Code Change Summary: A clarification was made regarding the entry to and egress from the working space for “large equipment”.

Section 110.26(C)(2) is all about providing a sufficient amount of entry to, and exiting from the working space required for “large equipment”. Large equipment” in this section is either of the following:

1. Any equipment with overcurrent devices, switching devices, or control devices rated 1200 amperes or more and over 6 feet wide.
2. Service disconnecting means with a combined ampere rating of 1200 amps or more, and a combined width of over 6 feet.

If either 1 or 2 above occurs, there must be at least one entrance to and egress from the required working space.

In the 2023 NEC^®, language was added to make it clear that the combined width of all service disconnects for a service are added together regardless of where each service disconnecting means enclosure is located in the room, or how far apart they are from each other.

If that total is over 6 feet, no matter where the service disconnect enclosures for each service are located in the room, the entry/exit requirements in 110.26(C)(2) are triggered.

Using the 2020 NEC^®, some felt that the language only applied if two or more service disconnect enclosures for a service were installed side by side and the width measurement was taken as a whole.

Sometimes there might be more than one service disconnecting means in a room that are across from each other, or side by side with a space between as shown in the image of installation B.

NEC Section 230.71(B) permits a service configuration with two to six service disconnects for each service, in separate enclosures with a main service disconnecting means in each enclosure, and Section 230.72(A) will require each of the two to six service disconnects to be “grouped”.

There is only one definition of “grouped” in Article 100 and it doesn’t apply to service disconnects but grouping of two to six service disconnects is typically accepted when they are in the same room and in close proximity to each other.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2023 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.