National Electrical Installation Standards

Standards as High as Your Own

 
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Monday, February 27, 2017

Question:

Can I come the bottom of meter can to a bus bar and then come from bus bar to the house load control center. Then from bus bar to a outdoor breaker box?

Thanks, Kaleae Groene

A

Answer:

Hey Kaleae thanks for your question. If I understand what you are describing correctly you are planning to install wire type conductors from a meter socket enclosure to a busway as that term is defined in 368.2. The busway would then be connected to a paneboard used as service equipment (house load control center?) for a house and another panelboard (located outdoors) also used as service equipment. Busways are allowed to be used as service-entrance conductors as stated in 230.43(9) and spliced are allowed as stated in 230.46. The busway would need to be outside the building because service conductors are not allowed to pass through the interior of a building or structure if used to supply a different building or structure (outdoor breaker box) as stated in 230.3. Both service disconnecting means need to be grouped at the same location as stated in 230.40 Exception No. 2, 230.71(A), and 230.72.

So if you can comply with all of the rules it seems possible to do what you are asking but unless there is something special about the installation a different design might be better and less expensive.

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