Sizing Service conductor splices

[Genesis006]

Can you tap a service wire. How do you size service wires after taped/spliced that feeds a meter? Example: 3/0 service wire taped and feeds 2 100 amp meters.

 

[augie47]

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What you pictured is fairly common (albeit with "mistakes") and the individual "taps" would be sized per the overcurrent devices they feed.

 

[kwired]

I believe 2020 NEC has put in (with a jan 1 2023 effective date) that the splicing method must be listed for use on service conductors. But from recent topic on this seems there may still be few products that have had their items marked as such.

Terminal blocks have been required to be listed for use on service conductors for some time now, but are just one way to do this. Requiring listing on the terminal blocks makes more sense than for non fixed terminations such as Polaris type connectors, because the mounting method would need to be able to withstand any magnetic forces imposed on it in a fault current situation where a Polaris tap is free to move around anyway.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

I believe 2020 NEC has put in (with a jan 1 2023 effective date) that the splicing method must be listed for use on service conductors. But from recent topic on this seems there may still be few products that have had their items marked as such.

Terminal blocks have been required to be listed for use on service conductors for some time now, but are just one way to do this. Requiring listing on the terminal blocks makes more sense than for non fixed terminations such as Polaris type connectors, because the mounting method would need to be able to withstand any magnetic forces imposed on it in a fault current situation where a Polaris tap is free to move around anyway.

There is no product on the market that has such a listing at this time. I not even sure that the product standard has been revised to specify the testing that will be required for this marking.

 

[Genesis006]

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What you pictured is fairly common (albeit with "mistakes") and the individual "taps" would be sized per the overcurrent devices they feed.

Thank you! This is the answer I was looking for. Do you know the NEC section that refers to the sizing of the taps in relationship to the overcurrent protection for Service conductors? I do see a section that refers to feeders taps, however, Mike Holt states the service conductors are not feeders.

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Thank you! This is the answer I was looking for. Do you know the NEC section that refers to the sizing of the taps in relationship to the overcurrent protection for Service conductors? I do see a section that refers to feeders taps, however, Mike Holt states the service conductors are not feeders.

If they are on the line side of the service disconnects, they are service conductors and they are not feeders. Feeders only exist on the load side of the service disconnect.
These "taps" are sized like any other service conductor ...that is to the load they serve. In most cases they must also terminate in an OCPD that has a rating that does not exceed the ampacity of the conductors.

 

[electrofelon]

Thank you! This is the answer I was looking for. Do you know the NEC section that refers to the sizing of the taps in relationship to the overcurrent protection for Service conductors? I do see a section that refers to feeders taps, however, Mike Holt states the service conductors are not feeders.

See 230.90. Then 230.40 exceptions and 230.46. Make sure to also look at 230.72 for grouping of disconnects as well. Those basically cover your "tap rules" for service conductors.