jaylectricity
Senior Member
- Location
- Massachusetts
- Occupation
- licensed journeyman electrician
Here's the long version that should answer many of the follow-up questions that the short version at the bottom of this post might elicit. If you want to cut to the chase, start at the bottom of the picture.
A customer has a 3 story building that was a complete gut job. The permit was pulled last year so we're working with the 2005 NEC. Each floor is its own apartment with a few common hallways and stairwells. There is also a small room that serves as an office with a small bathroom which will be occupied by the owner. This room does not connect with any of the common areas, it has two egresses. At the moment the plan is to put that room on the common panel. The inspector came for the rough inspection. He looked at most of the first floor and some of the second. We discussed a few things and he signed the card. He never looked at the 3rd floor or this other office. Anybody that has dealt with the inspector in South Boston is probably not surprised.
The owner of the building and I have worked together long enough that I let him buy the materials and I install them. If there's a problem with the materials he replaces them and pays me to re-install them. He got a hold of 200 feet of aluminum SER which we used to feed the subpanels in each unit. I think it might be 2/0 or a size smaller...definitely larger than needed for a 100 amp panel and the heat, stoves, and dryer will all be gas in the building. All the feeders from each panel have enough to reach the new location for the meters. I will be able to completely build this service without disrupting the old service or the temporary power in the building. When I am done, I'll cut the old service and bring the drop from one corner of the building along the wall to the adjacent corner with no problem. The drop is spliced in mid-span approximately half that distance, so it will reach.
There is asbestos siding on this building. I planned on using the pictured type of meter unless any of you have a better suggestion. I'll use a PVC riser for the drop and I assume that I need to have 4 holes drilled in the wall to come into 4 KOs in the back of the meter box. Otherwise I thought maybe a 4 gang side by side meter panel with 4 PVC LBs coming out of the wall below the meters and piping up into 4 KOs in the bottom of the meter box.
Ground rods will drive easily into the dirt into the basement on the opposite side of the same wall where the meters will be mounted. He already has a length of wire that I can use for the water ground.
Here is the meter panel that he has on the same type of building across the street (I didn't install):
So in summary: I need to put 4 meters w/mains on a single drop for a 3-family building in S. Boston. The SER feeders to the subpanels are oversized AL because they were free. I'm concerned about getting them into the meter panel. There's asbestos tile where the meters will go. I've drilled into asbestos tile before, but it was just to sink a few screws for pipe and/or fixtures. I'll have to drill 4 holes for the feeders which is probably unavoidable* but I have an asbestos mask and goggles. I will be able to build the entire system without disrupting the old service. Ground rods and water ground will be simple. Permit was pulled last year so we're working with the 2005 NEC
This isn't the largest service I've ever worked on, but this would be the first time installing something this big. Typically my 100 amp services were $1000-$1300 and 200 amps were $2000-$2500.
1. Will I be able to bend the aluminum feeders into the shown panel or am I setting myself up for a frustrating day?
2. If so, would it be better to use the side-by-side meter bank?
3. Given the mentality of the inspector in S. Boston, will having that small room on the common panel be a big deal?
4. Can you please help me with the price? I realize that this question is probably limited to other MA electricians. Maybe some of you from other states can use the prices I listed as a proportional gauge.
Thanks a lot, I'll be on and off the computer all night, and I'll be able to check in a few times tomorrow. And yes I realize if there was a market for people who wanted to read novels about installing wires I probably could be rich.
* I may be able to get him to rip out the shingles where I'll be working and replace them with the modern version minus asbestos. But only if that would prove to be cheaper to him.
A customer has a 3 story building that was a complete gut job. The permit was pulled last year so we're working with the 2005 NEC. Each floor is its own apartment with a few common hallways and stairwells. There is also a small room that serves as an office with a small bathroom which will be occupied by the owner. This room does not connect with any of the common areas, it has two egresses. At the moment the plan is to put that room on the common panel. The inspector came for the rough inspection. He looked at most of the first floor and some of the second. We discussed a few things and he signed the card. He never looked at the 3rd floor or this other office. Anybody that has dealt with the inspector in South Boston is probably not surprised.
The owner of the building and I have worked together long enough that I let him buy the materials and I install them. If there's a problem with the materials he replaces them and pays me to re-install them. He got a hold of 200 feet of aluminum SER which we used to feed the subpanels in each unit. I think it might be 2/0 or a size smaller...definitely larger than needed for a 100 amp panel and the heat, stoves, and dryer will all be gas in the building. All the feeders from each panel have enough to reach the new location for the meters. I will be able to completely build this service without disrupting the old service or the temporary power in the building. When I am done, I'll cut the old service and bring the drop from one corner of the building along the wall to the adjacent corner with no problem. The drop is spliced in mid-span approximately half that distance, so it will reach.
There is asbestos siding on this building. I planned on using the pictured type of meter unless any of you have a better suggestion. I'll use a PVC riser for the drop and I assume that I need to have 4 holes drilled in the wall to come into 4 KOs in the back of the meter box. Otherwise I thought maybe a 4 gang side by side meter panel with 4 PVC LBs coming out of the wall below the meters and piping up into 4 KOs in the bottom of the meter box.
Ground rods will drive easily into the dirt into the basement on the opposite side of the same wall where the meters will be mounted. He already has a length of wire that I can use for the water ground.
Here is the meter panel that he has on the same type of building across the street (I didn't install):
So in summary: I need to put 4 meters w/mains on a single drop for a 3-family building in S. Boston. The SER feeders to the subpanels are oversized AL because they were free. I'm concerned about getting them into the meter panel. There's asbestos tile where the meters will go. I've drilled into asbestos tile before, but it was just to sink a few screws for pipe and/or fixtures. I'll have to drill 4 holes for the feeders which is probably unavoidable* but I have an asbestos mask and goggles. I will be able to build the entire system without disrupting the old service. Ground rods and water ground will be simple. Permit was pulled last year so we're working with the 2005 NEC
This isn't the largest service I've ever worked on, but this would be the first time installing something this big. Typically my 100 amp services were $1000-$1300 and 200 amps were $2000-$2500.
1. Will I be able to bend the aluminum feeders into the shown panel or am I setting myself up for a frustrating day?
2. If so, would it be better to use the side-by-side meter bank?
3. Given the mentality of the inspector in S. Boston, will having that small room on the common panel be a big deal?
4. Can you please help me with the price? I realize that this question is probably limited to other MA electricians. Maybe some of you from other states can use the prices I listed as a proportional gauge.
Thanks a lot, I'll be on and off the computer all night, and I'll be able to check in a few times tomorrow. And yes I realize if there was a market for people who wanted to read novels about installing wires I probably could be rich.
* I may be able to get him to rip out the shingles where I'll be working and replace them with the modern version minus asbestos. But only if that would prove to be cheaper to him.
They've gotta love that.