# 400 amp 4 position meter pak



## ElectricalNut (Apr 25, 2011)

Hey im bidding on a 400 amp upgrade for a multi family house in NJ. 
Right now theres a 200 amp service in 2" rigid pipe that comes down the side of the building into a trough that feeds 4 meters. Each meter then feeds a 4 circuit panel with a 2 pole 60a that feeds the panels located in the apartments.

The homeowner wants me to get rid of everything and relocate the meters outside and try and make it so theres no panels downstairs.

I want to put a meter stack outside with a main breaker for each meter.
Then im going to run 100a SER to a disconnect downstairs to refeed the old risers. (I cant just splice the risers correct?)

Everyone keeps telling me different sizes for the pipe and wire for this service and i cant get to my code book right now,. 

From my memory i think i need 3 1/2" pvc down to the meters with 3-500 mcm's to feed it.

I propbably gonna put a house panel in the basement where ill run a #6 to the ground rods and 1/0 cu to the water meter.
Do i need to run 4 water meter lines to each panel/Disc?


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

If you're going to run CU for 400 amps you need 600 mcm at 75 degrees and 3 600's will fit in 3 in sch 40 PVC, 3-1/2 in sch 80 PVC.


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## ElectricalNut (Apr 25, 2011)

**** i was way off..and al?


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

There just seem to be so much wrong with this I don't even know where to start.
Why a 400 ampere service for 4 60 ampere panels. The 200 is probably plenty. 300 at the most.
you also need to ground the meter center not the sub panels.
You will need to run 4 wire to the subs and size the ground for 60 amps
I would probably run 350 MCM alum in a 2 1/2" or 3"


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

ElectricalNut said:


> **** i was way off..and al?


My calculator says 900 mcm, this seems wrong. 200 amp AL would be 250. I,m going to look in my book. looked it up, and at 75 degrees 380 amps is 500 mcm CU and 395 amps is 800 mcm AL, round up to next breaker size(400). 3-800 will fit in 3-1/2 in sch 40 or sch 80


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## backstay (Feb 3, 2011)

But, table 310.15(B)(7) for dewllings(multi family) says 400 mcm CU and 600 mcm AL. If AL then 3 in PVC sch 40 or 3-1/2 in PVC sch 80


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## jarhead0531 (Jun 1, 2010)

Don't know about other locals but in NJ we have to have a minimum 100A service to every dwelling now, IF we are redoing the entire service, if it was just the panel we can sometimes get away with a 60A, but not often.

What does a load calc tell you about the place, do you really 400A??


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## ElectricalNut (Apr 25, 2011)

Ive re-thought everything already and thinking about it more..
I was gonna try and re-feed each apartment with a 100 amp to at least give him the option to. 

I understand about the grounds now. I thought the panels got grounded like a regular service but the meter cabinet gets gounded and then feeds the panels.

Im gonna have to talk to the inspector and see what he wants me to do.

Right now no matter what i prob cant upgrade 2 of the panels. The other panels are in the 1st floor which i could upgrade and the basement (house) panel, but i only realy need a 60amp seen as theres not many house circuits.


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