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What in Tarnation?
What in Tarnation?
by timmp, September 10
Plumber meets Electrician
Plumber meets Electrician
by timmp, September 10
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,007
Likes: 37
G
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Many years ago I posted an issue that bothered me and got an "Ignore it, they are legal" response.

This is about the rest station MM64 on I-75 in Florida.
(from my foggy quarter century old memory)(
The main disconnect was 400a switch gear but the conductors were 250 MCM cu with 250a main fuses.
Coming off that was two 200a breakers with 3/0 cu conductors. (one for each side of the road)
I talked to everyone I could find including a question to NFPA and they sad as long as it was fused for the conductors present, no violation. We inspect what we see, not what could happen. (even if 400a fuses drop right in)
The engineers said it was well oversized anyway and it would never be a problem.
I walked away shaking my head because I know "Maintenance men".
They were right in 1999, I saw the plans and the load calcs, 200a per building was way over kill and the whole plaza probably cruised at 100a or less with the A/C going and all the lights on. Other than that it was just some vending machines.
Then we (re)invented electric cars.
I am back thinking this was a horrible idea. It won't take very many level 2 chargers to set that service lateral on fire if some guy decided all he has to do is swap the fuses. The feeders are also pretty long and I never saw a voltage drop calculation. This was DOT engineers running the show.


Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Sometimes I wonder if some of the 'Engineers' have a full time job operating a locomotive!

Some of the 'third party' guys leave a lot to be desired.

We inspect to 'Code', not 'Plans'


John
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 10,007
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G
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The problem is, as long as the fuses are sized to the conductors while we are there, it is to code, according to NFPA, IAEI and anyone else I talked to.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,412
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Greg:

That is 100% what the DCA (NJ) has said. "At the time of inspection"


John

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