Service Equipment and Feeder sizing

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cadpunk58

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Tampa, Florida USA
I am designing a service that is 200 amps 120/240V, Single phase, being fed from a pad mounted transformer that is located approx 630 feet away from my proposed service. I already did some VD calcs and it is telling me to use 500mcm cable for service conductors, but i know that this size cable will not fit into the lugs of a 200A. meter socket, what will I need to install or do to get this working correctly? :cool:

thanks in advance for the help!!!
 
If it is in conduit place a large weatherproof can beside the meter connection to splice down to conductors that will fit the lugs. Make sure the power company will allow this, they may want the splice box to be sealable.

If it is direct burial make a direct burial splice to smaller conductors near the meter.
 
You might check with your POCO and see if they have any problem with your using a 400 amp (320) meter socket. Easy termination of 500s and very well may be the same meter they would use in your 200 amp socket.
 
cable size

cable size

I am coming up with 350 mcm cable being adequate for your service and I know you can order residential meter sockets with 350 mcm lugs. You might pay a bit more for the meter socket but it will be much less than any other solution and given the difference in cost for the 500 mcm vs. The 350 I think you will actually save money. I hope that helps.

Bob
 
rlundsrud said:
I am coming up with 350 mcm cable being adequate for your service and I know you can order residential meter sockets with 350 mcm lugs. You might pay a bit more for the meter socket but it will be much less than any other solution and given the difference in cost for the 500 mcm vs. The 350 I think you will actually save money. I hope that helps.

Bob
Click to expand...

Thanks Bob, I would like to see your calcs for determining that wire size and VD, I am not the math wiz I once was :D, and figuring VD was not a strong point for me, by any means, but if all is accurate then it seems that I will be able to install 3#350mcm in a 3" SCH 40 PVC, and just order the meter socket with 350mcm lugs, and call it a day...

thanks for the help!!
 
calculation method

calculation method

I used the southwire app for this calculation. If you use the standard method or 2xKxIxL/vdrop% (K=13.37) you get 467950 cm or 500 MCM. The southwire app incorporates reactance and inductance into their calculations, allowing greater accuracy. I feel confident in their values.

Bob
 
kingpb said:
Perhaps I'm missing something; were manufacturer drawings posted that show internal space available for terminations?

Now, if the OP would have made that statement, I might have to retract my suggestion!!!!:p:D
Click to expand...

Have no fear, I know that 200 amp meter sockets that are not designed with 500 kcmil lugs will not have room for 500 kcmil without even considering the extra room needed for the adapter.

Feel free to try it yourself. :D

They might not even be deep enough to accept the size conduit that 500s would require.
 
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