Grounding and Bonding Dual Meter Base

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moab88

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West Virginia
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Journeyman Electrician
I'm upgrading a service in West Virginia for a Duplex that's being renovated. They're adding an additional meter so both tenants can pay their own electric. Coming from my service drop I have 2 Hots and a Neutral that connects between the two meters where bus bars extend out to the separate 200 Amp Meter Bases. I can not find any meter bases that come with disconnects so I have to add these on as well. How do I bond my mast, meter bases, and disconnect enclosures to one ground rod?
 
Our duplex meter sockets have provisions for the GEC where the riser conductors connect (a lug on the neutral buss)
 
moab88 said:
I'm upgrading a service in West Virginia for a Duplex that's being renovated. They're adding an additional meter so both tenants can pay their own electric. Coming from my service drop I have 2 Hots and a Neutral that connects between the two meters where bus bars extend out to the separate 200 Amp Meter Bases. I can not find any meter bases that come with disconnects so I have to add these on as well. How do I bond my mast, meter bases, and disconnect enclosures to one ground rod?
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Just bond your GEC (ground rod wire)to the neutral in each service disconnect. Neutral will be bonded to the chassis in meter base.

You can either send two GEC from the rod, or there are other options to “tap” off of a GEC to hit more than one service disconnect.
 
Dsg319 said:
Btw I’m from West Virginia as well. Randolph county small town near Elkins.
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Nice to hear from some people representing West Virginia as well. Im down south in Mercer County. I’m not sure if you know this but West Virginia is switching over to 2020 NEC starting July 1st also. Thank you for the help.
 
moab88 said:
Nice to hear from some people representing West Virginia as well. Im down south in Mercer County. I’m not sure if you know this but West Virginia is switching over to 2020 NEC starting July 1st also. Thank you for the help.
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Thanks for the info!
 
Dsg319 said:
Just bond your GEC (ground rod wire)to the neutral in each service disconnect. Neutral will be bonded to the chassis in meter base.

You can either send two GEC from the rod, or there are other options to “tap” off of a GEC to hit more than one service disconnect.
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Would I size the GEC based off my 200 A disconnect or the 400 A total coming from the utility?
 
moab88 said:
Would I size the GEC based off my 200 A disconnect or the 400 A total coming from the utility?
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Neither, read through 250.66 (not just the table), you will most likely use the table and the service entrance conductor size.
 
Dsg319 said:
Btw I’m from West Virginia as well. Randolph county small town near Elkins.
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You guys are so lucky to live near some great motorcycling roads.
ricky.gif
 
roger said:
Neither, read through 250.66 (not just the table), you will most likely use the table and the service entrance conductor size.
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250.52 (A)(5) states that my ground rods have to be at least 8 ft and 5/8" diameter. 250.66 (A) says that as long as my GEC doesn't extend out to other electrodes requiring a larger size than it doesn't need to be larger than 6 AWG CU. Basically I can have 6AWG copper coming from each disconnect. One ties into the first ground rod and extends ending on the other ground rod. My other 6 AWG copper can extend out to connect to the first ground rod. Even though my largest ungrounded(hot) conductor coming from my riser going into my meter is going to be 600 KCM Aluminum? I just want to make sure I'm doing this right, sorry for the confusion.
 
Watch out for AEP's (PoCo) West Virginia service guide which requires a minimum #4 Cu to the ground rods and wants it continuous through the first rod to the second.

It's kind of stupid and contrary to the NEC. I've done jobs just on the VA side of the border where WV line crews were involved. The inspector would approve #6 to the rods, but the AEP crews would not hook it up unless it was a #4.
 
Electromatic said:
Watch out for AEP's (PoCo) West Virginia service guide which requires a minimum #4 Cu to the ground rods and wants it continuous through the first rod to the second.

It's kind of stupid and contrary to the NEC. I've done jobs just on the VA side of the border where WV line crews were involved. The inspector would approve #6 to the rods, but the AEP crews would not hook it up unless it was a #4.
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We’ve had guys that had to go back to replace with #4AWG.

As you said kind of silly.
 
Dsg319 said:
We’ve had guys that had to go back to replace with #4AWG.

As you said kind of silly.
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Electromatic said:
Watch out for AEP's (PoCo) West Virginia service guide which requires a minimum #4 Cu to the ground rods and wants it continuous through the first rod to the second.

It's kind of stupid and contrary to the NEC. I've done jobs just on the VA side of the border where WV line crews were involved. The inspector would approve #6 to the rods, but the AEP crews would not hook it up unless it was a #4.
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Thanks for the info , my inspector also mentioned to just use 4AWG because of AEP. I have my dual meter base inside the middle there’s a lug for an equipment ground but AEP also says they don’t want any ground wires terminating within the meter base. This is also an approved AEP meter btw so I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do there. I’m having them come out to the house soon to let me know exactly what I need.
 
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