Grouping service entrance wires in same conduit

[HAHA THE MOOSE]

Hi I have a 3 position (not disconnected) meter socket. It is feeding a 3 flat residence in the city of Chicago. The city of Chicago has a code which states you must have a means of disconnect for your service entrance conductors within 5' of entering the building. I am unable to install the disconnects on the opposite wall of the meter cabinet due to layout of basement. So I am going to need to pipe outside of the building and around to the utility room. I thought that you were not allowed to group the conductors in one conduit (9 wires feeding 3 separate disconnects from 3 separate meters). Unfortunately I am unable to find this in the Chicago code book or the NEC. It should not be a utility requirment since it is on the load side of the meter (right?). Was hoping one of you could enlighten me on this subject.

***Once the 2" conduit enters the building it terminates into a 16"x16"x4" j-box and then splits to the 3 separate disconnects.


Thanks for you time
Take Care
Moose

 

[kwired]

Don't know of Chicago rules but if you have 9 current carrying conductors in a single raceway (you may actually have 6 if your neutrals are carrying unbalanced current only) you need to derate the conductors ampacity according to Table 310.15(B)(2)(a). This may mean you will need larger conductors.

I also do not see why you can't run single set of conductors sized for the total load and tap to each meter from a tap box or wireway - or use a multi gang meter assembly with only one set of lugs to feed the whole assembly.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Moose are you thinking about article 230.7

230.7 Other Conductors in Raceway or Cable.
Conductors other than service conductors shall not be installed in the same service raceway or service cable.
Exception No. 1: Grounding conductors and bonding jumpers.
Exception No. 2: Load management control conductors having overcurrent protection.

 

[augie47]

I would think it might be more feasible/economic to install a 3 section modular meter/disconnect but that's Monday morning quarterbacking.
Your "plan" is not a Code violation. As mentioned, you might need to increase conductor size due to derating.
What you propose is a bit "unusual" and I would suggest you run it by POCO and the AHJ prior to installing.

 

[HAHA THE MOOSE]

Thanks all for your responses it is much appreciated, Yes this is a stupid way to run the SE conductors but hey you learn from your mistakes I guess. This is a great forum and a lot of help. Thanks

 

[kwired]

Moose, after reading your first post several times over I think you are saying you have 3 meters on an exterior wall. You then wish to run the load conductors back underground and enter the building at a different location to supply the service disconnects.

This would be acceptable because you have not entered the building yet. If you wish to run them in the same raceway deration will apply. You could run 3 separate raceways also. Another option if not too late is to run them underground under the building - they would still be considered outside the building until they penetrate the floor - and you do not have to enter at an exterior wall location either. I have done this many times on new construction and really like it. You can place the service panel close to the majority of the load if it at the interior area of the building and cut down on the length of runs for those branch circuits and generally most of the branch circuits will have shorter home runs.

Disconnecting means at the meter locations will mean the lines to the tenant panels are feeders and you can enter the building anyplace you wish and run through the building to get to the panels - the panels will not require a main breaker within them either.