six switch rule, enforced or not?

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Mule

Mule

Senior Member
Location
Oklahoma
I'm curious, I've noticed in our town there is so many violations to the six switch rule that it makes your head spin. AND to boot, the home inspectors don't point it out on their inspections.

These violations are mostly, non-adherence to the "nearest the point on entrance" issue. Or, they will have one main inside, then tap the meter and put one outside, and the like. Or they add, add, add, add, well you know..

Is this typical in your town, or is it done differently?
 
Hey, they enforce it here... NOW!

I got so tired of losing work because I spec'd a big main when others installed the work with 10 mains for cheaper than me. Or, when others didn't group the mains, as required. This was traditionally passed in my area, but I got fed up and made phonecalls on every last one that I bid on to do the right way and lost. I will continue to do so, in an effort to level my playing field.
 
mdshunk said:
Hey, they enforce it here... NOW!

I got so tired of losing work because I spec'd a big main when others installed the work with 10 mains for cheaper than me. Or, when others didn't group the mains, as required. This was traditionally passed in my area, but I got fed up and made phonecalls on every last one that I bid on to do the right way and lost. I will continue to do so, in an effort to level my playing field.
Click to expand...
Donald Trump would be proud :D
 
The most common violation I see is in grouping the disconnect means if one disconnect is on the inside and one is on the outside even though they are just 4 inches apart its still a wall
 
Be careful calling that is a residence. I get home inspectors that call it and it is incorrect.

230.71 Maximum Number of Disconnects.

FPN: See 408.36 (A) for service equipment in panelboards.

408.36 Overcurrent Protection

408.36(A) Lighting and Appliance Branch-Circuit Panelboard Individually Protected.

Exception No. 2: For existing installations, individual protection for lighting and appliance branch-circuit panelboards shall not be required where such panelboards are used as service equipment in supplying an individual residential occupancy.

Now that is residential only there is no exception for commercial.
 
The six switch rule has always been enforced here. See section 230.72 (A) exp for waterpumps for fire protection and 230.72 (B) additional service disconnecting means.
 
It all depends on the inspector here, but generally it's enforced. Most everyone uses the meter packs of meter banks now anyway, so it's pretty much a non-issue.
 
It is enforced here.

A couple years ago I added a panel at a church to be used for new parking lot lights.

The existing 1000A service section had 5 existing switches and one "space" left. The only switch the fit that space was actually TWO side by side 100 amp switches.

Everybody from the EE to the city plan review missed it.....including me. The field inspector caught it and made me take the guts out of the second switch so it could never be used.
 
mdshunk said:
I got fed up and made phonecalls on every last one that I bid on to do the right way and lost. I will continue to do so, in an effort to level my playing field.
Click to expand...


I lost a job a couple of months ago due to this. I will now begin calling.
 
If I had been able to qoute the code I may have been able to make a point.

All I knew was six switches or less.

I still don't know exactly what it says and my book it at the office :roll:
 
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