service disconnect

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big vic

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I have installed a meter 200 feet away from a building with the only disconnect being in the building at the point of entry. Inspector says I need a disconnect close to the meter. I think he is wrong.

The POCO would not run primary or secondary without destroying his woods so we put the meter close to their pole and trenched 4/0 URD through the woods.

The POCO has no issues with the way we did it.
 
Check your local codes. Here in New Mexico, if the disconnect is located outside it must be adjacent to the meter socket, unless we are talking about padmounted metering.

Jim T
 
Welcome to the Forum, Vic. :)

Did your inspector give a Code citation? Is the location at the building not readily accessible?
 
No code citation

The 200 amp panel with main is located right behind the point of entry and is readily accessible
 
If the inspector thinks that a disco is required next to the meter than he should provide a code reference.
 
I don't know of any NEC requirement for the disco to be close to the meter. The only time I have to put in an outside disco is when the service disconnect is not "nearest" the point where it enters the building.

Unless there is a local code to the contrary, I also believe the inspector is wrong.
 
The meter may be the service point. In this area it is for underground services, but not for overhead services. For overhead services, the service point is where the utility service drop connects to the wires comming out of the weatherhead. In the case cited by the original poster, I would expect that the meter would be the service point, but even if it is, the code does not require that the service disconnect be installed at the service point.
Even though the meter is at a structure, the conductors do not supply or pass through the structure, so I don't see any way the code requires a disconnect in this case.
Don
Don
 
If you must put the disconnect 200 feet away will it technically be the building service equipment ????


If so! will you need an EGC from the disconnect to the structure panel? will you need to seperate the grounds and neutrals? will need to lift the bond jumper at the panel??


Just asking???

Charlie
 
Vic,

Don's comment about the "service point" got me thinking. . .

Consider a hypothetical situation on a single family dwelling.

For whatever reason, let's imagine that the underground from the PoCo arrives at a meter mounted on one corner of the building. The service center and service disconnect is mounted inside the building on the other end, 35 feet away. The service conductors between the meter and the service center run on the outside of the dwelling until the last foot, where they penetrate the dwelling outside wall and terminate in the disco.

In this hypothetical, does the inspector claim the disco must be on the outside of the building by the meter?
 
al hildenbrand said:
Vic,

.

In this hypothetical, does the inspector claim the disco must be on the outside of the building by the meter?
Click to expand...

Did you intend to type "does the inspector require the disco no the out side"???


Charlie
 
Al......I have done that plenty of times. Even buried the lines over to the other side of the house. Customer didn't want to see a disconnect or conduit on the side of his house

I tried to make that point to him but he said "Yeah........but that's not 200 feet"

I know I am right and may have to go over his head and call the State Electrical Board in Lansing
 
:D

You're confusing me, Charlie.

Now I'm wondering if my fingers have a mind of their own.

Or is it your fingers that have my mind in them. . .

ARGHH!!!

;)
 
Vic,

230.70(A)(1) doesn't mention anything about distance, especially the farther the meter is away the more the disco has to be at the meter.
(1) Readily Accessible Location The service disconnecting means shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.
Click to expand...
I totally support your being ready to take this up the chain, if the inspector refuses to reconsider.
 
Same inspector had an issue with not seeing the 4/0 URD in the trench before it was covered up. I tried to explain to him that I plowed (vibrated) the line in and there was no trench. It was 42 inches deep. I told him "we" could dig it up if he liked.

I am not bashing him. He is a good guy.......trying to do his job.
 
big vic said:
I have installed a meter 200 feet away from a building with the only disconnect being in the building at the point of entry. Inspector says I need a disconnect close to the meter. I think he is wrong.

As far as I can see, 230.70 defines where the disconnect is to be installed. There is a problem here,

230.70(1) "shall be installed at a readily accessible location either outside of a building or structure or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors."

This can be interpreted two ways (Note the position of the comma):

1. Outside or inside, nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.

2. Outside, or inside nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors.

Since the code does not iclude a comma to define the meaning of its sentence, it is subject to interpretation.

Either way, it requires the disconnect to be located with respect to the point of entrance of the service conductors. There is no reference to the meter, although, in practical cases, I would thing that the meter is at the point of entrance of the service conductors.
Click to expand...
 
I know I must be missing something here by code, but shouldn't those conductors, once they leave the meter, be protected by overcurrent protection, which would require a disconnect at the meter, before they reach the house? Thanks.. Steve
 
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