I am installing a 1000A 460V service, but I am having trouble finding a power distribution block that will work with the wires I need. The utility company is supplying this service with 3-350 MCM wires. I need to supply an existing 600A main and will be adding a 400A disconnect. I can't seem to find a power distribution block that is big enough for this. Any help would be appreciated.
Power Distribution Block
- Thread starter JZE14
- Start date
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Clearly you asked about power distribution blocks, but just to throw out some other options, a bussed gutter or Polaris connectors may be an option:
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Though not as pretty, Polaris taps that @electrofelon suggested would be the easiest to get.
Something like this?
We have used these to connect in a CT cabinet along with Polaris connectors mentioned
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
I bet the poco is terminating their own wires, is the reason they want the blocks. They don’t want to be blamed if something goes wrong with your load wires because they moved them.
This is what I was looking for! I wasn't able to find anything to accommodate for all of the big wires. Thank you!!
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
I don't see anything that indicates these comply with the requirement in 230.46 that applies starting with the 2020 code.
- Location
- San Francisco Bay Area, CA, USA
- Occupation
- Electrical Engineer
You wouldn’t be able to find a PDB that has an SCCR high enough for whatever the AFC will be for a 480V 1,000A service. Maybe if it had a series rating downstream of current limiting fuses, but that means using it AFTER the main disconnect.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Just like the CMP, make a requirement before there is a product to meet the requirement. Or was this put in by the Union? Since it isn’t made yet, it wasn’t a manufacturer. They love to put in things that make you buy their products!
- Location
- Illinois
- Occupation
- retired electrician
There were at least two brands that had products listed before the 1/1/2023 effective date of the rule.
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Never thought of that (I actually don't think I've ever used or installed a PDB). What is their sccr typically?
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
So that’s who pushed it thru then!
electrofelon
Senior Member
- Location
- Cherry Valley NY, Seattle, WA
Whoo hoo, two brands with a couple products... No need to try and defend this CMP nonsense Don, you know it's completely atrocious and dysfunctional code making
....jaggedben
Senior Member
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Solar and Energy Storage Installer
It actually wasn't. The manufacturers had to pay for more UL testing to a standard that didn't exist yet. It was pushed by the CMP and no one else. Even someone from UL wrote a comment asking the CMP not to adopt it.