duplex feeders

vinnie

Member
Location
washington
Occupation
electrician
hello
I have a customer that lives in a duplex, and he has lost one phase in his service panel reads 100v I did check all the lugs to confirm that they were tight. The feeders run from his house panel under the duplex to the other side of the duplex and connects to meter. Both phases read correct voltage coming in and going out the meter 120v on each, so I believe one of the feeders underground is damaged. My issue is there no way to dug underground to install new feeders, but the duplex garages are connected together, and I do have access to run the feeders in the attic. Question if I install emergency disconnect at meter location and run SER cable over the garages to the existing house panel would that be to code.
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Welcome to the forum.

First, you should do a more thorough troubleshoot. If you don't have 240v line-to-line, but do have 120v on both lines, you're probably reading through your line-to-line loads.

Turn off all main breakers and check again. Check as close to the meter as you can, electrically speaking.

Odds are it's on the POCO's side of the meter. Be sure before proposing unnecessary repairs.

Oh, one last thing: use a low-impedance tester, or a light bulb in a socket in parallel with a voltmeter.
 

vinnie

Member
Location
washington
Occupation
electrician
Hello, did all that in troubleshooting and had the utility out there to check all their connection and everything checks out. It definitely is the feeders going from the meter bass to house panel and there underground and under concrete and direct buried. So, the question is can I install an emergency connect / meter base and use SER cable to go over the first garage which is the other tenant and into the tenant garage that is having the issues. I live in Washington state is that helps I now in Apts you can cross over other units but in town house you cannot but what about duplex's
thank you
 

tom baker

First Chief Moderator & NEC Expert
Staff member
Location
Bremerton, Washington
Occupation
Master Electrician
Look in WAC 296-46 230 for the allowed wiring methods of unfused service entrance conductors, SE cable is not allowed
Use a service entrance rated disconnect then you have a feeder. As to being able to use SER cable, check its article for uses allowed and not allowed. I am not familiar with using SER cable.
Also if you are an 02 electrician your scope may restrict what you can do
 

vinnie

Member
Location
washington
Occupation
electrician
Look in WAC 296-46 230 for the allowed wiring methods of unfused service entrance conductors, SE cable is not allowed
Use a service entrance rated disconnect then you have a feeder. As to being able to use SER cable, check its article for uses allowed and not allowed. I am not familiar with using SER cable.
Also if you are an 02 electrician your scope may restrict what you can do
good deal on the WAC not a 02 but 01 I will call AHJ and check with them thanks
 
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