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Friday, March 8, 2019

Question:

Can you build an outdoor residential service with a meter can and EMT riser through the roof and have it all rocked in. In other words, standing in front of the service all you would see is the enclosure door of the load center and the Meter face, everything else including the 2" riser conduit would be behind the rock. My thought is that you can't do that but I can't find any code in the NEC that supports that? Please e-Mail me.

Clayton Walden

A

Answer:

Hey Clayton thanks for your question. The service disconnecting means, if inside a building or structure, must be located nearest the point of entrance of the service conductors 230.70(A)(1). The purpose is to limit how much conductor length is inside a building because service conductors typically do not have upstream overcurrent protection at their ampacity. No specific length is given in the NEC for how much conductor is allowed inside the building so it is determined by the AHJ. Many would likely consider the conductors inside the wall as being inside the building. This issue also seems to be treated differently in various locations.

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CHARLIE TROUT: Charles M. Trout, better known as Charlie, was a nationally known NEC® expert and author. He served on several NEC® technical committees and is past chairman of CMP-12. In 2006 Charlie was awarded the prestigious Coggeshall Award for outstanding contributions to the electrical contracting industry, codes and standards development, and technical training. Even though Charlie passed away in October of 2015, his work continues in spirit. NECA continues to maintain this question forum for its many subscribers in memory and recognition of all his significant contributions to making the NEC what it is today.

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