On 29 Aug 2003 17:47:13 GMT, inch (Peter H.) wrote:

the rule today for residential installations in this area is that there must be
an externally accessable positive disconnect for power entering the premises.
The purpose of this is so the fire department can make the premises cold
without having to wait for the power company to show up.

This disconnect can be a switch rather than a breaker ...


You can still invoke the "six breaker rule".

In the stated situation, you could have two 200A disconnects serve as the
premises disconnecting means, or one 200A and two 100A disconnects, or any
combination of six or fewer main disconnects.

The Southern Building Code won't accept that for a premises that isn't
continuously occupied. The main disconnect must be external to the
building, and plainly marked. As I said, it is so the fire department can
make the building cold without waiting for the power company to show
up and pull the pole fuses.

Gary