AC Drop out of Meter Base

[workin4living]

Hello everyone, I have a question.......my father in law phoned me with a residential question. His neighbor has a 100Amp overhead service that from the bottom of the meter base on the side of the house drops out the SE wire that goes into the house and then a 10 ga wire drops out of the same meter base to feed a 30Amp disconnect for AC. Now they are wanting to replace the AC unit and they want the same setup only with updated disconnect. Is that legal to have two lines in the meter base and without a doubt on the same lugs? I thumbed thru code book but couldn't exactly find anything that was specific on the load side of the meter can. Wasn't sure if they would need to set and outside enclosure with a line from meter to disconnect that had 8 cir capacity and fed 100amp to house and then 30 to AC Unit. I appreciate your insight.

 

[480sparky]

230.72 .

 

[WinZip]

Totally illegal , you need to run a new AC circuit from your electrical service panel , not from or through the meter base.

 

[workin4living]

Totally illegal , you need to run a new AC circuit from your electrical service panel , not from or through the meter base.

What about an outdoor enclosure with pass thru lugs that feed a 100Amp breaker that in turn feeds the house and then set a 30Amp for the AC?

 

[WinZip]

Whats wrong with running right from the electrical panel to AC disco

 

[workin4living]

Whats wrong with running right from the electrical panel to AC disco

From what I understand the panel is full which I realize they could set a sub etc BUT they asked about the setup I previously mentioned thus I wanted to see if the outdoor enclosure was a legal by code. I completely understand the current setup is wrong by all ways you look at it but I couldn't find anything on the outdoor enclosure which essential would be a disconnecting means.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

First off 2 wires under 1 lug very unlikey was made for 2 wires. Next we deal with if the disconnect is rated as service equipment. And the biggy is the disconnect must be grouped together. Most likely was done without permit by a hack.

 

[workin4living]

First off 2 wires under 1 lug very unlikey was made for 2 wires. Next we deal with if the disconnect is rated as service equipment. And the biggy is the disconnect must be grouped together. Most likely was done without permit by a hack.

Completely agree, what about the outdoor enclosure mentioned above?

 

[WinZip]

Hello everyone, I have a question.......my father in law phoned me with a residential question. His neighbor has a 100Amp overhead service that from the bottom of the meter base on the side of the house drops out the SE wire that goes into the house and then a 10 ga wire drops out of the same meter base to feed a 30Amp disconnect for AC. Now they are wanting to replace the AC unit and they want the same setup only with updated disconnect. Is that legal to have two lines in the meter base and without a doubt on the same lugs? I thumbed thru code book but couldn't exactly find anything that was specific on the load side of the meter can. Wasn't sure if they would need to set and outside enclosure with a line from meter to disconnect that had 8 cir capacity and fed 100amp to house and then 30 to AC Unit. I appreciate your insight.

I don't see how your option will be approved but you could ask one of those SPLICER GUY'S

 

[workin4living]

I don't see how your option will be approved but you could ask one of those SPLICER GUY'S

So if one line drops from load side of meter base and into the enclosure which has a double pole 100amp which leaves and feeds the house and then a 30 amp double pole that feeds the AC you don't think it will fly? Is that due to the fact the service has a potential for the 100 and 30 amp loads which essentially is an overload? What if the enclosure comes off load side of meter base into 100amp disconnecting means then feeds on to the house (100) and AC(30)...........I know you are probably ready to choke me but my foreman always says "why do you have to have all the answers"....sorry if i'm annoying.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

One way out is to set up a main disconnect at the meter ,preferably one with 4 circuit min..
But that will create a second promplem as it then needs 4 wires to panel inside and seperate grounds and neutrals.
Sounds like a costly mess to fix.
Add sub panel inside and feed ac from there. Would do load calculation first to be sure it can handle the AC.

 

[WinZip]

So now you want to set a new main service panel beside the meter then sub feed the house panel then drop 30 amp circuit out of new main panel to disko ??? seems cheaper to upgrade the existing service to 200 amp an be done with it full 42 cir panel

 

[iwire]

I don't see how your option will be approved but you could ask one of those SPLICER GUY'S

You gonna be a wise guy forever? :roll:


The setup could be done legally if the two service disconnects where grouped. In this example they have one service disconnect inside and one outside.

 

[WinZip]

No idea what you mean by that remark.

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

You gonna be a wise guy forever? :roll:


The setup could be done legally if the two service disconnects where grouped. In this example they have one service disconnect inside and one outside.

And that is the problem. Fixing it is not simple unless the inside panel is right behind the meter. Find away to group them and it might be ok. Still need load calculation because he now has a 130 amp service that might need upgraded feeds.

 

[jumper]

No idea what you mean by that remark.

Strange.:-? I do.:roll:

 

[WinZip]

OH, SPLICER GUY'S no harm meant really..

 

[mivey]

What's a SPLICER GUY?

 

[Jim W in Tampa]

What's a SPLICER GUY?

Thats the monkey up on that pole hooking you up. Just kidding, they have a serious job.

 

[workin4living]

So now you want to set a new main service panel beside the meter then sub feed the house panel then drop 30 amp circuit out of new main panel to disko ??? seems cheaper to upgrade the existing service to 200 amp an be done with it full 42 cir panel

I agree the upgrade sounds like a much better solution but for my knowledge down the road I was curious if the proposed situation would be a code acceptable install. Yes, that is the question........outside enclosure with 100amp drop to house and 30amp drop to AC.