Building Code and Building Construction - Questions and Answers
Or when you want to know how construction is supposed to be done.

|
AskCodeMan.com
|

Custom Search

Inaccessible Main Service Disconnect

Inaccessible Main Service Disconnect

New postby Timham on Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:21 am

Jerry,

Whats your opinion regarding all these new side by side (shared center wall), single family dwellings that have the two meters and two main disconnects outside only one of the units. They all now have enclosed (fenced/gated) front and side yards, so only one unit has access. Also, the side yard gate is always locked, so even if you can get into the front, both mains remain inaccessible.

Tim
Timham
 
Posts: 9
Joined: Thu Dec 15, 2016 10:10 pm

Re: Inaccessible Main Service Disconnect

New postby Jerry Peck - Codeman on Mon Jan 22, 2018 8:42 pm

Timham wrote: ... side by side (shared center wall), single family dwellings that have the two meters and two main disconnects outside only one of the units.


Tim,

What you are describing, as I am envisioning it any way, are not "single family dwellings", those would be 'condominiums' (constructed under the FBC-Building instead of the FBC-Residential.

If they are one-family dwellings (single family), then teh disconnects would be required to be on each separate dwelling as each separate dwelling is its own building, and each building is required to have its own service and disconnect(s).

A two-family dwelling could create what you are describing, but that would be 'one building' on 'one lot' 'with two dwellings' in the one building (i.e., no property line between the dwelling units (think "duplex").

Townhouses are required (in Florida codes) to have a property line between townhouses, and each townhouse is therefore its own building, and each townhouse has its own service and disconnect(s).

I have seen 'condominiums' constructed which looked like they were "townhouses", but they were "condominiums" in that each building in the developments were their own "condominium building" and they had their own "condominium association" consisting of the owners of the two "condominiums" in each building (but which looked like they were townhouses, but were not).

I would ask some additional questions of the buyers and agents to find out what, exactly, they are buying, if each unit is its own building, and if there is a property line between the units (buildings).

You are almost describing "two-family dwellings" (which are constructed under the FBC-Residential), but if they are "condominiums" then the FBC-Building would be the code. Both could have the single service and two disconnects located 'basically anywhere' on/in the building ... as long as the overcurrent devices (including the main service disconnects) were readily accessible to all occupants -
not as described below:
They all now have enclosed (fenced/gated) front and side yards, so only one unit has access. Also, the side yard gate is always locked, so even if you can get into the front, both mains remain inaccessible.
Jerry Peck - CodeMan
AskCodeMan.com
Construction Litigation Consultant - Retired
Construction and Code Consultant - Semi Retired
User avatar
Jerry Peck - Codeman
Site Admin
 
Posts: 1199
Joined: Fri Dec 12, 2008 12:06 pm


Return to Electrical: Service Equipment, electrical panels, wiring, lighting, switches, receptacles, etc.



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 6 guests