On Jul 9, 5:07*am, mike wrote:
When I contemplated the transfer switch, I discovered that my house
has 30 feet of wire between the meter base and the first breaker.
This violates current code, big-time. *There's some question about
what changes inside the breaker box might require bringing the whole
service entrance up to current code.

Curious as to what part of the NEC this violates? *

Good point. *Maybe it's a local thing.
A friend just upgraded his service. *They wouldn't let him put
the first breaker more than one stud-spacing away from the service
entrance. *Seems they're worried about some contractor driving a
nail thru the cable. The first current limit is on the other side
of the transformer on the pole at 8KV or some such.

If that is the concern, metal conduit between the meter
and panel would solve it. Seems you have some very
strange inspectors. Where is this?



Something about arc-fault. *If you get an arc started, it just
keeps burning itself back until it reaches a place where the separation
is great enough to extinguish the plasma. *The house is well up in flames
long before that happens and there's nothing you can do but watch
it happen...assuming you weren't blinded in the initial flash.

As I understand it, the interlock system are not allowed by the code,
but are often "passed".

Based on what? Interlockit says they meet NEC. I've heard lots
of people using and recommending them here, including
electricians and haven't heard of any being failed.



*Problem with my box is that the breakers
flip the opposite direction from the breakers anticipated by the
interlock systems. *I'd have to have fingers that reach around
the switches and lock out on the outside edge.

What panel do you have?


* Other problem is
that there's no room in the box for the extra breakers for the
generator inputs.
It's just much easier/safer to leave it alone.

Could you replace a couple with half size breakers?