Home with an apartment, are 2 meters required?

[rsmith115]

This is the first I've come across this so I'm not sure the answer and I can't seem to find anything, so hoping someone could help shed some light on it.

There is a home that has an addition that they turned into a small apartment. The apartment has its own kitchen, living area, bedroom, bathroom, so as per NEC it's considered a dwelling unit. That being said, this home is a 2 family dwelling as per NEC definitions. The homeowner will pay the entire electric bill and is not worried about the apartment being metered.

What they're requesting to be done is that the service be upgraded to a 200A. 1 meter, 1 outdoor 200a breaker disconnect, 2 - 200A panels in a common area in the basement, accessible by both dwellings. I did the load calcs and both units are around 90A each. All gas appliances.

Does anyone know where I can find that this would be an acceptable installation? I can't find anything that tells me otherwise, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. I mean, if I have to, I'll install 2 meters... it's not that big of a deal, but I'd still like to know if anyone else has come across this or if there is somewhere to find it.

 

[Rock86]

If you're concerned about the house having a single meter, apartment buildings can have a master meter where the electric bill is a fixed fee included in the rent.

I recently passed inspection on a job where we had house adding an apartment and subpanel to the apartment, all off one meter.

 

[rsmith115]

If you're concerned about the house having a single meter, apartment buildings can have a master meter where the electric bill is a fixed fee included in the rent.

I recently passed inspection on a job where we had house adding an apartment and subpanel to the apartment, all off one meter.

Thank you, I can't think of anything as to why it would be an issue. And I can't find anything about it in the NEC. So just seeing if someone also experienced this before and said "yeah they required me to add another meter as per bla bla". Appreciate your response.

 

[electrofelon]

No there is no requirement for a second meter.....that said, if the homeowner tries to bill the tenant for electricity, there may be laws about sub- metering....

 

[hbiss]

Is the apartment legal as far as the zoning and building department is concerned? If everything was permitted, then there is nothing that says it can't have a separate meter. But without an electrical inspection and a C of O don't expect the POCO to install a meter for it.

-Hal

 

[LarryFine]

What they're requesting to be done is that the service be upgraded to a 200A. 1 meter, 1 outdoor 200a breaker disconnect, 2 - 200A panels ...

I mean, if I have to, I'll install 2 meters...

Have you been told you must have two meters? This is certainly a question the POCO can answer.

 

[hbiss]

Have you been told you must have two meters?

If I were renting an apartment, I would certainly be happier with my own meter even if the landlord was paying for it. Actually, I would be even happier to pay for my own electric with a reduction in rent. This is the fairest way for both landlord and tenant and minimizes allegations of cheating.

-Hal

 

[Fred B]

2 meters no requirements, but each apt has to have access to the disconnects associated with their apt. Now local municipalities might have a requirement that would need to be checked.
Owner occupied have frequently had single meter for all units. But having totally seperate utilities for lights and heat is a benefit to owner. Have had tenants that will crank the heat (zoned boiler setup) and then open the windows for some "fresh air". Even had one that put in a window ac, had it cranked up, then they would leave and the boiler would kick on. Remember thinking "It's hot out why is the boiler running?", that's when I found that last one. So I shut off the boiler, when the tenant got home late evening they had the nerve to complain it was cold and the heat wasn't coming on.
Seperate utilities definitely cut down on that, when they started to have to pay for their own electric.

 

[romex jockey]

Separation of electrical is not required, and often a deal breaker in older reno's.

That said , IF separation of electrical is desired, you'll find 3 meters for a duplex is required predicated on common loads

~RJ~

 

[goldstar]

Is the apartment legal as far as the zoning and building department is concerned? If everything was permitted, then there is nothing that says it can't have a separate meter. But without an electrical inspection and a C of O don't expect the POCO to install a meter for it.

-Hal

Just to piggy-back on what Hal mentioned, you'll have to check with the local bldg. dept. as to whether this is considered a 2-family house. I know that In my township 2-family houses (or otherwise considered a "mother-daughter") are not permitted. In addition, you do not need a "house" meter until you go to a 3-family house (in NJ that is). In that case you fall into a different category where you have to provide for electricity, lighting, smoke alarms, etc in common areas.

 

[growler]

Is the apartment legal as far as the zoning and building department is concerned?

-Hal

That would be my major concern. Around here many jurisdictions send out people from zoning before they will even issue a permit.

 

[norcal]

When you pay for utilities there is incentive to conserve, where you don't pay there is no incentive.

 

[jaggedben]

You will have to ask your local building department and/or utility, or perhaps the state government. Wherever you find the answer, it will have zilch to do with the NEC. As I've pointed out at other times on this forum, the NEC doesn't require meters at all. (Nor does it restrict them.) They are not a safety issue.

A few years ago my city was rezoned to allow an extra dwelling to be built on every single-family-home property. People started building ADUs like crazy. At some point the utility either made up or remembered a rule that they wouldn't service more than one address from the same meter, so any ADU that had a different address (usually those intended as rentals) needed a separate meter, which made for requiring costly service upgrades that might otherwise not have been necessary. At some point the city started helping the utility enforce its rule, by not approving permits without a new meter. And yet, the neighboring towns might not help them, so if you power a new ADU from the existing service and just don't tell the utility anything is changing, those towns might not stop you.

So that's how it might go. Your mileage may vary. Make that, your mileage likely will vary.

 

[LarryFine]

You will have to ask your local building department and/or utility, or perhaps the state government. Wherever you find the answer, it will have zilch to do with the NEC. As I've pointed out at other times on this forum, the NEC doesn't require meters at all. (Nor does it restrict them.) They are not a safety issue.

It has been said that the NEC sees a meter as a lump in the service cable.

"That's right, meters are just like the points on Whose Line Is It Anyway?"

 

[Buck Parrish]

This is the first I've come across this so I'm not sure the answer and I can't seem to find anything, so hoping someone could help shed some light on it.

There is a home that has an addition that they turned into a small apartment. The apartment has its own kitchen, living area, bedroom, bathroom, so as per NEC it's considered a dwelling unit. That being said, this home is a 2 family dwelling as per NEC definitions. The homeowner will pay the entire electric bill and is not worried about the apartment being metered.

What they're requesting to be done is that the service be upgraded to a 200A. 1 meter, 1 outdoor 200a breaker disconnect, 2 - 200A panels in a common area in the basement, accessible by both dwellings. I did the load calcs and both units are around 90A each. All gas appliances.

Does anyone know where I can find that this would be an acceptable installation? I can't find anything that tells me otherwise, but maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. I mean, if I have to, I'll install 2 meters... it's not that big of a deal, but I'd still like to know if anyone else has come across this or if there is somewhere to find it.

You can usually put as many or as few meters as you want (except for local ordinances) For what you have described most electricians would use a 320-meter base. Although 200 might work fine.

 

[kwired]

There is a difference between a mother in law suite/nanny suite, etc. and a suite that is being rented out. From utility side of things the loading should be similar in all those circumstances if just occupied by one person. Now there are some ethnic groups that will put 10 relatives into a space only intended for maybe 2 or 3 occupants.

Otherwise the rented out suite is just an investment opportunity for the owner.