Hi guys. We are looking at adding a sub panel to a garage for a client. LONG story short, we cannot get from the main panel to the garage with substantial damage. The meter base is located on the wall of garage. What is the proper way to power the sub panel off of the meter base?? I was thinking of adding a splice box under the meter base and and splicing the 2 feeder cables into the wire coming off the meter lugs. Will I need a disconnect under the panel or is the splice box ok by itself? The combined loads will not exceed the meter base rating. Please cite the NEC if there is anything that can help me do this or anything the is against code with this situation. Thanks a lot!!!
2 panels from 1 meter
- Thread starter Dansos
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jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
Can you change the lugs on the load side of meter to double lugs? Will the meter type and yourPoCo allow that?
Leespark57
Senior Member
- Location
- Boston, MA, USA
Where is the main service disconnect? Before the meter? If you are adding a second service disconnect, they are required to be grouped.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
There is an exception for dwellings to have a second disconnect at another building on the property without have them grouped. The conductors to the remote building are considered SE conductors and not feeders.
Example: 400A (320A) meterbase with dual lugs. One set of SE conductors from one set of lugs to a panel at/in the house and another set of SE conductors from the 2nd set of lugs to a detached garage. This is with no grouping of disconnects.
ETA: Actually the exception is for SE conductors, two sets from one drop, but the results are the same.
230.40 Exmp. #3
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- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
That would be my preferred route to go.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Note that exception mentioned by little bill for 2 service sets where the disconnects do not need to be grouped is for detached structures only. The op never said if this was attached or detached. If it is all one structure, then the disconnects need to be grouped. If this is the case, perhaps one of those main breaker 3r panels with feed thru lugs would be a good option. Put it under the meter, use the fed thru to the house, and stick a 100 in there (or whatever size) for the new panel. Neutrals and grounds would need to be seperated in the original panel and GEC moved to new service disconnect.
jumper
Senior Member
- Location
- 3 Hr 2 Min from Winged Horses
I think you may be correct. I reread OP and I now think the garage is attached so yes, one of those panels would work well.
- Location
- Tennessee NEC:2017
- Occupation
- Semi-Retired Electrician
If you go this route wouldn't you need to pull in an EGC to the original panel if making it a subpanel?
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
I agree yes, that too.
readydave8
re member
- Location
- Clarkesville, Georgia
- Occupation
- electrician
that's what I was thinking. if he can't get cable from existing main panel to new subpanel, he can't get SER from meter to existing main panel
kwired
Electron manager
- Location
- NE Nebraska
You also must move any GEC from existing panel to new service disconnecting means location.
If the existing meter will accept dual lugs, and, evidently they are not required to have their service disconnects located outside like we are in our area, why not just add another Main Breaker Panel in the basement next to the existing one and leave the existing panel alone?
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JAP>
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