2 Mains

I inspected a rural home that had the main disconnect on a pole. It then supplied the main at the modular home exterior, and to the sub panel inside. Is this a problem? Should the second main be set up as a sub panel?

Pictures would help but as a rule, there is one service disconnect (main) and downstream are remote distribution panels (sub).

Like Larry said, it sounds like it, yes.

I am not an electrician, but I think it should be set up as two mains, same as a sub panel in a separate building, both need to be grounded to the neutral bus, the pole needs an earth ground, so does the home.

Second Disconnect is OK Grounds only at first location in a system .
Need to carry 4 wires from first disconnect to all equipment down stream .

How old is the home?

LOL…I most certainly will be watching this debate as I see many ways this thread can go wrong…lol

Things to consider…the term “modular”…can be applied to both a Manufactured Home and a Mobile Home. Once you determine which you are dealing with then the answer gets a little cleaner.

Good News is the term mobile home includes a manufactured home unless otherwise indicated in so far as the NEC looks at it.

So if you call it a mobile home and it meets the definition of such in 550.2 then you have no issue (as you describe it) with 550.32(A) as long as the panel on the mobile home is not service equipment. Now, we have to assume at this stage of the game the panel on the pole has an OCPD feeding the panel that is mounted on the mobile home…so technically it is a feeder to the mobile home and should be treated as a remote distribution panel and contain 4 conductors with grounded and grounding separation.

Now…is it a manufactured home (as all mobile homes are to be considered as such unless you inform me that the building in question meets the description of a mobile home in 550.2)…if it’s a manufactured home it shall be “permitted” (not required) to have the service equipment installed in or on a manufactured home…so technically speaking it could be in or on…but not required to be in my opinion.

Moral of the story is either way it permits the pole and the service equipment at the pole. In both cases I would expect to see 4 conductors feeding the panel located on or within the mobile home or manufactured home, both of which could be modular in design.

Now I also know where Robert is going as well which is date related…but I will leave that one to him to explain.

AHH…something else just came to mind…I have seen “Feed-Thru” panels installed in some cases where it was a manufactured home and in fact the feed through was simply to allow exterior OCPD’s for related electrical equipment outside at the dwelling…but the fact that it was a feed through still maintained the underground service entrance conductors to the manufactured home…but I digress as I am sure this is not the case here.

FYI- Maybe not related but is always good to know.

Nothing prohibits me from having Service Equipment with a Main OCPD and have a downstream RDP (Remote Distribution Panel) that also has a Main Panelboard OCPD as well. Just remember that in many or most all cases the downstream “main” is you will is not required per 408.36 but is also not prohibited either.

Many people will install such a downstream panel with a main breaker simply because they (believe it or not) are cheaper due to bulk production than a main lug only (MLO) panel. Just a matter of Bulk Buying power at the big box stores in most cases.

Around here the use of the term modular home would describe a stick built home that is constructed in sections off site and assembled/finished on the site of it’s final location. You’re correct that we need to clearer definition of what this actual is to properly answer the question. :cool:

Thank you all for your input. For the record this was a modular (stick built offsite) in 2014.

Ironically, I recall reading recently that HUD (now or will soon) consider MODULAR homes the same designation as a MANUFACTURED home.

These owners will like that, I’m sure, eh Jeff: Moving Checklist & Tips to Plan Your Move | Get Help Moving | MYMOVE

:shock:

modularhomes11.jpg

Oh, believe me, I get it. I inspect many modular homes. Their reasoning is that it is irrelevant what the home looks like, it basically follows the same manufacturing process as a manufactured home. So I guess if someone has issue with it, they can talk to Obummer about it. Good luck with that! :razz: