Hi Todd,
 
   
At least one utility did allow the locking loop on the cover of a raintight panel to be used as the lockable utility disconnect.   The job was a few years back, for Untied Power in Gilpin County, Colorado.  The main office of United Power is in Brighton, CO.  
   
Since the panel was outdoors and accessible to utility employees, they had no problem using it as the required, lockable disconnect.  It would certainly be worth talking to the utility representative.   It meets the criteria. 
 
 
                                                                    Drake
----- Original Message -----
From: Todd Cory
To: RE-wrenches@topica.com
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2000 6:18 PM
Subject: Re: Lockable Disconnect [RE-wrenches]

Let me add my .02...

I have never understood this lockable disconnect thing either... at best it seems like some kind of symbolic control security blanket demanded by ignorant utilities/unions.

Any proper grid interactive inverter installation will be fed with a circuit breaker from the main panel. If this is switched OFF then it in effect does exactly what the lockable disconnect does, only no lock... every mains panel I have ever seen also has a place for a lock at the bottom to prevent opening the cover... it would be oh so easy for the power company to slip their special lock into this to prevent the system owner from turning the inverter 2 way feed circuit breaker ON again. Just how does this differ from a lockable disconnect??

So what's up with the need for another disconnect? Sounds like more utility foot dragging and red tape BS to me.

I agree with the Joe consumer generator back feed very real dangers. Last year with all the Y2K paranoia I personally rewired 2 such systems, supposedly installed by licensed electricians, but configured so that if the consumer didn't remember to manually turn their main disconnect off, their generator would back feed the grid.

Something continues to smell funny with the Utility's resistance and multitude of expensive hoops they force the majority of grid interactive systems to jump through... No wonder there are so many guerrilla's out there.
 

Todd