Service Disconnect on Outside of Building

[BackCountry]

Here begins power company power trip rant:

I know, I know... it's in the new code -- you have to have a service disconnect on the outside of the building. I get it, we're on the 2017 code here so it has yet to go into effect. However, I nearly lost my mind and blew a gasket this week when I realized that our power company, PG&E, slipped the requirement into their green book manual.

Here's the story:

Existing metal building on a ranch adjacent to a house. It's been fed since 1970 by a 40A circuit from the house's 200A panel on #8's, 200 foot pull. They started having voltage drop problems when they added a large dust collector (crazy, isn't it) and asked us to add a separate service to the metal building. I submit an application to PG&E for a new 200A service to the metal building. They tell me, with no specific reasoning -- that it has to be an ag rate, ok no problem.

We install a standard Siemens 200A surface mount CSED 20 circuit panel, very common around here. Passes AHJ inspection no problem, so we call for them to connect the overhead drop and set the meter. This is where gasket number one was almost blown. The troubleman connects the drop, tests, all ok. Since it's an ag rate (unbeknownst to me) it has to have a different style of meter which only a meter technician can place, normally a troubleman here would set it. OK, fine. He comes out the next day to set the meter and "fails" the panel because it doesn't have manual test bypass lugs.

Of course it doesn't, it's had a subpanel fed off of a house for 50 years -- why one earth would we install a commercial panel with bypass lugs? Well, let me tell you: because of the ag rate. And... it can't be on a residential rate because they'll only allow one residential meter per address. Can't get a separate address, the AHJ won't issue one. So, I read deeper into the 1,050 page green book to find an exception for services 225A or less to not require bypass facilities as long as it's for an ag rate and the request is made beforehand. DENIED, by the same meter tech, because we didn't make the request beforehand. Mind you, they never specified what panel they required which they usually do for anything other than residential.

I fought that one for a few weeks, finally gave up -- and ordered an Eaton meter socket with test bypass lugs, 16 week ETA and twice the price... without even having a breaker. Finally comes in, we have them disconnect, we install the meter socket, and go back to back on the inside of the building and put in a 200A main breaker load center, redo all of the existing circuits. Done, call in for the reconnect and meter set after it gets re-inspected.

The meter tech comes out and says... I could fail this panel right now because the disconnect is inside the building (about 18 inches away).

They slipped the new NEC rule into their greenbook, even though almost all AHJ's are on the old code -- which is fine, it's coming anyway... but what a joke with zero mention of it in the "what's changed section."

He then proceeded to set the meter and drove off. Why couldn't he have done that the first time?

That's the end of my rant, 16 weeks and a few thousand dollars later, and those same 200 amps... with no difference. I know, TLDR -- I had to get it out.

 

[Tulsa Electrician]

Good rant.
I work with a utility that used to send out updates to go in a book. Now we get an email and print and update service standards book.
They also used to be involved in a every three code change seminar which was put on by the AHJ. It was great so all on same page.
As far as the AG rate. We had to look at the building permit before we wired. Once the owner choose to go ag for tax reasons it took us out of the usual wire methods for a residential garage. This put us into an AG (547) wireing methods.
We could not us dewelling rules. Poor guys found out the hard way from AHJ. This was covered in one of the seminars. The ones that did not attend or get up to speed. Was a little upset.
The issue we faced was the home owner. They like to have the builder pull construction only permit and close it out before calling an electrician. Some nice two car garages next to the house had an AG permit for taxes. Then the electrician comes in pulls permit and fails insp. There permit get attached to the AG building permit.

The biggest issue was the concrete floor was already poured. If the GC used mesh ECT there was an issue.
If I saw one that had no fiber in it. I need documentation for bonding point before pricing the job. The AHJ usually documents this on there permit now due to past issues.
Many jobs had to be reworked or reclassified to get electrician installed. Any time a GC won't let the electrician tag on to his permit is a red flag. It effects the bid job as they don't care after there done. It becomes an home owners problem to which we have to be the ones to inform them.
It's a Hugh can of worms.
Now add in a plumber and water.
Again artical 547.
See it could have been worse.