320amp vs 400amp

[iwire]

I posted a meter/main that has a continuous 320 amp rating for the equipment -- - All service calulations are a continuous load and non continuous load --

Right, that is the key the continuous load portion has already been increased by 25%

So as a quick example, a large home is heated with electric. That must be treated as a continuous load per the NEC.

Lets say you add up all the heat and it comes out to 200 amps

Now you have add 25% to that

200x1.25=250 amps

Now all the rest of the loads are non-continuous and add up to a total of 150 amps

250 +150 = 400 amps. This means I can use the class 320 meter socket rated 400 amps max

 

[fireryan]

Who is telling you that you cannot use a 320 meter socket for a 400A service?

It's in the power company specs. It doesn't say I can't put a 400 amp panel off of a 320 meter. It just says all services 400amps and greater must be ct metered. But then it also says the largest service you can do without ct's is 320 amp max.

Apologize for the late answer to your question and to bring this thread back up

 

[kwired]

It's in the power company specs. It doesn't say I can't put a 400 amp panel off of a 320 meter. It just says all services 400amps and greater must be ct metered. But then it also says the largest service you can do without ct's is 320 amp max.

Apologize for the late answer to your question and to bring this thread back up

Do they (POCO) call it a 400 amp service because there is 400 amps of overcurrent protection, or do they call it 400 amps because of the amount of calculated load? Conductor size could come into play also but one has to consider that in some instances conductors are upsized because of voltage drop.

Most POCO I ever deal with mostly only care about the demand not the overcurrent protection or even calculated load.

 

[fireryan]

Do they (POCO) call it a 400 amp service because there is 400 amps of overcurrent protection, or do they call it 400 amps because of the amount of calculated load? Conductor size could come into play also but one has to consider that in some instances conductors are upsized because of voltage drop.

Most POCO I ever deal with mostly only care about the demand not the overcurrent protection or even calculated load.

Guess I'm not sure. I'll need to contact them and ask I guess. I would guess they would only be interested in calculated load