Mike Dolt Enterprises
Mike Dolt Enterprises
User: GlennH, Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Asked on: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 at 5:56 pm EDT
Answered on: Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 4:42 am EDT
Question: Hi, Got involved in a project I'd like some clarification on.Typical house with UG service to meter on garage wall, conduit from meter under garage to main panel in basement.A ground mounted Solar array was added with the service from the array brought UG to the meter location. A disconnect for the solar was added next to the utility meter and all the tie ins were done, however I was under the impression that a disconnect would have to be added at the garage for the house service to comply with 230.72(A), grouping of disconnects. yes?no?But reading 690.56(B) ,installing a plaque if disconnects were not in the same location,is making me question whether i'm understanding this correctly.please help
Yes, a disconnect would have to be added at the garage for the house service to comply with 230.72(A).230.72(A) requires that all disconnects for each service, feeder, or branch circuit within or at a building or structure must be grouped at a single readily accessible location, unless otherwise permitted by other sections of the NEC, such as 690.56(B).690.56(B) permits the installation of a plaque at the service equipment location, indicating the location(s) of other disconnects if they are not grouped together. However, this exception only applies to photovoltaic (PV) systems.In your case, the utility service disconnect is at the meter location on the garage wall. The solar disconnect is also located next to the utility meter. Therefore, a separate disconnect must be installed at the garage for the house service to comply with 230.72(A), unless the PV system meets the exception in 690.56(B).
Additional Considerations: If the solar system is standalone (not interconnected with the utility grid), then a disconnect may not be required at the garage, as the solar system is not considered a service disconnect in this case. Local electrical codes may have specific requirements regarding the grouping of disconnects. It's always best to check with the local AHJ for clarification. Flag for review