# Load Side Meter Splice to 2 Panels?



## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Take a look at Exception #3 to 230.40.


----------



## tates1882 (Sep 3, 2010)

kaufam7 said:


> *Background Info:* A friend of mine currently has two separate service drops, each feeding separate meters, which in turn each feed separate service panels. One supplies his home, and the other supplies a work shed and pumphouse. He asked me if I could disconnect one of the meters and combine both panel feeds off the other meter, so he only has to pay the POCO for one service drop.
> 
> *Question: Is it permissible to splice off the load side of a meter and feed two separate panels? If so, can they be fed directly, or would a common disconnect switch have to be installed after the meter before splitting off to the two panels?*
> 
> The other option is to make one panel a subfeed off the other panel (which would be the conventional way to do it), but that would involve a lot of digging and running new cables underground in this situation. Anyone have an answer?


depending on the distance from the meter base to panels, you can probably use the taps rule. I would set a service wire way and splice there assuming your load calc and the service drop is kosher.


----------



## don_resqcapt19 (Jul 18, 2010)

Assuming that you are between the meter and the service disconnect, there really aren't any "tap" rules.


----------



## tates1882 (Sep 3, 2010)

don_resqcapt19 said:


> Assuming that you are between the meter and the service disconnect, there really aren't any "tap" rules.


 ha good point was thinking before the meters.


----------



## kaufam7 (Sep 14, 2014)

Yes, the splice would be between the meter and the panels, and I had already considered putting a wireway or splice box below the meter. The POCO, however, recommends that there also be a fused disconnect or small breaker panel after the splice at the pole to act as the main panel, with the two existing panels then becoming subfeeds. The problems then are that the pole is now getting pretty crowded with equipment, and there is no way to run an equipment ground between the panels. The POCO didn't have a problem with that as long as each panel was well grounded, and the inspector was willing to pass it that way. That brings up another point. We were hoping to do this without involving the POCO or an inspector. I think the owner is now considering digging up part of the line to the shop/pumphouse panel and just re-routing it to the house panel as a subfeed, leaving the meter as is. Then all the POCO has to do is disconnect and blank off the unused meter.


----------

