# Duplex Meter Base



## Leebee36 (Dec 15, 2013)

Hi All,
I'm looking for some advice on an installation that I will be doing on a house that will have a basement suite, the basement will have its own meter and main panel and the upstairs will have its own meter and main panel
I will be installing a duplex meter base with one 200amp service feeding it (4/0 AL service conductors out of the mast).
Using the CEC my questions are: 
can the meters feed 150amp panels each? (ie. 150 amp panel off of meter A for upstairs and a 150 amp panel off of meter B for the basement suite, the demand factor for each dwelling comes to just under 100 amps each)
Seeing the each of the two neutrals need to be grounded, can the grounding of the neutrals from each of the two main disconnects be attached to the same ground plate?

Cheers. Lee.


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## sparky250 (Aug 28, 2012)

Aslong as your demand calculation is under 200A, yes you can split off to 150A panels.

Drop your ground plate out of the duplex meter base and make sure you remove the gold neutral bonding screw in each panel.


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## Leebee36 (Dec 15, 2013)

thanks for this...in a previous conversation with the local inspector (when I was initially in stalling a single 200a meter base) he wanted to see the neutral ground terminated in the main disconnect of the panel not in the meter base...now that my customer wants a duplex meter for her suite thing have changed a bit...would terminating the ground in the meter base be acceptable now that I'm installing a duplex meter base?


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## sparky250 (Aug 28, 2012)

Yes in this case you are allowed to have the neutral grounded from the meter base because you are using a duplex . This is acceptable to BC Safety and Bc Hydro.


If it were a single meter base then you would not be allowed


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## Leebee36 (Dec 15, 2013)

good to know and will make things a hell of a lot easier...funny that the code book and information on the BC Safety Authority website do not make any mention of this exception


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

Was it difficult getting Hydro to agree to 2 meters at one address? I didn't think they did that. And can you get a 150A panel cheaper than a 200A?


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## Leebee36 (Dec 15, 2013)

I still need to amend my meter deceleration with BC Hydro...they did have an option for 2nd meter for a suite on their form...so I will find out tomorrow


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## Scroatie (Aug 10, 2018)

Installing a dual meter base in Port Coquitlam for a house with a secondary suite. Got a few questions. Is the feeder for the secondary suite allowed to run though the main suite? Does it need some sort of disconnect within the 2 meters? Does it have to be EMT? Or can I use tech? Thanks if anyone can help.


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## BlackHowling (Feb 27, 2013)

Scroatie said:


> Installing a dual meter base in Port Coquitlam for a house with a secondary suite. Got a few questions. Is the feeder for the secondary suite allowed to run though the main suite? Does it need some sort of disconnect within the 2 meters? Does it have to be EMT? Or can I use tech? Thanks if anyone can help.


You'll get more answers in the Canadian section. But best bet is to call technical safety and see what they say. Code says as close as practicable which is usually within 1.5m. Worst case find a dual meter/main.

Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk


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