230.66

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GLSA

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I always assumed the meter can was service equipment. After reading 230.66 I can see it is not but I have some questions. What about meter mains and meter combo's for a residential dwelling? The meter and service equipment is one enclosure in my mind. So is the half with the meter not service equipment but the half with the service disconnect is service equipment?

Also what about a six gang meter stack. What is considered service equipment and what is not on a meter stack.
 
GLSA said:
I always assumed the meter can was service equipment. After reading 230.66 I can see it is not but I have some questions. What about meter mains and meter combo's for a residential dwelling? The meter and service equipment is one enclosure in my mind. So is the half with the meter not service equipment but the half with the service disconnect is service equipment?

Also what about a six gang meter stack. What is considered service equipment and what is not on a meter stack.
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Those examples would be service equipment.

260.66 is specifically talking about single meter enclosures.



230.66 Marking. Service equipment rated at 600 volts or
less shall be marked to identify it as being suitable for use
as service equipment. All service equipment shall be listed.
Individual meter socket enclosures shall not be considered
service equipment
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In my opinion it is not service equipment if it just meters. See Article 100 definition of service equipment.

Some meter banks (most newer ones) come with a breaker position for each meter. Some don't (usually older ones). If it's the first one, it's service equipment, if it's the second one, I would say not.
 
jaggedben said:
Some meter banks (most newer ones) come with a breaker position for each meter. Some don't (usually older ones). If it's the first one, it's service equipment, if it's the second one, I would say not.
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If it is a meter bank it is not an individual meter enclosure.
 
There is a change to this section for the 2017 code that requires the meter sockets to be listed unless the utility provides them. The utilities around here stopped providing the meter sockets at least 15 years ago. None of the meter sockets that are on the approved list from the utility are listed. If you don't use a meter socket from the approved list, you will not get power.
230.66 Marking. Service equipment rated at 1000 volts or less shall be marked to identify it as being suitable for use as service equipment. All service equipment shall be listed or field labeled. Individual meter socket enclosures shall not be considered service equipmentbut shall be listed and rated for the voltage and ampacity of the service.
Exception: Meter sockets supplied by and under the exclusive control of an electric utility shall not be required to be listed.
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You would be surprised at the number of red generator signs I see around here on the meter enclosures even though they are not service equipment. :roll:
 
Perhaps we need to look at the art 100 definition of service equipment.

The necessary equipment, usually consisting of a circuit breaker(s) or switch(es) and fuse(s) and their accessories, connected to the load end of service conductors to a building or other structure, or an otherwise designated area, and intended to constitute the main control and cutoff of the supply.
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If there is no switches and fuses, or circuit breakers, it does not meet the definition. Even a multiplex meter socket with no switches or breakers doesn't meet the definition. Such items are cabinets containing service conductors though, you don't want to put non service conductors in there and you bond the cabinet to the grounded service conductor (meter socket usually already has provisions for that though)
 
kwired said:
Perhaps we need to look at the art 100 definition of service equipment.

If there is no switches and fuses, or circuit breakers, it does not meet the definition. Even a multiplex meter socket with no switches or breakers doesn't meet the definition. Such items are cabinets containing service conductors though, you don't want to put non service conductors in there and you bond the cabinet to the grounded service conductor (meter socket usually already has provisions for that though)
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Thanks. :D
That's what I was saying.

To me the definition raises the question why 230.66 had to say anything about meter sockets at all, and especially why they put the word 'individual' in there. If one ignores the word 'individual' then 230.66 accords better with article 100. My speculative guess is that 'individual' was put in to distinguish from combo equipment, but it's not a very precise word for that purpose. I still stand by my opinion that if the equipment is only metering equipment it's not service equipment, no matter how many meters there are.
 
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