Yotaforce
Well-known member
I have my meter base installed with conduit through the wall into my 200amp breaker panel. What size cable do I need to run from the meter base to the panel?
Cable from meter to breaker panel?
- Thread starter Yotaforce
- Start date
Fueler
Well-known member
I wired my whole shop to code and beyond but that part I paid a Union Pro to do. That is some big nasty wire to fool with and needs to be done just so. It was well worth it to me and he gave me a few tips while he was here..
If this is a home, you can use #2/0 copper, if part of it is outside, make sure the wire has a thwn rating. If this is a commerical application, it needs to be #3/0 copper. If the pipe is metal, make sure you use grounding bishings & then a copper jumper wire (#4). Also make sure you ground it correctly!!!
Don't use cable use individual wires.
4/0 AL type USE, THHW,THW,THWN are all acceptable for the 2-Hot leads
2/0 for the neutral
Use anti oxidant!
If you want copper go 2/0-2/0-1/0 same type insulation as above.
Bond as stated above with the bond bushing on the panel side and a plastic bushing on the meter side of conduit. Disregard bonding conduit if plastic.
Hope this is helpful
Mark
4/0 AL type USE, THHW,THW,THWN are all acceptable for the 2-Hot leads
2/0 for the neutral
Use anti oxidant!
If you want copper go 2/0-2/0-1/0 same type insulation as above.
Bond as stated above with the bond bushing on the panel side and a plastic bushing on the meter side of conduit. Disregard bonding conduit if plastic.
Hope this is helpful
Mark
It is for service into my new steel shop building. It is going through PVC conduit. I see two contacts in top of the meter box and then two main contacts in my service panel. Is there a ground? Or is it simply two cables taht run from the transformer to the meter and on to the panel?
markb1 has it right, but so does Fueler.
I am a great beliver in DIY but, your questions are so basic that I think you should hire a pro for this part.
After the panel you have CB's to protect you from any mistakes you may have made.
Between the meter and box there is no such protection. You have to do it right the first time.
Plus it will make the power co more comforable.
I am a great beliver in DIY but, your questions are so basic that I think you should hire a pro for this part.
After the panel you have CB's to protect you from any mistakes you may have made.
Between the meter and box there is no such protection. You have to do it right the first time.
Plus it will make the power co more comforable.
There is no power yet. I have to have all of this finished up before I can even call the power company to get on their schedule. I also have to have the inspector come out before that. I am not willing to pay someone to install 7' of wire that would take me about 10 minutes and a trip to Lowes. I built the building, ran my plumbing, and wired the whole thing myself, so to waste money now on something so simple would be stupid. I have had working experience in all these feilds but I have never worked for the power company or on the 'other side' of the breaker panels. I just need to know what size wire comes out of the meter and into the breaker panel.
bluesman2a
Well-known member
On mine (which was a 400A service with 2 X 200A panels on it), I used 4/0 - 3 wire + ground service wire. I *THINK* you may be able to drop a size if you're 200A all the way through.
Also, don't forget you need to do your grounds too. I believe there you'll need 2 8' long ground rods approximately 10' apart with #4 bare copper bonding the two, then back into the cut-off. You'll also need to ground to your foundation (see some of my issues a while back) and ground that to the panel as well.
As mentioned above get some no-lox (anti-oxidation gunk) and make sure all the ends of your service wires are gooped up where they go into the lugs.
I'm doing all this from memory, so I may stand corrected, but you get the idea. Also FWIW, I DID get all the supplies from Lowes.
Also, don't forget you need to do your grounds too. I believe there you'll need 2 8' long ground rods approximately 10' apart with #4 bare copper bonding the two, then back into the cut-off. You'll also need to ground to your foundation (see some of my issues a while back) and ground that to the panel as well.
As mentioned above get some no-lox (anti-oxidation gunk) and make sure all the ends of your service wires are gooped up where they go into the lugs.
I'm doing all this from memory, so I may stand corrected, but you get the idea. Also FWIW, I DID get all the supplies from Lowes.
I just installed mine at the beginning of Dec. I used 2 4/0 AL for the hot leads and 1/0 AL for the neutral. Duke energy had left several yards of the stuff at my brother's house when they installed his service last year, so all I had to do was get the antioxidant.
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Aceman
Well-known member
Copper THHN/THWN:
3/0 phases
1/0 grounded(neutral)
Aluminum USE:
250kcmil phases
3/0 grounded(neutral)
If this were for a house the wire sizes would be slightly smaller. Rule of thumb is 2 sizes smaller on the grounded(neutral) conductor.
Farmallgray
Well-known member
When I did mine I got it at Lowes. I think they just called it 200A SE.
It was 3 individual conductors on a big spool. IIRC it was 2 4/0 and 1 2/0 aluminun with black insulation. The 2/0 neutral had a yellow stripe.
Mine is overhead with a mast. I fed the wires in the mast and from the meter to the panel, but had an electrican make the connections just to be safe.
I was a little unsure of myself for that part and just wanted him to double check my work before the inspection.
It was 3 individual conductors on a big spool. IIRC it was 2 4/0 and 1 2/0 aluminun with black insulation. The 2/0 neutral had a yellow stripe.
