300 amp service

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gotmud

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some place cold
Anyone know who makes an all in one bypass meter socket with 2 150 amp mains for residential. In light of the new codes that just surfaced here they are inforcing, it no longer is cost effective to go with a bypass meter with 2 200's. I can't seem to locate anyone who can come up with 2 150 amp mains in their all in ones.....:-? This new code is killing me!!!!
 
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gotmud

Senior Member
Location
some place cold
Yes here the power company requires that flippy lever (bypass) in the meter socket. If you install a 400 amp service in a house (2-200 amp panels) with more than 5 feet of feeder wire in the structure then you have to use a 320 meter with bypass lever with 2-200 amp main disconnects out in the meter and feed your 200 amp panels with 4/0 4/0 4/0 2/0 SE cable (using chart 310.15.B6) Well now apparently my inspectors are saying in the 2008 code book that there is a fine print note that says that you can only use that chart if the feeder feeds 100% of the load. By using 2 panels, now you are splitting the load to 50% and 50% and can no longer use the 310.15.B6 chart and have to use the 310.16 chart which makes the 4/0 SE only good to 150 amps....I would have to use 350 SE cable now under their ruling and they don't make it plus it's way to big to string anyhow. So in these bigger houses I do I'll go to a 300 amp (2-150 amp panels) and use the 4/0 SE now because at least that size is managable....SO i need to find a manufacturer that makes the all in one with 2-150 amp brekers in the meeter instead of the 2-200's.....:mad:
 
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wireguru

Senior Member
milbank makes a 320a socket with lever bypass and two main breakers. They show it with 2x 200a but im sure they would put two 150s in it for you.
 
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cpal

Senior Member
Location
MA
gotmud said:
If you install a 400 amp service in a house (2-200 amp panels) -2-200 amp main disconnects out in the meter and feed your 200 amp panels with 4/0 4/0 4/0 2/0 SE cable (using chart 310.15.B6) Well now apparently my inspectors are saying in the 2008 code book that there is a fine print note that says that you can only use that chart if the feeder feeds 100% of the load. :
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I don't think the 05 allowed you to divide the 400 to two panels either.


gotmud said:
in these bigger houses I do I'll go to a 300 amp (2-150 amp panels) and use the 4/0 SE now because at least that size is managable....:
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If those bigger houses previously needed a 400A service how did you crunch the math to reduce it to a 300A in 2008???

Maybe you can get by with a 200A service , one 200A main and 40 or so and still use the 4/0Al
 
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gotmud

Senior Member
Location
some place cold
Generally I really never did need 400 amps, I needed more like 300 amps... It was cheeper for me to put in the 400 because the meter/disconnects were readily avalible which made them cheeper than a dual 150....we do a lot of geo-thermal heating here so I need plenty of power even in the smaller houses.....Geo + water heater + electric infloor = lots of draw:wink:
 
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gotmud

Senior Member
Location
some place cold
wireguru said:
milbank makes a 320a socket with lever bypass and two main breakers. They show it with 2x 200a but im sure they would put two 150s in it for you.
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Yea...checked with them already they dont....checked with Durham brand and they don't.....I find it hard to believe that they both make a dual 200 but not a dual 150.:-? anyone have any other brand you think makes a dual 150????or any other ideas aside from installing a 320 meter socket with 2 seperate 150amp disconnects mounted below????
 
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wireguru

Senior Member
square D has a 320 lever bypass meter main that will take two of whatever Q frame breakers you want to put in it, so that would work, but it also has a 400a main so its not going to be cheap.

There is a small manufacturer that makes a huge selection of these, but I can remember the name (and its driving me nuts -i have spent the last 30min trying to find it) I think it starts with a K, I posted a link before for someone needing a big residential service, but I cant find it.
 
mikeames

mikeames

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Location
Germantown MD
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Teacher - Master Electrician - 2017 NEC
Why did they make thise change, or why did they not put exceptions in for alpplications such as this. The same goes for the #2 SER on 70a breaker. Was there a problem of feeders being overloaded. I rarely see feeders anywhere near capacity in residential.
 
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gotmud

Senior Member
Location
some place cold
mikeames said:
Why did they make thise change, or why did they not put exceptions in for alpplications such as this. The same goes for the #2 SER on 70a breaker. Was there a problem of feeders being overloaded. I rarely see feeders anywhere near capacity in residential.
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from what my inspectors told me....the problem was arising that when you had a house with all electric heat the electricions would put all of the heat and a/c load in the one panel and the general load in the other so the SE cable for the heating panel was being overloaded.....that was my explanation to me??????:roll:
 
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gotmud

Senior Member
Location
some place cold
masterinbama said:
That's close to what I pay for a 320 amp with 2-200 amps with bypass. We also have an approved 300 amp continuous with 1 200 amp and 1 100 amp in it. I use these a lot on houses with large detached garages or shops.
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Yeah I knew the 300 was more than the 400 that's why we always used the 400...The problem with your 200/100 meter is if your going in further than 5' in the house the 200 amp panel of yours will have to use a huge SER cable or you have to pipe it and use copper THHN to have a managable wire size....
 
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