225 amp service

[electrofelon]

Anyone know: Do all class 200 sockets have the 200 C/240NC rating? It seems some do and some dont, but that is just from what I gleam looking online and I doubt the accuracy of some of these specs. Saw one that said "250 amp non continuous"

 

[kwired]

We're so lucky Dominion Power distributes meter bases free!

You are paying for them, just not directly.

 

[Hv&Lv]

You are paying for them, just not directly.

Agree. The end user always foots the bill for “free” items.
we use to “give” them away with our name stamped on them on the cover. Electricians were getting them and installing them on another system and charging for them.
We stopped giving them away some time back

 

[kwired]

Its a basic small/medium all electric house plus 18KW of electric heat. I put it real world as never getting above 140A. Really 200 would be fine, but 225 makes it closer to or maybe nec compliant (things are lax here, not in a million years will I be asked for a calc). Utility will be supplying 25KVA transformer. I just hate "400 amp" services on dwellings. Totally un-necessary.

General rule I have sort of come up with is if heat is under 20kW you seldom need more than 200 amps on a typical dwelling.

I have a couple larger homes I have done that were all electric and even 320 metering wasn't going to cut it with them, both were served by individual transformer and CT metering was done at the transformer. One had three sets of conductors supplying three 200 amp mains other had four each. Both could have had lesser supply conductors and taps to each main, but was simpler and cost less to do it like I did.

Sounds like I wouldn't be able to do either one that way with 2020 NEC though

 

[tortuga]

Here is something from Schneider electric that may help.

“Typically a 200A Individual Meter Socket is rated 200A CONTINUOUS and is suitable for use with 80% Rated Main Breaker Load Centers Rated 250A maximum. Square D does not make a standard 80% Rated 250A Main Breaker Load Center, but does offer 80% Rated 225A Main Breaker Load Centers having a total connected load restricted to 180A that is less than 200A continuous rating listed above.
Other common Individual Meter Socket frame sizes include:
100A continuous = 125A Max Main Breaker Load Center that is rated for a total connected load of 80% [125A x 0.80 = 100A].
200A continuous = 250A Max Main Breaker Load Center that is rated for a total connected load of 80% [250A x 0.80 = 200A].
320A continuous = 400A Max Main Breaker Load Center that is rated for a total connected load of 80% [400A x 0.80 = 320A].
400A continuous = 500A Max Main Breaker Load Center that is rated for a total connected load of 80% [500A x 0.80 = 400A].”

That is interesting, the only time I have seen that is on a gas-station / mini mart (on single phase) they specified a 225A single phase loadcenter with a 200A continuous / 250A non meter socket, it was approved by the AHJ. I imagine it was a boilerplate design that that company used on all of the single phase ones. I have never seen that done on residential but it seems like a fine idea, especially now that we see so much solar and other stuff like cars going electric.