Mine is overhead with a mast. I fed the wires in the mast and from the meter to the panel, but had an electrican make the connections just to be safe.
I was a little unsure of myself for that part and just wanted him to double check my work before the inspection.
Utility conections are always on top, load connection on the bottom, neutral could be a lug to one side attached to inside of meter box.
No grounding in the meter, that will take place in breaker panel.
See my previous post for wire size, make sure you color code the neutral with white tape on each end.
I could quote code sections for wire size etc. if you want.
Mark
No grounding in the meter, that will take place in breaker panel.
See my previous post for wire size, make sure you color code the neutral with white tape on each end.
I could quote code sections for wire size etc. if you want.
Mark
Aceman
Well-known member
Table 310.15(B)(6) does not pertain to shops. He must use Table 310.16. These are the MINIMUM sizes:
For the members online without a codebook, Art. 310 pages 144-145.
http://www.nfpa.org/freecodes/free_access_agreement.asp?id=7005SB
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Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
Last I bought was the triplex on a spool. Needed some for a service entrance down a mast to the meter/disconnect/8 pos breaker panel, and it was USE-2, 4-0 is good for 205 amps per 310.16. Was a case of overkill, the panel is only supplying a 5 hp deep well pump and a 360 watt lighting system, nothing else, never will, out in a field. I used the GE combo meter socket/disconnect/breaker panel to simplify the installation.
I used a short section of this same stuff (USE-2 4-0) to connect the meter thru a wall (PVC conduit, meter and panel back to back) to a breaker panel in my shop. Metal building, sounds like the same thing Yotaforce is trying to do.
Charles
I used a short section of this same stuff (USE-2 4-0) to connect the meter thru a wall (PVC conduit, meter and panel back to back) to a breaker panel in my shop. Metal building, sounds like the same thing Yotaforce is trying to do.
Charles
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Aceman
Well-known member
You can't use the 90C column Charles. The wire may be rated for a temp of 90C but the equipment/terminations aren't, which limits you to the 75C column.
110.14(C)(1)(4)(b)
110.14(C)(1)(4)(b)
Although you may get some good advice from the local utility co, Most do not follow the NEC as it has NO jurisdiction over them.
William....
Thats correct, the utility is the authority having jurisdiction over the service and will have the final say if they will tie on to it or not. If this is about the load side of the meter I would stay with NEC requirements. Bill
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Aceman
Well-known member
No big deal
The utilities in my area are only concerned with the wire before the meter base. The wire after the meter, is the electrical inspectors job.
No big deal
The utilities in my area are only concerned with the wire before the meter base. The wire after the meter, is the electrical inspectors job.
Sorry, I thought the question was about the service to the meter. Bill
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
You can bet that is the one thing the inspector, anywhere in the country, will look for, they might ignore everything else, but not the ground.
#10 is too small, that I'm sure of.....
NEC 250.66 lists sizes based on Service Entrance size, and #8 is the smallest allowed. For 4/0 and 250 kcmil, the required size is #4 copper.Charles
Charles (in GA)
Well-known member
So it is. I'm not going to get real concerned about it, you ought to see what the power company ran to the meter on my shop, no where near as big as 4/0. I questioned the guy, but he "assured" me I would not have any problems
I haven't come close to a 100 amp load yet, let alone 200 amps.
Charles
As an electrician we are taught to learn the code and follow it. I don't think we ever really learn it all, but learn how to find what applies, to a given installation. Many times more than one code reference will apply and a lot of times these are up for interpretation. Inspectors point out our mistakes with code reference and help us learn.
As Aceman pointed out my mistake he backed it with a code reference, this keeps things on track. The code is the bible so to speak and keeps systems consistent and standardized in the name of safety.
The code is a minimum standard.
What works for you may not work for the next person that owns your property and inherits your wiring. When the next person maxs out the 200a panel that you didn't have a problem with, the one little detail you cut a corner on or didn't do to code, could lead to a chain reaction of failures, sometimes over a long period of time, like the lug that overheats repeatedly gradually loosening up and then, starts arcing, or slowly burning the insulation back unnoticed, until you have a real problem.
Shock and fire, not to be taken lightly.
Power Companys have their own set of standards that don't apply to building wiring.
Thats my rant, I feel better, and hope it helps people understand the reason behind the code.
Mark
As Aceman pointed out my mistake he backed it with a code reference, this keeps things on track. The code is the bible so to speak and keeps systems consistent and standardized in the name of safety.
The code is a minimum standard.
What works for you may not work for the next person that owns your property and inherits your wiring. When the next person maxs out the 200a panel that you didn't have a problem with, the one little detail you cut a corner on or didn't do to code, could lead to a chain reaction of failures, sometimes over a long period of time, like the lug that overheats repeatedly gradually loosening up and then, starts arcing, or slowly burning the insulation back unnoticed, until you have a real problem.
Shock and fire, not to be taken lightly.
Power Companys have their own set of standards that don't apply to building wiring.
Thats my rant, I feel better, and hope it helps people understand the reason behind the code.
Mark