Allowable 9-Gang Meter Install?

[CharlieFer]

I have experience with the EZ Meter-Pak system from Square D that just all bolts together. What other allowable ways is there to design and install a 9 gang for a 9 unit building? Are they more cost-effective, or is the cost-savings just overcomplicating it and you'll waste more time on the field? I'm always looking to learn from smarter individuals, thanks guys

 

[tjdilly]

EZ Meter-Paks are the preferred way the contractors I have worked with have done it.

 

[electrofelon]

Unless you have utility rules that say otherwise, there is nothing in the NEC that prohibits coming off a service disconnect into a trough or bussed gutter and into individual or multi gang meter sockets. Im not saying it would be worth doing, just that you can

 

[tjdilly]

Unless you have utility rules that say otherwise, there is nothing in the NEC that prohibits coming off a service disconnect into a trough or bussed gutter and into individual or multi gang meter sockets. Im not saying it would be worth doing, just that you can

Yep, typically ends up taking more physical space and more labor from what I've seen.

 

[CharlieFer]

Unless you have utility rules that say otherwise, there is nothing in the NEC that prohibits coming off a service disconnect into a trough or bussed gutter and into individual or multi gang meter sockets. Im not saying it would be worth doing, just that you can

So there’s my next question, in the trough how do you branch out to all the individual meters? A huge 10 port Polaris? Taps? A bussed gutter huh? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that, sounds custom, and a lot more work

 

[ramsy]

9 gang for a 9 unit building?

# units never equal # meters

 

[CharlieFer]

Yep, typically ends up taking more physical space and more labor from what I've seen.

Definitely more labor, so what the customer thinks they save in parts, they’ll spend in labor

 

[CharlieFer]

# units never equal # meters

Yeah I was in a hurry typing that out so I forgot to count the house meter

 

[ramsy]

how do you branch out to all the individual meters?

Buy Multi-Wire Lugs (4 or more wires per lug

www.ihiconnectors.com

Just kidding

 

[tjdilly]

Be mindful that regardless of what you do, you will need a main disconnecting means, as 9 disconnecting means is not allowable.

Buy Multi-Wire Lugs (4 or more wires per lug

www.ihiconnectors.com

Just kidding

 

[CharlieFer]

Buy Multi-Wire Lugs (4 or more wires per lug

www.ihiconnectors.com

Just kidding

I was gonna say, that seems a bit sketch for connecting live service wires

 

[CharlieFer]

Be mindful that regardless of what you do, you will need a main disconnecting means, as 9 disconnecting means is not allowable.

Correct, hence why I wondered how else people were designing multi-gang meter assemblies besides using EZ MeterPaks

 

[electrofelon]

So there’s my next question, in the trough how do you branch out to all the individual meters? A huge 10 port Polaris? Taps? A bussed gutter huh? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that, sounds custom, and a lot more work

Many ways to do it with connectors, terminal blocks, Polaris connectors, H- taps.

Busses gutters are real convenient:

https://www.eaton.com/us/en-us/catalog/low-voltage-power-distribution-controls-systems/bussed-gutter-and-termination-cabinets.html

 

[kwired]

Many POCO's are likely to only allow meter centers as they would by design be more difficult to steal power from.