two electric sources in one building

[Stevenfyeager]

Does NEC allow two sources (from two separate meters) to enter a building ? Customer has a detached building (barn) fed from the meter on the house , 30 amps. But they want to add a 50 amp RV, so, we may add another meter/service on the barn. They would like to use both means of power. Is that allowable ?

 

[Dennis Alwon]

IMO, there is no definitive answer in the nec. The nec states that a build can only be fed with one feeder or one service but you have a service and a feeder. One can argue that the feeder or branch circuit from the house is from a different service which would not allow the install.

 

[hillbilly1]

Why not use a RV meter pedestal? That way, it’s independent of the barn? Or if the RV is “stored” in the barn (most likely somebody is living in it) install a new 100 amp service on the barn, remove the 30 amp feeder.

 

[electrofelon]

IMO there is no prohibition against one service and one feeder. I'm not sure if that was the intent of the code writers or not....

 

[hillbilly1]

There is actually not a prohibition to more than one service, but certain conditions must be met, but the op doesn’t meet those conditions.

 

[petersonra]

There are some places where they have different rates for general electrical use and electrical use for heating and they have two meters.

 

[suemarkp]

Do they want to pay the monthly meter fee on that 2nd meter for the rest of their life? I think my meter fee is $10/month whether I use any power or not. That could make sense if they are renting out the RV spot. What would it cost to replace the feeder with something larger?

 

[Stevenfyeager]

Thank you all. To replace the barn feeder with a larger capacity underground from the house would take $4700. And I would rather leave the existing 30 amp feed intact because then I wouldn't have to re run wiring to the first and second story lighting and outlets and outside lighting, etc when I install the new 100 amp panel,

 

[hillbilly1]

Does NEC allow two sources (from two separate meters) to enter a building ? Customer has a detached building (barn) fed from the meter on the house , 30 amps. But they want to add a 50 amp RV, so, we may add another meter/service on the barn. They would like to use both means of power. Is that allowable ?

Thank you all. To replace the barn feeder with a larger capacity underground from the house would take $4700. And I would rather leave the existing 30 amp feed intact because then I wouldn't have to re run wiring to the first and second story lighting and outlets and outside lighting, etc when I install the new 100 amp panel,

But I thought you were looking at adding a separate meter for the RV? Is the existing 30 amp feed at a point on the barn that cannot be intercepted, and fed from the new service? Why would the barn require rewiring?

 

[garbo]

Does NEC allow two sources (from two separate meters) to enter a building ? Customer has a detached building (barn) fed from the meter on the house , 30 amps. But they want to add a 50 amp RV, so, we may add another meter/service on the barn. They would like to use both means of power. Is that allowable ?

In my area they allow a single & a 3 phase service. At the large 550 bed hospital that I retired from they had a large expansion with 10 floors. They added another 13,000 dual service so they had 4 separate services. There was no room in original switchgear room or even 2 basement floors to add the new service so while it was located in same building were at least 700' apart. They usually insist that they services disconnects be in the same area.