Need bigger service.....

[ratrod56]

A customer called today. He has 3phase service with 350mcm. He has a small gutter that feeds a 200 amp disconnect and a 200 amp panel. This place is an industrial laundry cleaning place. 37fla 480 volt dryers and other stuff like that.

They want an additional 600 amps worth of service for new washers,dryers and ironing tables.

what is the best way to achieve what they want? thanks for your ideas

 

[augie47]

Is the disconnect feeding the panel, or are the 350s feeding both ?
How is it metered ?
Overhead service or underground ?

The most common solution I see in such a situation is to build your new 600 amp service next to the existing, feed it from the same location (drop or lateral) and see if POCO will CT meter the two of them together, but there are many variables to that scenario.

 

[ratrod56]

230.2 building shall be supplied by only one service. there are some exceptions. And that does sound like the best way as to not disrupt any of the existing electrical.

To answer your question the 350s are being tapped in gutter (i cant see because locked from CPS) and feed both.

It is metered with CTs on each leg in a 2" conduit

And it is an overhead installation. from power pole to weather head maybe length of four camaros bumper to bumper

 

[steve66]

And it is an overhead installation. from power pole to weather head maybe length of four camaros bumper to bumper

Are you sure its not 4 monte carlo's?

The most common thing I see is to install a whole new service, demo the old service, and then refeed the old main switchboard from the new main switchboard.

Also, typically, if the customer asks for 600 A, the electrician installs everything sized for 600A, but the power company sizes all their wiring (and transformer) for 300 or 400 amps. So don't be supprised if the POCO doesn't want to change to Overhead.

 

[bluesmoke...oops]

230.2 building shall be supplied by only one service. there are some exceptions. And that does sound like the best way as to not disrupt any of the existing electrical.

If they are metered together they would only be one service.

 

[augie47]

If it's on overhead service and you add risers, it's still just one service with added disconnects.
My suggestion would be to work with POCO and see if you can add
riser conduits adjacent to the existing conduits and let them CT at the point of attachment.

 

[ratrod56]

Thanks for all the input from yall. I agree tearing it all down and starting over is the best bet.
So Maybe parallel 500s feeding a trough with 1000 amp buse bars. And wiring up a couple 400a and a couple 200a disconnects coming out the top like youd see at a strip mall????
The service is at the opposite end of the bldg where all the big stuff is at. The 400 amp disconnects could feed distribution panels closer to equipment.

Does that make sense???
Do I (per code) have to have a switch to turn off trough or can 500s land right on buss bars? In the past I have seen it both ways. This looks like an expensive materials list!