ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Code question on service entrance cable

Is there any section in the NEC that gives a measurement for when your entering a single family dwelling as to when you would have to put a disconnect other that a main breaker and run SER cable to the panel. If so could u direct me to the article #.

Thanks

Welcome Nightwizard!
check out 384-16

I'm completely flustered now... Trying to find the "25 foot rule" to no avail...

Grrrrr....

I can see it plain as day in my head... "if service entrance cable exceeds 25' a disconnect is required.." or something to that effect...

D***ed if I can find it...

And I want to be an inspector? Yeah, right!...

In my defense, Allegheny Power wants a disco for anything not "back to back" so I haven't had a chance to use this exception to my advantage...

I thought Steve beat me to it, but it ain't there either...

I'm imagining code again aren't I?!?!?!

There is no specific distance in the code. See 230-70(a).
Don(resqcapt19)

Not in the '96 either... OK time to go with the nice people in the nice white coats, take my nice meds and go to the nice rubber room...

(driving me nuts)

If I had the money, I would offer a large sum of it to the person who finds how I got such a rule in my head?!?!?!?!!?!?

I hate it when I know the answer but can't find it, only to find out that it never existed!!!!!

(sigh)

Okey-dokey

Bubububububbububububububububububububb
(burbling my lips)

Looks like I need to forget everything that Hixson taught me...

Wow.

Virgil:

If it'll make you feel any better, we have a 2 meter / 6 foot specification here for meter-to-panel cables.

Then again, that probably won't make you feel any better at all.....

230-70(a)--- "nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors"

I say if it's further than 6', check with AHJ.

Some inspectors take the nearest rule to extremes. An inspector once gave me grief when I went in the bottom of a basement mounted panel instead of the top. I like to try to keep the service entry conductors and the branch circuit conductors separated. If they were available here I would use Canadian style service entry equipment that has a separate dead front for the supply conductors and their termination. I guess I just don't like the idea of of the home owner working in the same compartment as the service conductors.

In my area the utilities and the AHJ agreed on 6' a long time ago. In Indianapolis, it's up to 10' if the service entrance conductors are in an unbroken joint of galv rigid.