I have a project I'm looking at and have a question on grouping the disconnects. As of now the meter for a house and outbuilding is on the utility pole. There is a 200 amp panel in the house and one in the outbuilding. The one to the house is underground and the one to the outbuilding is overhead. They need to get rid of the overhead line because they are going to build an addition and tie the house and the outbuilding together to make one large house. I want to feed the old panel in the outbuilding with a new underground line from the pole. If I mount a 200 amp disconnect next to the pole but not on the house, on a pole of somekind, will that fly? It's almost impossible to run a new underground line to the existing house as I'm sure it is direct buried.
Grouping disconnects
- Thread starter crtemp
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Massachusetts
You can only run one one feeder to a structure and you are going from two structures to one structure.
You will need to refeed what was an outbuilding from the building not the pole.
You will need to refeed what was an outbuilding from the building not the pole.
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- Occupation
- Licensed Electrician
You could dig up the feed to the house and extend the conductors with direct bury splices if you wanted to get rid of the pole.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
So you say there is a 1 meter and feeds 1 200 amp underground to the main house. Then another overhead feed to the out building and no disco at the pole.
If that I have never heard of such a set-up . I've worked on farm style rural property like that however there was always a main switch/breaker at the pole with the meter. We most always used a meter main combo.
If that I have never heard of such a set-up . I've worked on farm style rural property like that however there was always a main switch/breaker at the pole with the meter. We most always used a meter main combo.
230.40 Exception No. 3 permits one set of service entrance conductors each to a single-family dwelling and its accessory structures.
I suggest asking the AHJ to grant a deviation under 225.30(B)(2) to allow two feeders (i.e. add service disconnecting means at pole). Also include the addition of signage in the request. I know it's a stretch but can't hurt to try. Worst the AHJ will do is turn down the request.
Otherwise, what about running a feeder off house panel through the house and new addition to supply the panel in the outbuilding?
Going through the house is possible but not gonna be fun. It's an old federal pacific panel thats stuffed full.
If I were to put a disconnect on the house feeders at the pole I don't think that would work either because there is no ground wire running with the service conductors and no conduit to add one.
The cable running to the house is the service entrance conductor (SEC). No grounding conductor is required. So it is as you surmise... putting a disconnect at the pole would require you to run an EGC between pole and house... so that would not avoid totaling replacing the direct buried cable.
(Still suggest first contacting AHJ to request a 2-feeder-from-pole deviation.)
Don't forget you'll have to put a breaker in the house panel for the to-be-former-outbuilding-panel feeder. If no available room or breaker, you'll have to tap the SEC and provide another service disconnecting means in separate enclosure and "update" the grounding electrode system.
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
Farms around here have switch/breaker at the pole with the meter, but may have both underground and overhead conductors leaving that pole to go to structures on the farm. Most of the time it is usually the older structures still have overhead wiring and newer structures have underground ran to them.
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