feeding sub-panel from meter socket

Status
Not open for further replies.
Greetings,

I want to run a circuit from a house to a shed. Panel located in interior wall of second floor. One thought is to feed 30 amp a sub-panel from the load side of the meter socket, using existing lugs, use one circuit to feed shed and drive a ground rod for the equipment grounding conductor as well as pick up the metal frame of the shed. Is this legal (if not, why) or do I need to install sub-panel, feed through lugs in the meter socket - one lug for each conductor?

Thanks, Tom
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I believe you would also have to feed the shed building with a 60 amp feeder. You need to disconnect the meter and put a wp panel in its place that can refeed the interior panel and then feed the garage. Just move the meter over a bit and reconnect.

If you are using the 2008 you must use a 4 wire feeder and drive ground rods as well.
 

wbalsam1

Senior Member
Location
Upper Jay, NY
tomgreen said:
Greetings,

I want to run a circuit from a house to a shed. Panel located in interior wall of second floor. One thought is to feed 30 amp a sub-panel from the load side of the meter socket, using existing lugs, use one circuit to feed shed and drive a ground rod for the equipment grounding conductor as well as pick up the metal frame of the shed. Is this legal (if not, why) or do I need to install sub-panel, feed through lugs in the meter socket - one lug for each conductor?

Thanks, Tom

Wouldn't the shed building have to have a service if you came from the meter, since these conductors would be called service conductors, not feeders? :smile: Or better yet, take the suggestion from Dennis.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
stickboy1375 said:
If not mistaken, 230.40 exception #3 would allow this installation...
This is true but I would bet there are not any double lugs in the meter base . Also if there are more than 2 two wire branch circuits than a 60 amp feed is required. art. 230 79
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
Dennis Alwon said:
This is true but I would bet there are not any double lugs in the meter base . Also if there are more than 2 two wire branch circuits than a 60 amp feed is required. art. 230 79


Dennis correct me if i'm wrong but when I read 230.79, it seems to me they are describing the size of the disconnecting means not the feeder...
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
stickboy1375 said:
Dennis correct me if i'm wrong but when I read 230.79, it seems to me they are describing the size of the disconnecting means not the feeder...

So if this is service entrance you are saying I can run a #10 to the shed put a 60 amp fuseless disco and then put a panel with a 30 amp breaker.

Maybe we are playing with words here but that is crazy--- you may be correct with the wording but why would they want a 60 amp disco. What purpose would that have if the feeder is 30 amp.
 

stickboy1375

Senior Member
Location
Litchfield, CT
Dennis Alwon said:
So if this is service entrance you are saying I can run a #10 to the shed put a 60 amp fuseless disco and then put a panel with a 30 amp breaker.

Maybe we are playing with words here but that is crazy--- you may be correct with the wording but why would they want a 60 amp disco. What purpose would that have if the feeder is 30 amp.

I dont have the answer... sorry.
 

macmikeman

Senior Member
Our type of meter main combo sockets (in my area) allow for taps in the load side providing the tap methods do not exceed the cross sectional space per code. I do it often by taping the feeders coming off the main breaker at the meter socket. I use insul-eaters for the tap method. The tap conductors are at least 1/3 the ampacity of the feeder conductor rating, they are less than 10 foot long, installed in a raceway, to an overcurrrent protective device rated for the tap conductor. (a second raintight breaker can) The load of the entire feeder load and the tap load needs to be run thru load calcs to ensure no overloading of the main breaker and service drop conductors is inadvertently done. The slang term for this type of tap method is "Boxcar" and if done right is ok per NEC rules at the time of this writing.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top