# 200 amp service wire



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Yes what you're saying would be fine, but I wanna know what breaker you're using just for kicks. I can't believe it won't take 350


----------



## Voltman101 (Jul 6, 2014)

The breaker is a older cutler hammer I am taking an over head service and running it under ground hooking it to the existing panel not sure of its age I would say early 90's it says it is only rated for 300mcm


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Ok that makes sense. Nowadays, breakers are rated for at last two full sizes larger to accommodate for voltage drop, If this is an old breaker, what you propose is fine. ...


----------



## papaotis (Jun 8, 2013)

i would agree , and just to clarify, yes a ground rod at the building


----------



## JHFWIC (Mar 22, 2012)

For that short of run I would use 4/0


----------



## Hmacanada (Jan 16, 2014)

JHFWIC said:


> For that short of run I would use 4/0



350 for 240 ft ?
Seems like a little over kill to me.
What kind of building?


----------



## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

He did say the 350 was a poco spec. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## Hmacanada (Jan 16, 2014)

Service Call said:


> He did say the 350 was a poco spec.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Was just curious as to why commercial or resi.
I assumed poco doesn't have much say after the meter.
I wasn't criticizing.
Just asking.


----------



## Carultch (May 14, 2013)

Voltman101 said:


> I have a 200 amp service that is 240 ft from the pole I always put the meter on the building in this case the power company wants it on the pole with a meter breaker. I normally on a long run run a 350 urd wire to the meter and a 4/0 to the panel. In this case I am running 350 per power company specs but the wire is to big to get in the breaker and there is no room for the reducer crimps. is it legal to run this conduit and wire in to a 16x16 pvc box and Tap a pice of 4/0 to go inside from outside. The other question being the meter breaker 240 ft away is that considered the first means of disconnect and run a ground from there or do I need ground rods at the building as well and no wire between the meter and building.


I recommend getting in the habit of specifying either Cu or AL for all wires when you discuss them.

If all these wires are Copper, then I see no issue with any of these sizes for 200A, whether it be a service or a feeder. Looks oversized, but maybe you've needed to do this for voltage drop.

However, if that is #4/0 AL, then its only got 180A of ampacity. It's OK for a 200A "service", because a "service" only needs an ampacity of 83% of its nominal size (I don't know why, I wish I did). For the only feeder that is immediately following the service disconnect, it only needs as much ampacity as the "service" conductors.

This is a situation where I see this wiring as a feeder, rather than a service. Once you pass the first service disconnect, everything is a feeder or a branch circuit. I see the breaker that is integrated with the meter, as the main service disconnect, and thus it would be the exclusive point where you bond neutral and ground, and connect your GEC. Everything downstream, keep N & EGC separate.


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Carultch said:


> I recommend getting in the habit of specifying either Cu or AL for all wires when you discuss them.
> 
> If all these wires are Copper, then I see no issue with any of these sizes for 200A, whether it be a service or a feeder. Looks oversized, but maybe you've needed to do this for voltage drop.
> 
> ...


Wow. You answered a ton of questions, and none of the ones he asked.


----------



## Black Dog (Oct 16, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> Wow. You answered a ton of questions, and none of the ones he asked.


Well now he does not have to ask them , does he!


----------



## peteygrizz (Jan 2, 2015)

Seems odd that the poco would want a breaker on their pole unless the pole is not owned by them. I would think you would be fine with 4/0 wire as once you are past the main breaker at the meter it would now be a subfeed owned by the property owner and not subject to poco specs at that point? 350 is overkill, especially if this is a residential service.


----------



## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Carultch said:


> I recommend getting in the habit of specifying either Cu or AL for all wires when you discuss them.
> 
> If all these wires are Copper, then I see no issue with any of these sizes for 200A, whether it be a service or a feeder. Looks oversized, but maybe you've needed to do this for voltage drop.
> 
> ...


You can use 4/0 because of the round up rule. The 83% business is because a house never draws its calculated load. Hell, even at peak times (say Thanksgiving witg all the family in the house cooking and doing laundry) you probably still arent at much over 50-60 amps.


----------

