Service meters

[Guest]

There is a 13000 sq. foot building that has 1 meter. The bldg. is divided into 7 lease spaces. The new owner wants the 1 meter replaced with 7 meters, 1 feeding each lease space. What do you think is the best way to do the job? How can I use the existing service to feed 7 meters when the code max. is 6 meters per service? Would I just land the existing service to a tap can and then from there feed each lease space meter base? Thanks for any helpful input.

 

[bphgravity]

Re: Service meters

The code does not limit a service to six meters.

The existing service entrance can terminate into a service disconnect, then you can feed the seven unit meters and unit disconnects.

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Service meters

rule is no more than 6 disconnects.
I assume the is already 1 large disconnect
so now you can have as many meters as you need since they will be after the main
you might need the power comany ok on this since you then have access to un metered electric

 

[Guest]

Re: Service meters

What does a service disconnect that has 7 lugs to feed the 7 meter bases cost? In the ball park of $2000.00?

 

[jimwalker]

Re: Service meters

You already have the disconnect so add a guter and tap of from there.
you will need 7 disc and meter cans now.
Yes he will be spending some major bucks
He could just meter each unit and bill them himself and pay the 1 meter to POCO himself

[ June 09, 2004, 08:21 PM: Message edited by: jimwalker ]

 

[Guest]

Re: Service meters

Originally posted by jimwalker:
You already have the disconnect so add a guter and tap of from there.
you will need 7 disc and meter cans now.
Yes he will be spending some major bucks
He could just meter each unit and bill them himself and pay the 1 meter to POCO himself

Gutters for large services confuse me. Say I run 2 sets of 500 KCMIL into the gutter how would I then tap off of those conductors to feed the 7 disconnects? Would I determine how much load is on each disconnect and then make sure I dont exceed the ampacity of 1 of the paralled wires and just distribute the 7 loads as evenly as possible or do I land the 2 paralled wires on a buss in the gutter and just land my 7 disconnect feeders on the buss?
Also how could the owner pay the 1 electric bill and meter each tenant seperately, I didnt think that was possible? Thanks for the help.

 

[laengineer]

Re: Service meters

Code requires a maximum of 6 disconnecting means per service. It is not relevant if you have one meter or 7 meters. The Code does not address metering equipment. Therefore, you will required to provide a main service disconnect sized per the NEC for the entire building's load. I suggest a meter center or quite simply a long wireway mounted on the wall with the disconnect switches and meters connected to it.

Hope this helps

 

[dcl34769]

Re: Service meters

the easiest way to add the seven meters is to purchase a meter mod system made by ge. basicly it is a d/c that accepts meter banks using a system of buss bars. it is pricey but will save tons of time in fustration and labor.
web page

 

[pierre]

Re: Service meters

Have you looked into the Emon Demon metering system? It is relatively inexpensive compared with the other methods described.

Pierre

 

[wolfman56]

Re: Service meters

I agree with "dcl34769". However I got my best deal with Siemens meter mod. system.
Mine was set up this way:
9 apartments (tiny) with a common hallway.
Total load calc. 500 amp.
Two masts, (parallel runs of aluminum wire) into a 500 amp fused switch, as the first section of a 9 meter-main modular system, each meter feeds to a 125 amp sub panel in each apartment. No main breaker at the subs, that is taken care of by the main breaker at each meter.
RAW

 

[wolfman56]

Re: Service meters

I forgot to add. You must do a load calc. Each unit, + demands etc. added to get the grand total = service size. You cannot just divide up what's already there.
RAW

 

[megawire]

Re: Service meters

Originally posted by wolfman56:
No main breaker at the subs, that is taken care of by the main breaker at each meter.
RAW

wolfman,

Does every apartment occupant (tenant) have access to their main at the meter? See 230.92 (1999).