need help with 400 amp service......

[justwondering]

Scenario is a quadplex with a 400 amp service. Engineer has meter to CT can to a 400 amp disconect to mechanical room and 400 amp panel where 4 100 amp legs go out to the four units. This is expensive. cheapest is just 5 socket meter main. Say they dont want 5 sockets....I would like a 400 amp meter main with 10 spaces. Cant find it. Square D has an expensive 400 amp meter/main but I could come off the 2 200 amp breakers into a can and polaris tap the to the four units and the mechanical room right???? any better cheaper ideas???? would like to figure this out by monday. thanks

 

[lady sparks lover]

Re: need help with 400 amp service......

Originally posted by justwondering:
any better cheaper ideas???? would like to figure this out by monday. thanks

I'm glad you brought this up, can you please let me know, because I have the same situation coming up on my next project. I'm eager to hear this!!!

 

[jim dungar]

Re: need help with 400 amp service......

Are you looking for:
cheaper labor during installation
or
cheaper purchased price
or
cheaper appearence?

What are your must haves? What trade offs are you willing to make? What is your available fault current? How many meters are required?

 

[iwire]

Re: need help with 400 amp service......

If the utility allow use a 400 amp plug in meter socket, eliminating the CT can.

From the meter to a trough, connect up to 6 separate breaker enclosures or fused disconnects. Make these the service disconnects eliminating the need for a 400 amp disconnect and OCPD.

Have your load calculations ready to show that you will not overload the service conductors.

I believe 6 separate 100 amp breaker enclosures with breakers will be less than a 400 amp panel with 6 100 amp breakers.

Let me know if I am wrong on the pricing, I am not really involved in that part of the job.

 

[justwondering]

Re: need help with 400 amp service......

Sorry havent posted back. Thanks IWire. That is what i proposed to the engineer. Local power wanted the CT, Engineer even said I could do without the 400 amp disconect, that the bugged 100 (5) would be fine.??? Anyway, finally the owner realized that a 5 meter socket would save lots of cash and opted for it. thanks all