Determining Existing Service Size

[Jeffrey_S]

I am an architect (please don't hold that against me , and I have a question regarding how to determine service size.

How do I determine the approximate electrical service (amperage) to an apartment when there does not seem to be a service disconnect that gives you that information. I am looking at a 47-unit apartment building with a master meter and 400 amps of service. How do I back into figuring out the apporximate amount of power provided to each apartment (no need to be exact)? Thanks for your help here.

 

[augie47]

I don't know of a shortcut. As far as the individual apartments I think I would fall back to an Article 220 calculation.
I can't imagine a 47 unit building that does not have a main or multiple mains to give you some idea on existing service sizes.

 

[electrofelon]

Sounds like you are looking for the capacity of the FEEDER serving each apartment - There is only one electrical service, and one (or a grouped set of up to 6) service disconnect. If that is the case, you would look at the circuit breaker in the distribution equipment that feeds the apartment(s), and I would also check the wire size to double check.