Service panel or sub panel

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Greg1707

Senior Member
Location
Alexandria, VA
Occupation
Business owner Electrical contractor
Recently I encountered an unfamiliar situation. I was called to look at the panel in a townhouse/condo community. The townhouses had been converted to condos in the mid 1970s. There are about 4,000 units in the project.

The panel was a 150 amp panel with no main shut off. The neutrals and grounds were connected together. The water piping system was bonded to the panel. The panel was supplied by an underground cable with only 3 conductors.

Outside in the alley, fifty feet or more in distance, was a bank of meters. The meters were grouped in stacks of 3s. I removed the cover of the meter column and found there was no main disconnect nor OCP. There was a ground rod inside the meter housing.

Back inside the house at the panel I found the bus burnt on the breaker serving the electric furnace. I may need to replace the panel.

I am confused as to whether I can simply replace the panel with the current setup. Would not one expect OCP and main shutoff outside at the meter? Is the panel as setup now a service panel or a sub panel?

Is this installation up to modern standards?
 
Definitely not to modern standards! These abortions exist all over, just something that slipped thru the cracks some how or another. I would expect to see a main breaker panel installed if panel to be changed out. If existing codes are enforced in your area I would bring AHJ in to be sure.
 
I have seen many housing/apt complexes that dont have main switches at the dwelling, I think that when they threw the places together they kinda assumed that there would be some kind of shut off at the metering for each place. And down the road when the units were built the inspector probably didnt hoof it over the meter gear to check that little fact out. Either way your gonna have to
put some kinda main at your panel :cool:
 
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