How do i treat this

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zdog

zdog

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This is my first post so forgive me if im in the wrong place.
I am doing a 4 suite commerical building.Each unit has 200amps 3 phase.the service ive set up is a wire trough with 4 meters and 4 disconnects.I have to run the entrance wires from power companys transformer to my point of entry.
What i have always done was run two sets of 500 mcm into the trough combine the wires with split bolts and to each meter.The guy that i am doing the work for is CHEAP.he thinks hes saveing money (only about $600) by running 4 sets of 4/0.
Ive never done it this way before and my question is do i still treat this like a parrell or do i just run the wires to each meter.useing the trough only as a means to each meter.Hope i explained all this right. thanks
 
zdog said:
This is my first post so forgive me if im in the wrong place.
I am doing a 4 suite commerical building.Each unit has 200amps 3 phase.the service ive set up is a wire trough with 4 meters and 4 disconnects.I have to run the entrance wires from power companys transformer to my point of entry.
What i have always done was run two sets of 500 mcm into the trough combine the wires with split bolts and to each meter.The guy that i am doing the work for is CHEAP.he thinks hes saveing money (only about $600) by running 4 sets of 4/0.
Ive never done it this way before and my question is do i still treat this like a parrell or do i just run the wires to each meter.useing the trough only as a means to each meter.Hope i explained all this right. thanks
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No main disconnect?
No house panel?

Wants to save a nickle?
Show him the cutsheet for a CH tenant meter pack. The labor to double the feed pulls (assuming the load calcs are eq) and do all that trough work is nuts.
 
Sounds like a ground/bonding nightmare too if a main or single enclosure is not used - adding a main would also save a buck or two in labor and much less hassle. Single enclosure much more.

Otherwise I would have the same questions as above....

And also suggest a 5 meter/main comb 'all-in-one' (5 meters with 5 mains in one panel and a single termination enclosure - but check your POCO's specs to see if the termination enclosure section qualifies....) FYI - in my neck of the woods this is called a "Slapper" - you "SLAP" it on the wall and you're done. Although a box that size it would take you both to nudge it toward the wall and hang it.... :D
 
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wow

wow

i have been looking on this site for about a week.saw some good stuff and saw some stupid questions.i saw how they were answered mostly in a nice informed replys.so i thought i would sign up and ask my stupid question.
not only that no one tried to answer the question.i was attacked and cut down for the way i built the service.even thouth it is the way i have done numberious ones before and 99.9% of all strip 3 phase buildings in the atlanta area are done.
guess this isnt the place for me
 
Zdog, I don't see how the other posters' responses were all that offensive. You stated you were being coerced into a certain design, and they offered opinions on the design...? :confused:
 
in my post i was not concerned with the design of what i have done it was wheather i should treat the 4/0 wire the same as i would 500 mcm.all the answers were how i should have built the service different and how it was a waste of time.
 
zdog said:
i have been looking on this site for about a week.saw some good stuff and saw some stupid questions.i saw how they were answered mostly in a nice informed replys.so i thought i would sign up and ask my stupid question.
not only that no one tried to answer the question.i was attacked and cut down for the way i built the service.even thouth it is the way i have done numberious ones before and 99.9% of all strip 3 phase buildings in the atlanta area are done.
guess this isnt the place for me
Click to expand...

I took it that way a couple of times before I got in here. I felt my way around, and there is some good people here Z, helpful, and insightful. Just don't remark about taping wirenuts!:grin: Kidding. I laughed at Marc's last reply.

No really, stay aboard, we all learn from one another!
 
zdog said:
What i have always done was run two sets of 500 mcm into the trough combine the wires with split bolts and to each meter.The guy that i am doing the work for is CHEAP.he thinks hes saveing money (only about $600) by running 4 sets of 4/0.
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Wouldn't three sets of 250 be cheaper yet?
zdog said:
Ive never done it this way before and my question is do i still treat this like a parrell or do i just run the wires to each meter.useing the trough only as a means to each meter.Hope i explained all this right. thanks
Click to expand...
No reason for the gutter. You can treat it as one service without it, and you still have fewer than 6 handles.

230.40 ex.2, and 230.2.
 
Zdog,
If I could get your attention just for a moment, like you I am also new to the site. I spent a great deal of time watch before building the nerve to post. Open your mind a little no one here is attacking anyone. I have found in many situations here everyone has been very helpful this site is a powerful and informative site, not to mention a huge time saver. I am just starting out electrician and would enjoy nothing more than to have all of the experience or experiences that the members of this site have to offer. Its constructive criticism at it's finest you cannot be offended. Sure every now and agian one or two forget where they came from but remember they have to live with that not you. Read what is important to you, use it and move forward. As I've been reminded here, there are no stupid questions. However, you will get answer based on what little information is provided.

LHarrington
 
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zdog: Do not allow some of the bad responses to discourage you. We can all learn from each other. None of us have all of the answers. This is a great learning site. Enjoy and do not allow others to steal your joy.
 
zdog said:
This is my first post so forgive me if im in the wrong place.
I am doing a 4 suite commerical building.Each unit has 200amps 3 phase.the service ive set up is a wire trough with 4 meters and 4 disconnects.I have to run the entrance wires from power companys transformer to my point of entry.
What i have always done was run two sets of 500 mcm into the trough combine the wires with split bolts and to each meter.The guy that i am doing the work for is CHEAP.he thinks hes saveing money (only about $600) by running 4 sets of 4/0.
Ive never done it this way before and my question is do i still treat this like a parrell or do i just run the wires to each meter.useing the trough only as a means to each meter.Hope i explained all this right. thanks
Click to expand...


Zdog I would not be offended the ideas trown out here are time savers time is money..You are correct on the 4/0 you can run them through the same trough..pay attention to wire fill..
 
zdog
e57 said:
Otherwise I would have the same questions as above....
Click to expand...

I'd answer the question parallel if I knew more about what you were doing. Not as if I can see it from here.... Sure I could say "Yeah - run through the gutter" But that would be misleading if there were another reason that you could not....

As a few things could ruin your day, for instance if it were being done HERE where I am. Everything prior to and including the metering would be to PG&E specs whether they install or you do...

  • POCO will only deal with what is spec'ed - certain number of conduits of a certain size a certain way, with a certain wire size - all other SOL.
  • The above would need to go to a specific sized can with specific terminations.
  • House loads without a house panel - nope.... (local violation)
  • Four separate services to the same structure (which this sounds like) - nope (POCO and local violation)
IMO If this guy really wanted to save a buck or two - he would do a load calc on the building rather than trying to FULLY SERVE 4 200a panels as 800a+... (Big time red flag there for someone described as cheap... If you're gonna be cheap why over engineer like that?) He may only find 300a to serve as a load and go for something much smaller as a main for the whole structure - even if it were a 400a service lateral feeding 4 200a meter/mains.

Other than that - don't get ticked off because you didn't get the answers you want - I've been waiting for answers for many years - and I'm still waiting.... :grin:
 
no offence e57 but you dont get what i was asking.i said what kind of set up i had and asked if i could just run the 4/0 thru the trough to each meter.maybe i should have put in more info but i wasnt asking if what i had was cost efficent,to much labor or LEGAL.i got my answer hope some day you will get yours:D
thanks to the guys that answered to run thru through.was what i was thinking and has been oked by the electrical inspector.
 
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