METER DISCONNECT - 230.82

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Pierre it is just a non fused disconect switch on the supply side of the meter for use by the power company.

It is not considered the service disconnecting means.
 
mpd said:
iwire

why is not considered the service disconnect?
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Because it is a meter disconect. :wink:

I know that sound like a wise crack but it is the answer.

It is an allowance to have an unfused switch ahead of the meter for power company use as the conductors withing are unmetered the power company may block access to this switch which in the case of a fused switch would conflict with accessibility requirements.
 
iwire

the state I inspect in and the utility are fighting over this, because it is not a code requirement, we have been told if it is mounted on the building it is the service disconnect, the utility just started requiring it, and of course told nobody, several contractors have passed a service inspection but the utility would not connect until a meter disconnect is installed, its new to me
 
A meter bypass is not a disconect. It is just what it says it is. A bypass. It allows the power company to remove the meter for service or exchange under load so as not to interrup the power to the customer. The bypass sw is inside the sealed meter can and not accesible to anybody but the power company.
 
We've been installing discos ahead of the meter for 25 years, for over 300 volts phase to phase. It can be the service disconnect in some cases, often it will be a non fused disconnect, if the fault current is less than 10,000 AIC.
you have to work it out with the POCO.
 
Re: METER DISCONNECT - 230.82

For the casual reader:
Pierre C Belarge said:
What is a meter disconnect as refered to in 230.82?
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That's question #1. That's what everybody but Cavie is talking about.

Pierre C Belarge said:
I have read that a bypass meter is not a "meter disconnect", so what is it? Does anyone have a webpage to visit to see what they look like?
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That's question #2. :D
Cavie said:
A meter bypass is not a disconnect. It is just what it says it is. A bypass. It allows the power company to remove the meter for service or exchange under load so as not to interrupt the power to the customer...
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I read the original post the same way Cavie did, so I figured there might be other people wondering why this conversation looks a little disorderly.

Cavie's response deserved a little special attention, IMO, because everyone I've ever bumped into thought that a "lever bypass meter socket" disconnected the meter, as opposed to it's true function, allowing power through without a meter in place.

In some areas around here, they are required on dwellings 200A and over. This is a ridiculous requirement, IMO.
 
Re: METER DISCONNECT - 230.82

georgestolz said:
everyone I've ever bumped into thought that a "lever bypass meter socket" disconnected the meter, as opposed to it's true function, allowing power through without a meter in place.

In some areas around here, they are required on dwellings 200A and over. This is a ridiculous requirement, IMO.
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That is because you are not the power company meter dude or dudete. :lol:

The meter bypass allows the 'safe' (kind of a relative term in this case) removal of the meter without having to kill the service.

The bypass shunts the load from the meter and releases the clamping tension on the meter fingers(?) so that it almost drops right out.

1)Open the meter socket

2)Lift bypass handle

3)Remove meter

Reverse the steps when done.
 
One of our biggest POCO's around here supplies residental meter pans for free. For years they supplied bypass meter pans then they suddenly stopped. Don't really know why. Either they got too expensive or they simply weren't using the bypass enough to make it worth the cost.


Here is one example of a bypass meter socket from Milbank:

pm23.gif
 
Bob,
You mentioned that the meter disconnect is unfused.
Why is this? It seems like, in areas of potentially high fault current, this would be one way to protect the downstream components.
Of course, trying to coordinate a fast blowing fuse with a slow blowing main might be a problem. Did i just answer my own question?

Second question. Are these disconnects rated for breaking the circuit while under load?

Eric[/quote]
 
eric stromberg said:
Bob,
You mentioned that the meter disconnect is unfused.
Why is this? ?
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Eric first off I should make clear I have never seen a meter disconect.

I have read that meter disconnects are used to solve a possible code conflict.

If the power company requires cold sequence metering the service disconect with its fuses and GEC connection may become inaccessible as the power company may seal off access to the unmetered conductors.

Having the Overcurrent devices inaccessible is a violation of 240.24(A)

Having the GEC connection inaccessible is a violation of 250.24(A)(1)

By allowing a non fused meter disconect switch ahead of the meter and a service disconect after the meter both the NEC and the power company needs can be met.

eric stromberg said:
Second question. Are these disconnects rated for breaking the circuit while under load
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I do not know.
 
Eric,
If they aren't rated for "load break" they wouldn't be suitable for the purpose. The only purpose is to disconnect the supply to the meter so the utility can work on it. If they have to use other means to kill the power, there would be no reason for the utility to specify the installation of a meter disconnect.
Don
 
Bob,Don,
Thanks. This is all making sense now. I think I got on the wrong track because, when meter disconnects were first described to me, they were described as being installed to protect a 10,000 AIC meter socket from higher levels of fault current. This is what got me to thinking about fuses.

Thanks again,
Eric :shock:
 
iwire said:
eric stromberg said:
Bob,
You mentioned that the meter disconnect is unfused.
Why is this? ?
Click to expand...

Eric first off I should make clear I have never seen a meter disconect.

I have read that meter disconnects are used to solve a possible code conflict.

If the power company requires cold sequence metering the service disconect with its fuses and GEC connection may become inaccessible as the power company may seal off access to the unmetered conductors.

Having the Overcurrent devices inaccessible is a violation of 240.24(A)

Having the GEC connection inaccessible is a violation of 250.24(A)(1)

We have bend around this sometimes. The POCO will seal the covers to the service disconnect when it is ahead of a switchboard full of tenant meters. The manufacturer puts the MBJ connection in the same section as the service disconnect. We normally say a sealed POCO section is inaccessible, but it really isn't. I mean a couple little seals???

By allowing a non fused meter disconect switch ahead of the meter and a service disconect after the meter both the NEC and the power company needs can be met.

eric stromberg said:
Second question. Are these disconnects rated for breaking the circuit while under load
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I do not know.
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Meter disconnects are foreign to us out here. Our POCO has little knife switches that disconnect the "control wires" if you will to the meter socket on CT based metering.

I've heard the term "cold sequence" before and might know it by a different term. Can you describe it??
 
sandsnow said:
I've heard the term "cold sequence" before and might know it by a different term. Can you describe it??
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Cold sequence and Hot sequence are terms used by the local power company describing the location of a disconnecting means relative to the metering equipment.

Hot sequence is most common.

From the utility service point directly to the metering than to a service disconect.

Cold sequence is becoming very common on service exceeding 150 volts to ground.

From the utility service point to a disconnecting means than onto the metering.
 
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