ECN Forum Forums Code Related Discussion NEC & other Code issues Disconnect for each building

I am ruuning power to a shower building at a camp. Exactly 8' away is another building (restrooms) that need power as well. I am mounting a 3R subpanel on the exterior of the shower building, on the wall facing the restrooms. Is it sufficient to use this subpanel as the disconnecting means for the restroom building, or should they get their own subpanel as well? There will be 3 circuits going into the restrooms. I know that I have to ground the piping + a ground rod at both of the buildings, however, it makes little sense to put up 2 subpanels 8' apart, when one will have more than enough capacity to serve both buildings.

Is 230.70 the right section to be reading for feeds to outbuildings? It says services, but I seem to remember part of the code referring me back to 230.70 when dealing with disconects on seperate structures.
Any help is apreciated!
Mike

According to 225.30, you will need a seperate feeder with a disconnect (225.31) at each building or structure, and it must be suitable for use as service equipment (225.36)

shortcircuit

"sub panel" and "disconnect" can be one and the same. Not only do some models allow you to replace the switch with breakers, the advent of hot tubs has led to the offering of many small (2 or 4 space) panels- all suitable for outside use.

That second building can only have one source of supply. None of the exceptions apply to your situation. The code does not permit you to run multiple general use branch circuits from one building to another.
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Tom Horne

225.30 Number of Supplies.
Where more than one building or other structure is on the same property and under single management, each additional building or other structure served that is on the load side of the service disconnecting means shall be supplied by one feeder or branch circuit unless permitted in 225.30(A) through (E). For the purpose of this section, a multiwire branch circuit shall be considered a single circuit.

Dam, Tom, Learn to read Shortcircuit already said that.

[This message has been edited by tdhorne (edited 06-02-2005).]