Service disconnects

[Mr. Spinosa]

I have a friend who asked me a good question today. He was looking at a house that has a 320A service, one panel needs to go in the garage and another in the basement, below. The question is, do you need to have a disconnect for the second panel in the same location as the one in the garage behind the meter can? I looked in the code book, in article 230, regarding grouping of disconnects. He even talked to the electrical inspector and the inspector said he thinks this can be done also... (He did sound a bit unsure though.) Only because I am curious, can anyone enlighten me as to why this can be done if it can be done? Or, possibly give me a specific code reference that might allow this? Hope this all makes sense. Thanks in advance....

 

[electrofelon]

I have a friend who asked me a good question today. He was looking at a house that has a 320A service, one panel needs to go in the garage and another in the basement, below. The question is, do you need to have a disconnect for the second panel in the same location as the one in the garage behind the meter can? I looked in the code book, in article 230, regarding grouping of disconnects. He even talked to the electrical inspector and the inspector said he thinks this can be done also... (He did sound a bit unsure though.) Only because I am curious, can anyone enlighten me as to why this can be done if it can be done? Or, possibly give me a specific code reference that might allow this? Hope this all makes sense. Thanks in advance....

The panels do not necessarily have to be grouped, but the service disconnects do (unless you get into situations with different occupancies and a few other special situations ). See 230.40 exception 2, 230.71 and 230.72

Edit. It is more accurate to say that the disconnects for each set of service entrance conductors shall be grouped, except the sets allowed in 230.40 ex 2. They must all be grouped.

 

[jumper]

I have a friend who asked me a good question today. He was looking at a house that has a 320A service, one panel needs to go in the garage and another in the basement, below. The question is, do you need to have a disconnect for the second panel in the same location as the one in the garage behind the meter can? I looked in the code book, in article 230, regarding grouping of disconnects. He even talked to the electrical inspector and the inspector said he thinks this can be done also... (He did sound a bit unsure though.) Only because I am curious, can anyone enlighten me as to why this can be done if it can be done? Or, possibly give me a specific code reference that might allow this? Hope this all makes sense. Thanks in advance....

You saw the the section that mandated grouping of discos of service.

So....in your scenario, would you say allowed?

Service disconnecting means are allowed up to six grouping.....

 

[Jamesco]

Agree with the 2 posts so far.

Usually a 400 amp (Rated 320 amp max) meter combo with 2 - 200 amp main breakers is installed.
After that you can install two 200 amp panels pretty much anywhere you want.

It is normal here to see one installed in the garage and the other in the basement.
I have seen in large ranches two installed in the basement one near the meter setting end, in a mechanical room, and the other in a mechanical room near the other end of the ranch.
I have also seen both installed in the same mechanical room.

EDIT: I assume attached garage.

Jim

 

[Little Bill]

I have a friend who asked me a good question today. He was looking at a house that has a 320A service, one panel needs to go in the garage and another in the basement, below. The question is, do you need to have a disconnect for the second panel in the same location as the one in the garage behind the meter can? I looked in the code book, in article 230, regarding grouping of disconnects. He even talked to the electrical inspector and the inspector said he thinks this can be done also... (He did sound a bit unsure though.) Only because I am curious, can anyone enlighten me as to why this can be done if it can be done? Or, possibly give me a specific code reference that might allow this? Hope this all makes sense. Thanks in advance....

You didn't mention if the garage is a separate structure. If it is, then 230.40(excep 3) would allow not grouping the disconnects since the separate structure would have a 2nd set of SE conductors and not feeders.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

You didn't mention if the garage is a separate structure. If it is, then 230.40(excep 3) would allow not grouping the disconnects since the separate structure would have a 2nd set of SE conductors and not feeders.

That was my thought also. If the garage is a separate structure then it is a different deal.