# Maximum Number of Disconnects



## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Achilles said:


> 230.71(A) "...There shall be not more than six sets of disconnects per service grouped in any one location."
> 
> My first question is does a residential meter bank exceeding six meters require a main disconnect?
> 
> ...


Oh, it applies. It's sometimes overlooked, but it applies. 

In the case of multifamily residential, you do "cold sequence metering" if you have more than 6 units on a service drop. That's a disconnect in the service drop or lateral before you feed the meter stack.

In the case of strip malls and similar large occupancies... it might appear that they have more than 6 disconnecting means or groups of disconnecting means all over the place... until you look harder. Very often they'll have a little bit of customer owned outdoor switchgear in the primary feeding customer owned padmount transformers dotted around the facility. In the case of industrial facilities, they will often have a similar setup as I just described, or they'll have a customer owned ground operated air switch. 

In some cases, what might appear to be one building is actually deemed several building that are just connected, with firewalls in between. In this case, they can have one set of 6 disco's per "building".


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## Achilles (Sep 11, 2014)

Fire walls separating "buildings" was my point of confusion. Thank You


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## MDShunk (Jan 7, 2007)

Achilles said:


> Fire walls separating "buildings" was my point of confusion. Thank You


That's a weird situation that is sometimes tough to get approved. Generally involves the cooperation of your engineer, the building inspector and/or planning and zoning official, and the power company.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Achilles said:


> ...
> My first question is does a residential meter bank exceeding six meters require a main disconnect?


Only if there are disconnects at the meters for each apartment. If there are no disconnects at the meters, there is no limit on the number of meters in a group. 


> Strip malls exceed 6 disconnects on the building, and they may be ungrouped.


If the disconnects are not grouped, then you are permitted to have up to six means of disconnect for each set of service entrance conductors. Each occupancy would have its own set of service entrance conductors.


> Electrical Rooms feeding strip malls also often have more then six disconnects grouped in the same room.


That is likely to be a violation, however the term "grouped" is not defined. How far apart to the disconnects have to be before they are no longer "grouped"?


> It's been explained to me before the six disconnect rule does not apply in strip mall example because they are separate services.
> 
> Any assistance/clarification is appreciated. Thank you


This issue is not as clear cut as many think it is. 
Around here a strip mall will often have all of the meters at a single location, but not have any disconnects at that location. The service entrance conductors are run from the meters to each occupancy and the "service" disconnect(s) are in the occupancy.


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## Achilles (Sep 11, 2014)

Doing some further reading of the beginning of article 230. 

230.2 Number of Services (Relevant exceptions below)

230.2(B)(1) Multiple occupancy buildings where there is not available space for service equipment accessible to all occupants
----This explains the multiple services at a strip mall----

230.2(C)(3) By special permission
----This explains the multiple services in a meter room at a strip mall----

It seems a residential meter bank over (6) requires a main disconnect.

Part of my confusion was in my misinterpretation of the definition of "service". Service being the feed from the utility company before the meter, not after.


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## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

For most multi-occupancy buildings you need to be looking at 230.40. There is only one service with a set of service entrance conductors for each occupancy (meter).

The question of a main disconnect for more than six meters really hinges on where the disconnects for each set of service entrance conductors are located. If you have more than six meters in a single location and the disconnects are at the meters, you would trigger the need for a main disconnect. 
If you have more than six meters in a single location, but the service disconnects are located in each occupancy (not physically at the meter) a main is not required.


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