Good evening, I am a home inspector here in Orlando. I came across a house today with two meters. One meter has a normal setup where the service panel is at the exterior which has the main disconnect for a sub panel inside a partitioned section they are using as an apartment setup. This has a 3 wire feed from the meter to the service panel. The other has a 4 wire feed going to the panel for the main house which has the disconnect. The grounds & neutrals aren't bonded there but it looks like they are tied together at the meter. The 4 wire feed to that service panel is throwing me off and isn't anything I see in my line of work. Is this something that needs correcting or is this acceptable?
4 wire feed to service from meter?
- Thread starter Meeks32
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LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
Welcome to the forum.
There is no EGC ahead of the main disconnect; everything should be bonded to the neutral.
The problem is that the EGC-to-neutral bond is made in the meter, which is off limits to us.
The fix is to install the missing bonding screw, and to eliminate the bare wire at both ends.
If this was a sub-panel, with an upstream main disconnect, it would be a compliant install.
There is no EGC ahead of the main disconnect; everything should be bonded to the neutral.
The problem is that the EGC-to-neutral bond is made in the meter, which is off limits to us.
The fix is to install the missing bonding screw, and to eliminate the bare wire at both ends.
If this was a sub-panel, with an upstream main disconnect, it would be a compliant install.
- Location
- New Jersey
- Occupation
- Journeyman Electrician
Several issues, first the two service disconnects need to be grouped at the same location. Secondly the panel on the load side of the external disconnect is required to have a 4 wire feeder. Is that what you have?
LarryFine
Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
- Location
- Henrico County, VA
- Occupation
- Electrical Contractor
You're welcome.
To add, there really should be a disconnect outside, because that's where the other disconnect is.
If that was done, everything else would be good. 3 wires meter to disco, 4 wires disco to panel.
To add, there really should be a disconnect outside, because that's where the other disconnect is.
If that was done, everything else would be good. 3 wires meter to disco, 4 wires disco to panel.
Yea there is a 4 wire feed going from the exterior service panel to the sub panel. That setup is for a partitioned part of the house they use to rent out. The main house has a newer service panel in the hallway that has the 4 wire feed from the meter.
From the meter to the service disconnects should be 3 wire. From the service disconnect to both interior panels should b 4 wire and wired per you picture. Both the service disconnects (outside) should be grouped at one location.
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