"Service Entrance Rated" vs "Suitable For Use As Service Equipment" ?

[housemoney]

These terms 2 are used interchangeably by engineers it seems, to me it simply means the equipment shows up with a removable MBJ and a UL sticker.

Suitable only for use as service equipment non seeing much anymore but obviously including an non removable MBJ.

Are there any other differences to note .. is the construction the same etc?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Those are the only differences that I am aware of.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I agree also. The neutral would be permanently bonded to the can in the suitable only as service equipment.

 

[shortcircuit2]

Service Entrance Rated or SUSE listed equipment can be used as service equipment or downstream as an equipment disconnect. The neutral terminal is "floated" as constructed and the equipment comes with a bond screw and a service equipment label in a seperate baggy if you install it as service equipment you bond the neutral to the can.

Suitable "ONLY" for Use as Service Equipment is constructed with the neutral bus bolted to the cabinet or can and is intented to be only used as service equipment.

230.85(2) & (3) in the 2023 NEC disallows the use of equipment listed as Suitable "ONLY" for Use as Service Equipment to be installed per those sections.

 

[kwired]

Four suitable only as service equipment ... other than some loadcenters with permanently bonded neutral bus that I have seen in the past about only place I have run into this is with pump panels. But in more recent years they have been adding an insulated neutral bus to those, though I haven't paid attention to whether they still say suitable only for use as service equipment.

That said I use them often in place of "combination starters" because they cost me less. Never had an application with one that there was ever any neutral load either. The contactor coil in those is same voltage as motor voltage. Only time there truly is a "neutral" incoming is if it is used as service equipment, but there still is no neutral load so it is (factory) bonded and becomes the EGC after that point.

 

[texie]

One product that is only available as "only" service rated are combo meter mains. All standalone meter sockets up until the last 10 years or so were also "only" but many now are available as SUSE with a removable MBJ for those times when you need that option.

 

[Little Bill]

One product that is only available as "only" service rated are combo meter mains. All standalone meter sockets up until the last 10 years or so were also "only" but many now are available as SUSE with a removable MBJ for those times when you need that option.

When would you need a MBJ in a meter socket? The neutral lug is mounted directly to the can.

 

[texie]

When would you need a MBJ in a meter socket? The neutral lug is mounted directly to the can.

I think you misunderstood my post. Yes, it is true that most sockets are permanently bonded but they are available now that have a removable MBJ. I might add that this has caused some issues with some electricians that are not well read on line side bonding and grounding.

 

[ActionDave]

I was surprised to see a removable bonding screw in a meter socket I installed a couple years ago.

 

[Little Bill]

I think you misunderstood my post. Yes, it is true that most sockets are permanently bonded but they are available now that have a removable MBJ. I might add that this has caused some issues with some electricians that are not well read on line side bonding and grounding.

But you didn't say what the application would be for a MBJ in the meter.

 

[texie]

But you didn't say what the application would be for a MBJ in the meter.

Perhaps I should not have used the term MBJ but rather just bonding jumper as a MBJ can only be installed within the service disconnect enclosure. Is that what you are getting at? Or are we just completely misunderstanding each other?

 

[Little Bill]

Perhaps I should not have used the term MBJ but rather just bonding jumper as a MBJ can only be installed within the service disconnect enclosure. Is that what you are getting at? Or are we just completely misunderstanding each other?

I guess I'm asking why the neutral would be floating in a meter socket. Also, would an EGC be ran from it?

 

[shortcircuit2]

I guess I'm asking why the neutral would be floating in a meter socket. Also, would an EGC be ran from it?

Most solar production meter cans in my area float the neutral and yes there is a EGC run with the output circuit.

 

[kwired]

I guess I'm asking why the neutral would be floating in a meter socket. Also, would an EGC be ran from it?

Multi-tenant applications with service disconnect ahead of the meters? Though most the time multimeter centers are used for this, and AFAIK those do not have neutral bonded to the enclosure