Where two to six service disconnecting means in separate enclosures are grouped at one location and supply separate loads from one service drop or lateral, how many sets of service-entrance conductors shall be permitted to supply such service equipment enclosures?

Where two to six service disconnecting means in separate enclosures are grouped at one location and supply separate loads from one service drop or lateral, how many sets of service-entrance conductors shall be permitted to supply such service equipment enclosures?

• A. Three
• B. Two
• C. One
• D. Four

Answer: (C)

When several service disconnects are grouped at a single location and each feeds its own load from the same service drop or lateral, they’re treated as one service installation. The NEC limits this grouped arrangement to a single set of service-entrance conductors entering the group. This keeps the entire group fed from one point of supply, ensuring a single point for coordination of overcurrent protection and for grounding, and avoids the complications of multiple service drops feeding the same assembly. If more than one set of service-entrance conductors were allowed, you’d effectively have multiple services feeding the same group, which the rule is designed to prevent. Therefore, only one set may supply such service equipment enclosures.

When several service disconnects are grouped at a single location and each feeds its own load from the same service drop or lateral, they’re treated as one service installation. The NEC limits this grouped arrangement to a single set of service-entrance conductors entering the group. This keeps the entire group fed from one point of supply, ensuring a single point for coordination of overcurrent protection and for grounding, and avoids the complications of multiple service drops feeding the same assembly. If more than one set of service-entrance conductors were allowed, you’d effectively have multiple services feeding the same group, which the rule is designed to prevent. Therefore, only one set may supply such service equipment enclosures.