Service Cable Clearance in Meter Base

[altarengineering]

Situation; one 400 amp meter base with two 200 amp panels, one on each side of the 400 amp meter base. There is no disconnect in the meter base. 350 alum feeding the meter base from the utility. Two 4/0 aluminums from the bottom of the meter, one to each panel. In the lower left hand corner of the meter base the 350 and the 4/0 are touching or very close. Is this a code violation. After consulting local "experts" some would consider this a raceway thus (230.7) applys. Others consider it a tray (230.44). Local inspectors say no violation. What do you think.

 

[electricman2]

Re: Service Cable Clearance in Meter Base

I see no violation. It is common for line and load conductors to be in close proximity to each other in metering equipment.

 

[triphase]

Re: Service Cable Clearance in Meter Base

This is common practice and do not see any code violations here. Sometimes it gets a little tough to push line or load around in meter cans but utilities usually do not cite electricians on that unless they had a "cut sheet,etc".

 

[augie47]

Re: Service Cable Clearance in Meter Base

I'm not sure why we would consider it a racewy or a tray. If it quacks and has feathers it's probably a duck. Art 312 addresses meter sockets as such, meter sockets. 230.7 addresses conductors mixed in a "service raceway", not a meter socket. Someone more learned than I may find where this is a violation, but I don't see it as such.

 

[altarengineering]

Re: Service Cable Clearance in Meter Base

Originally posted by augie47:
I'm not sure why we would consider it a racewy or a tray. If it quacks and has feathers it's probably a duck. Art 312 addresses meter sockets as such, meter sockets. 230.7 addresses conductors mixed in a "service raceway", not a meter socket. Someone more learned than I may find where this is a violation, but I don't see it as such.

I agree, as does everyone else with the exception of a coworker. Thanks for your reply.

[ January 11, 2006, 08:39 AM: Message edited by: altarengineering ]

 

[LarryFine]

Re: Service Cable Clearance in Meter Base

Originally posted by altarengineering:
I agree, as does everyone else with the exception of a coworker. Thanks for your reply.

Tell him it's an enclosure, and conductors touch each other all the time in one, like the load wires in a breaker panel touch the line (feeder) wires.

Um, that is okay, isn't it?