# Distribution panel remote main shut off **URL:** \ **Category:** Electrical Inspections\ **Created:** [May 8, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908 "2025-05-08T15:21:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![msenty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/msenty/32/271584_2.png) [@msenty](https://forum.nachi.org/u/msenty)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 3:21pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/1 "2025-05-08T15:21:53Z")
I have a two unit condo served by a distribution panel for these two units. It’s located within a complex of numerous two unit condos. No main shut off and lots of individual circuit breakers. The 6 throw rule does not apply. There should be a remotely located main shut off. It is not anywhere on the interior or exterior of this unit. I had full access to all locked rooms and closets. I suspect it is located in an association building where the main power drop is located. Is this ok, main shut off is located in a detached building? This was a 2000 build. For my report, I have a disclaimer that I was unable to locate the main disconnect, so this issue is not affecting my report. The electrical contractor that wired this complex is a good commercial contractor. I have confidence in their work. All other aspects of the electrical system were fine with no findings. ---
**Author:** ![rbleich](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rbleich/32/423577_2.png) [@rbleich](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rbleich)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 5:08pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/2 "2025-05-08T17:08:20Z")
> [@Condo Main disconnect and 6 disconnect rule - how to report](https://forum.nachi.org/t/condo-main-disconnect-and-6-disconnect-rule-how-to-report/243102/4): > > > [@Condo Main disconnect and 6 disconnect rule - how to report](https://forum.nachi.org/t/condo-main-disconnect-and-6-disconnect-rule-how-to-report/243102/1): > > > > My question to anyone willing to respond - How do you integrate this into your report considering the 6 throw rule and lack of access to the main disconnect associated with the living space from the clients perspective? > > Are you saying that the condo owner does not have access to the service disconnect? Is there full time maintenance personnel? > 230.72(C) Access to Occupants. > In a multiple-occupancy building, each occupant shall have access to the occupant’s service disconnecting means. > Exception: In a multiple-occupancy building where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the service disconnecting means supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible to authorized management personnel only. ---
**Author:** ![sfetty](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/sfetty/32/331195_2.png) [@sfetty](https://forum.nachi.org/u/sfetty)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/3 "2025-05-08T18:08:06Z")
> [@rbleich](#): > > 230.72(C) Access to Occupants. That’s what I found too. 230.72(C) Access to Occupants. In a multiple-occupancy building, each occupant shall have access to the occupant’s service disconnecting means. Exception: In a multiple-occupancy building where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the service disconnecting means supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible to authorized management personnel only. ---
**Author:** ![jjonas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jjonas/32/301755_2.png) [@jjonas](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jjonas)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2025, 9:32pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/4 "2025-05-08T21:32:48Z")
As mentioned above… > [@sfetty](#): > > 230.72(C) Access to Occupants. > In a multiple-occupancy building, each occupant shall have access to the occupant’s service disconnecting means. > Exception: In a multiple-occupancy building where electric service and electrical maintenance are provided by the building management and where these are under continuous building management supervision, the service disconnecting means supplying more than one occupancy shall be permitted to be accessible to authorized management personnel only. I also run into the same situation as Michael, and usually get the above Code thrown at me. When I push for details of the… > [@sfetty](#): > > the building management and where these are under **continuous building management** supervision They like to respond with… “We have an on-site Property Management Team”, thus we fall under the “Exempt” clause. I often counter with… “Well then… the tenants for the units in building #3 have sparking from their outlets at 2:30AM. **HOW and WHOM** handles that”?? **911**?? Amazing how the phone rings and they have to go without answering!! ---
**Author:** ![bcawhern1](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/bcawhern1/32/408713_2.png) [@bcawhern1](https://forum.nachi.org/u/bcawhern1)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/5 "2025-05-09T18:45:40Z")
> [@jjonas](#): > > “We have an on-site Property Management Team”, thus we fall under the “Exempt” clause. Yet when you ask for this team to escort you to the electrical room, they are not on-site, lol. ---
**Author:** ![jjonas](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jjonas/32/301755_2.png) [@jjonas](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jjonas)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2025, 6:46pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/6 "2025-05-09T18:46:37Z")
> [@bcawhern1](#): > > they are not on-site, …because they (maintenance) are actually “on call” only… and the management team usually can’t find the ‘spare’ keys anyway!! ---
