400A meter socket

[dgrey]

I am installing a 400 A 1ph meter socket on a pedistal for a friends excavating business. After all my figuring I have come to the conclusion I will have to run parrallel 4/0 copper for the line side ( approx 40' from pole to meter including riser) and parrallel 300kcmil aluminum on the load side (approx 100' from meter to trough where they will tap to two 200A MB QO panels). This appears to be the best way due to constraints on the size of conductors by the lugs supplied with the panel and cost (max 600kcmil single/250 kcmil twin LINE, max 350kcmil twin LOAD) All copper would be cost prohibitive and the proper size parrallel aluminum wont fit under the line side lugs. Can I change the lugs w/o voiding the UL listing? Can I put CU on one side and AL on the other? Am I close or way off here? This will be grounded with made 3/4" copper rods and cadwelded 1/0 bare.

 

[wireman71]

I'm wondering why you are using a pedestal and not mounting the service on the structure?

 

[jrannis]

Why cant you use 600mcm Al for everything? including the riser.
I think you can put bigger lugs on that meter. www.hialeahmeter.com
I would not bother installing anything larger than #6 on a ground rod unless you were using leftover wire from some other projec.

 

[infinity]

Why can't you use parallel 250 kcmil Al from the load side of the meter to the line side of the panel? These conductors would have an ampacity of 410 amps (205 A*2= 410 amps) and will fit in the supplied lugs.

 

[dgrey]

600 mcm aluminum is rated at 385A. Skin of building is wavy, corrugated sheet steel, not a perfect surface. What about derating and voltage drop on the parrallel 250's