[RE-wrenches] outdoor disconnects on multiple buildings

[Dave Click]

I think that if you have the 705.10 directory showing the disconnect 
locations (a directory at each location), you'd be OK per NEC. I think 
this question is likely one to ask your utility- the language may be in 
your interconnection agreement and you likely already know how flexible 
utilities aren't when it comes to minor changes to their interconnection 
agreement... I imagine that the utility would require you to have an 
additional 5kW PV disconnect there at the service entrance, adjacent to 
the 20kW disconnect, but that they wouldn't require you to combine them 
into a single disconnect. Maybe it would still make sense for you to do 
that- since I imagine you have a combining panel in the main building, 
why not bring the 30A breaker from the out building and land it in that 
panelboard with the 15A breakers from the 20kW?

FYI, Jeff Sargent at the NFPA doesn't consider PV to be a separate 
service based on "the permission to connect a PV system on the line side 
of the service disconnecting means per 230.82(6)." So with this, these 
two wouldn't count against the maximum six disconnects- just in case 
that's an issue you're running into as well.

Hope that helps.
DKC

Kirk Herander, VSE wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I’m working on a system which will have 5 kw on an outbuilding and 20kw
> on the main building, all Enphase inverters, I plan to put an AC disco
> for the 5kw on the outside of its building and another on the outside of
> the main building for the 20 kw array. Both arrays feed into the main
> panel in the main building. But now I’m wondering if I might have to
> combine the 5kw and 20 kw outputs so the outdoor disco on the main
> building shuts both arrays off. Any ideas here? I don’t think the code
> addresses this clearly.
>
> Kirk Herander
>
> VermontSolar Engineering
>
> 802.863.1202
>
> NABCEP(tm) Certified Solar Installer
>
> NYSERDA-eligible Installer
>
> VT Solar Incentive Program Partner
>
>
>
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