel you speak of has a 200A main breaker?


If I understand your description correctly, I believe he is wrong. Politely ask him for code references.

If you are running a feeder to the house using the feed-thru lugs of the 200A service panel in the garage, you must use conductors having an ampacity of 200A or greater. These conductors are in essence "panelboard-bus extensions", so I also do not believe the "next higher rating" of 240.4(B) applies. 225.31 and 225.32 require a disconnecting means at the house, and a 200A MBP meets that requirement as long as it is located near the "feeder" conductors point of entrance. The main ocpd having a rating equal to the feeder's line-end ocpd is of no relevance, as only a disconnecting means is required.
 
200 amp panel

200 amp panel

The panel that I wanted to use was a 150 amp that has a main breaker and is located in the garage behind the outside meter. The only reason I wanted to use the nema 3 is for the feed -thru lugs that come with them. From there we ran 2" conduit underground to the house 30 feet away to the existing panel with a 150 amp breaker.
He said you can't sub-feed the same size wire. To satisfy him I used a regular
150 amp mb panel and installed 125 amp breaker and still ran 2/0 al.
My question is how does this differ from having to have a disconnecting means over 5 feet and feeding a sub-panel. The only difference is it hs 8 spaces.
 
I don't believe there is any such requirment either. There are a lot of rules about not using wires that are too small but none that I'm aware of about using wires that may be too big.
 
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