Strategy for feeding panels on multiple floors

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kevinengineer99

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If I have a 6 story building with 8 set of panels on each floor, how would you feed them?
Do you use bus duct? I was told you'd need people in field measuring dimensions and there'd be longer lead times and expensive due to supply shortage.

Do you use one large feeder and sub-feed panels on each floor? Seems like if you had to work on a panel, you'd have to do it hot or shut down all panels on the same feeder.

Do you use individual feeders from a distribution board? It would require most feeders to go between floors.
 
There are way too many variables to determine just what the most cost effective solution is. Every contractor has their own ideas about what is most cost effective because it is either what they are familiar with or it is what is most cost effective for the way they do things.

My suggestion is bid it out how you want it done and then encourage so called "value engineering".

Also, do not require the use of copper wire for feeders. Aluminum is perfectly adequate and safe, and more cost effective.

Keep in mind that it is not unheard of for the bidders to talk amongst themselves and decide they all want to do it the same way.
 
Bus duct can have provisions for bus plugs integral with a disconnecting means for each feeder tap-off you want to make. These tap-offs would then be distributed on whichever floors you needed. If you are asking how you should go about designing something, obviously a loaded question with not enough information...
 
I thought about bus duct but provisions for 8 disconnects per floor doesn't seem feasible.
 
infinity said:
I thought about bus duct but provisions for 8 disconnects per floor doesn't seem feasible.
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They don't all have to be individual bus plug tap-offs. Make one or two express feeder tap-offs, then branch out to individual panels. If continuity of service is an issue during maintenance and you don't want to work it hot, add standalone disconnects ahead of each panel. It's just an off-the-cuff suggestion, there are other factors.
 
xptpcrewx said:
They don't all have to be individual bus plug tap-offs. Make one or two express feeder tap-offs, then branch out to individual panels. If continuity of service is an issue during maintenance and you don't want to work it hot, add standalone disconnects ahead of each panel. It's just an off-the-cuff suggestion, there are other factors.
Click to expand...
Due to Title 24 disaggregation requirements, we have separate panels for power, lighting, and mechanical loads. We also have normal, emergency, and standby branches, w/ a mix of 480/277V and 208/120V loads, hence the need for 8 panels. Does it still make sense to go w/ bus duct? Seems like it would be too many bus ducts and difficult to run tap-offs out of of the chase.
Thanks.
 
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