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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 53
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Member
I am wiring a radio station transmitting shack up on top of a moutain. I need 400 amps. My POCO wants me to set 2 200 amp services and connect them after the metering equipment. They say they need to use their "turtle meters" because the site is snowed in more than half the year. The "turtle meters" are a remote read meter, RF over the lines I believe. They say they can't (or maybe won't) remotely read anything over 200A.

Anybody see any code issues, assuming the disconnects are grouped and labeled properly?

Or any functionality issues?

Thanks in advance

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Joined: Jul 2004
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You can parallel 3/0s so I don't see a huge problem. Just treat it like parallel 3/0s feeding a 400a service and you just have a meters in each parallel set of conductors. Unless I am just whacky on the Nyquil, I don't see a problem.


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 64
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Member
Is metering equipment even covered in the NEC since it is ahead of the Service Disconnect? Why could one not just bring the conductors back together after the meters and use one 400 amp switch?

Joined: Jan 2003
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Quote
Why could one not just bring the conductors back together after the meters and use one 400 amp switch?

Two 200 amp main breaker 40 circuit panels gives you a 400 amp service with 80 'spaces' for much less money than any other setup that starts with a 400 amp switch.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 717
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This could be a good code change proposal. It would sure look neater on McMansion to have 2 seperate 200 amp meter/main setups than a big ct can with a 400 amp disconect. That would require a change to allow more than one service of the same voltage to supply the building.

Joined: Dec 2000
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The substantiation that a McMansion would look better probably would not pass muster for a change in the Code [Linked Image]

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Mike the NEC does not regulate how many meters are acceptable.

The number of meters is not the number of 'services' to the NEC.

One 'service' may supply countless meters.

The only hold up on using two 200 amp meters for a single 400 amp customer is the power company.

I recently remodeled a small retail space, when we where done it had three 200 amp meters and feeders to three 200 amp panels.

All one 'customer' and all 208Y/120 still only one service to this building.


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
Joined: Jul 2004
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I was guessing that the transmitter might actually use more than 200a and the paralleled conductors did come back to a single disconnect. I still don't see a problem since parallel sets of 3/0 in separate raceways would not shock anyone as long as all the rules were followed. Putting a meter in each set would not change my opinion if the meters were the same so the load stayed balanced. It would become apparent pretty quick if there was an imbalance because the meters would not read the same. I'm sure they will drift apart but it might be interesting to see how much and if it is a constant rate.

edit
(I had an english teacher tell me I spell like a plumber.)

[This message has been edited by gfretwell (edited 08-14-2006).]


Greg Fretwell
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 717
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Member
quote"Mike the NEC does not regulate how many meters are acceptable.

The number of meters is not the number of 'services' to the NEC.

One 'service' may supply countless meters.

The only hold up on using two 200 amp meters for a single 400 amp customer is the power company.

I recently remodeled a small retail space, when we where done it had three 200 amp meters and feeders to three 200 amp panels.

All one 'customer' and all 208Y/120 still only one service to this building."

Bob , thanks, I think I must have been asleep at the wheel again. I've done multiple metering lots of times, just wasn't thinking cause we were talking about residential and my brain got stuck. Thanks for the adjustment Doctor Bob, I am feeling much better now....

[This message has been edited by macmikeman (edited 08-17-2006).]


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