**Author:** ![ryoung7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/ryoung7/32/188798_2.png) [@ryoung7](https://forum.nachi.org/u/ryoung7)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 12:57pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/7 "2025-05-11T12:57:31Z")
> [@msenty](#): > > The 6 throw rule does not apply Morning, Michael. Hope to find you well. I am sure you where referring to “The 6-disconnect rule.” The term “6 throw rule” is a misnomer. I am sure you made a mistake. The actual rule, found in the National Electrical Code NEC section 230.71, limits **the number of service disconnecting means** (disconnector, circuit breaker, or fuse) for a single service, either to 1 or to a maximum of 6. The 6 throw rule is misleading. After 15 years at InterNACHI I still see this misinformation in threads. ---
**Author:** ![ryoung7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/ryoung7/32/188798_2.png) [@ryoung7](https://forum.nachi.org/u/ryoung7)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 1:00pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/8 "2025-05-11T13:00:43Z")
> [@msenty](#): > > No main shut off and lots of individual circuit breakers. Michael, when I run into your situation one possibility is the panel disconnect is on the metering equipment enclosure. The panel in question is a sub/remote/auxiliary panel. ---
**Author:** ![jspencer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jspencer/32/172267_2.png) [@jspencer](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jspencer)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 1:40pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/9 "2025-05-11T13:40:39Z")
> [@ryoung7](#): > > After 15 years at InterNACHI I still see this misinformation in threads. The six throw rule is a widely used term. You could have easily seen that when you were doing your normal copy and paste. I’ve only been here 13 years. The one consistent thing in those 13 years is you constantly posting misinformation and then playing the victim when you are called out. Stop being a dick! ---
**Author:** ![rmeier2](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/rmeier2/32/59909_2.png) [@rmeier2](https://forum.nachi.org/u/rmeier2)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 2:44pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/10 "2025-05-11T14:44:10Z")
> [@ryoung7](#): > > The term “6 throw rule” is a misnomer. I am sure you made a mistake. You’re partially correct, the rule did exist in earlier code versions of Article 230 up to the 2017 NEC so it may not be a mistake if you’re using an older code version. You likely didn’t have the correct wording in you search query. The 2020 NEC removed the _six operations_ wording from Article 230 but it still remains in Article 225 in the 2020 and 2023 NEC. > 2017 NEC: > 230.71(B) Single-Pole Units. Two or three single-pole switches or breakers, capable of individual operation, shall be permitted on multiwire circuits, one pole for each ungrounded conductor, as one multipole disconnect, provided they are equipped with identified handle ties or a master handle to disconnect all conductors of the service with **no more than six operations of the hand.** ---
**Author:** ![ryoung7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/ryoung7/32/188798_2.png) [@ryoung7](https://forum.nachi.org/u/ryoung7)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/11 "2025-05-11T21:16:47Z")
> [@jspencer](#): > > The six throw rule is a widely used term. To paraphrase someone; Stop being a dick! Just because it is commonly used, its wrong, slang. “The 6-disconnect rule.” Read what Robert M has to say. As well, let others chime in. Stop giving wrong or practical information. You have a tendency to do that continually! The “6 _ **hand** _ rule”, was based on a firefighter having no more than 6 swipes of their hand to kill ALL power coming into a facility. Copy and paste from my files idiot! You think because I did not type it verbatim would make a difference??? [\> National Electrical Code (NEC) six disconnect rule for switchboards and panelboards](https://www.eaton.com/content/dam/eaton/products/low-voltage-power-distribution-controls-systems/switchboards/wp014008en.pdf) The six disconnect rule per the 2017 version of NEC stated “The service disconnecting means for each service permitted by 230.2, or for each set of service-entrance conductors permitted by 230.40, Exception No. 1, 3, 4, or 5, shall consist of not more than six switches or sets of circuit breakers, or a combination of not more than six switches and sets of circuit breakers, mounted in a single enclosure, in a group of separate enclosures, or in or on a switchboard or in switchgear.” This simply stated that only six breakers or disconnect means were permitted for branching out from a service. To ensure more safety, NEC came up with a 2020 version of the six disconnect rule stating “Each service shall have only one disconnecting means unless the requirements of 230.71(B) are met.” ![acceptable service configerations](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/d/b/1/db14b79bc2afcabf5ab467c8807ba3b7a3241b4f.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![jspencer](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/jspencer/32/172267_2.png) [@jspencer](https://forum.nachi.org/u/jspencer)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 10:37pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/12 "2025-05-11T22:37:52Z")
![Dick 1](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/b/7/0/b70d9ef95db73003db5d6989dd03b6657ca81d91.jpeg) ![Dick 2](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/2/c/0/2c0b9b4c133d96768b0d8f606d7e8bbec8b81dab.jpeg) ![Dick 3](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/4/c/6/4c6d68328f6a33b5fe88c89ebd5245a60d301d2d.jpeg) ![Dick](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/original/4X/1/3/d/13d82c138769392b6c17adac97ea59d3a735c7ca.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![ryoung7](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/internachi/user_avatar/forum.nachi.org/ryoung7/32/188798_2.png) [@ryoung7](https://forum.nachi.org/u/ryoung7)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2025, 11:38pm UTC](https://forum.nachi.org/t/distribution-panel-remote-main-shut-off/255908/13 "2025-05-11T23:38:16Z")
Context, Spence. Context of the conversation with the party.