# 2 x 100A meter sockets for 1 200A breaker



## wildleg (Apr 12, 2009)

when did the ahj start designing jobs for you ? I guess you didn't run it by the power company, huh ?


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## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Nope. Havent heard of that. Is it stack metering? I would just use 2 100a panels. I'm assuming this is a 11 tenant building with a house panel. It would probably be a pain in the butt to reconfigure the metering to get a larger main breaker, so other options are pretty cost prohibitive. What kind of occupancy is it?


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

Its a 1200A switch-gear located in an large storage yard probably about 10 acres, the switch-gear only supplies small 200A 208V panels. I installed a 200A 480 primary breaker to feed a 480/208 transformer. I suggested just installing a 200A meter as the panel has more than enough ampacity. Just wondered if anyone else had heard of this before as its foreign to me! I think the AHJ planner is mistaken.


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

This is the power company stating this!


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## Pete m. (Nov 19, 2011)

Is this a design/build project? I'm confused about what you are proposing.

Pete


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

Installed a 200A breaker to supply a 480/208V transformer to supply a 400A panel board. No 200A meter in existing switch-gear power company stating that we can use 2 x 100A existing (spare meters) to wire into 200A breaker.


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

Hi Guys, 

Just an update from my post I thought I post a picture to better explain the situation.


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

- So the client is requesting using two meters to feed one 200A circuit breaker! 
- This way don't ask me how they don't have to pull a permit! 
- I think the client thinks that the meters are 100A and that using two will achieve the 200A amapcity for the breaker. 
So there isn't really a problem as the meters are rated at 200A, my question is have you ever heard of 2 meters 100A or 200A being used to feed one circuit breaker?

Thanks


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

wonder what they hope to acomplish with this?i belive a 100 amp meter is capable of being overloaded to 200amps. i have seen old class 15 amp meters on services. but the point here is trouble is fixing to happen. they make meters that will handle up to 400 amps. but there bolt in.what was his reason for two 100 amp meters?don't say it can't be done, but it is a big waste. if it were two 100 amp panels i could understand.


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

They didn't give me an exact reason they just said if we install 2 x 100A meters then we don't need to pull a permit, but if we install 1 x 200A meter then they need a permit! I advised it is standard procedure to obtain a permit when setting a new meter.


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

i would think a meter is a meter no matter what. what i was saying about the 15 amp rated meter was i have seen them on 200 amp services. looks like the panel has a disconnect for every meter in the stack. please let us know how it goes.:thumbup:


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

I think the utility planner was inexperienced and didn't know exactly what he was talking about. I just up-sized the cable from the meter to the new circuit breaker to handle the ampacity of 200A. Meter jaws and enclosure rated at 200A so all good


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## circuitman1 (Mar 14, 2013)

:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

It is probably compliant to use 2 meters but the owners will have to pay for 2 meters. Why do that when you can change it to a 200 amp breaker with one meter.

Are the wires pulled to the area in question ? It may be an issue with conduit size.


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## Meadow (Jan 14, 2011)

Something is strange. Why hesitate on a permit?


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## varmit (Apr 19, 2009)

You are not very clear on some details: 
Is the 1200 amp service 208 volt or 480?

How did the 200 amp breaker fit in a 100 breaker amp space?

Is the meter socket rated for 200 amp?

Are these tenant meters billed by the property owner or seperate services billed by the utility?


Of course the utility person was wrong to say to parallel two meters. While it would physically work ( so will three strands of barbed wire fencing ran to a motor) it would not be correct. It would seem odd that the AHJ would allow what is essentially a service with no inspection.


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## Pacific81 (Feb 19, 2010)

Switch-gear is 480V, socket meter is a CL200 which means it is rated at 200A and sticker behind the meter jaws stated it is rated at 200A. The 200A circuit breaker fit fine in the 100A breaker space they are the same size! I don't know why they don't want a permit maybe because of the time constraint. I've attached some pictures. The end result is that I have up-sized the cable from the meter jaws to the circuit breaker to accommodate 200A and told the client they are good to go. As to why the planner wanted to you 2 x 100A supplies I don't know maybe a mistake on his part. 

Thanks for the replies.


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