amptech

I have an installation I mentioned in an earlier thread where the service is 120/240 1Ø 320A meter/main with (2) 200A circuit breakers. One of the 200A breakers in the meter/main feeds a 200A MB panel back-to-back with the meter/main. The other 200A breaker feeds an addition to the main building via 2" PVC conduit underground to another 200A MB panel. Both of these feeders are 4 wire copper(3/0,3/0,3/0,#2)and both panels have the neutral isolated from the egc. The inspector claims I cannot have a main breaker in the panel located in the addition. He says it must be a MLO panel. I asked for a code article and he couldn't provide me one. He will be doing a final inspection later this week and I know it will come up again. I have searched the 08 NEC and cannot come up with a clue as to where he is getting this idea. I would appreciate any thoughts on this.

jbfan

I don't think you will find anything that tells you that you can not do that.
Stand your ground and make him prove a code reference.
You can tell him it is not a breaker, but a panel disconnect!

__________________
GO JACKETS!

raider1

I agree with jbfan. There is nothing in the NEC that prohibits a main breaker in a panel. I would ask for a code reference from the inspector if he calls you on it at the final.

Chris

amptech

I called the State Building Department today and spoke with the Electrical Code Enforcement Officer. He says the local inspector is incorrect and if he refuses to supply me with a code article reference and still fails me I am to report him to the State Building Department immediately.

raider1

Good to hear that the state building department has your back.

Chris

chenley

I would have failed my last house inspection if that were true. Ended up throwing in a 200A SQD Homeline for a main panel, then the same for a sub-panel upstairs. The whole first story minus the kitchen was feed off the main panel, then the whole second story plus first story kitchen was feed off of the sub-panel.

TOOL_5150

The inspector is completly wrong. I like the idea of being able to shut the whole panel off at the panel. Like jbfan said "its a panel disconnect" I have installed many main breaker panels as sub panels. Every single one has passed and never questioned.

~Matt

__________________
I would rather beg for forgiveness then beg for permission.

amptech

The code official at the State level called me back today while I was at the job awaiting the inspector for the final. He assured me I was correct and that he had looked in to the situation in the jurisdiction I was working in. He told me to call him immediately if there was any problem during my final. The inspector showed up 2 hours late(this job is 160 miles from my home and I was there 2 hours early) was all smiles and handshakes, looked around for 5 minutes, said everything looked great and he would send out the CO in the mail next Tuesday and left. I think the State guy had a word with someone.

TheElectricalGuru

Agreed....What we do not need is inspectors "creating" code on site. The problem is so many local inspectors are in programs where their is no budget to get them the additional training they need and everyone suffers.

Hopefully this will change as more states demand CEU requirements and the educators step up to the plate and really educate them. Sad part is many states require the electricians to do CEU but some dont require the inspectors to do the same...but thats changing thank goodness.

__________________
Paul W. Abernathy,CME,RMS,CMI
Master Electrician/Electrical Educator/NEC Consultant
ICC & IAEI Certified Electrical Inspector/Plans Examiner
www.TheElectricalGuru.com

AWKrueger

Newbie question...

Is it common for inspectors to let the term "Authority Having Jurisdiction" go to their head and just make up whatever they want?

amptech

I have ran into inspectors in the past who believed they were the "Authority Having Jurisdiction" and tried to enforce their personal preferences. It doesn't fly in Indiana that way. The AHJ is the governing body that adopted the Code in the jurisdiction. If they adopted the code as it was adopted by the State of Indiana they have to enforce it as it was adopted by the state. No local amendments are allowed to the Uniform Code adopted by the State of Indiana. If a local inspector tries to enforce something outside of the code as adopted by the state, you just do as I did and call the state and let them deal with the inspector.

AWKrueger

It seems in michigan you don't hear much about people going over inspectors heads to get a decision changed. Usually it's alot of bitching and then just doing what they ask. I suppose it depends on the circumstance.