400 amp service question

[ovrszd]

Whan they brought my service in they set two poles and the meter base . I paid them 2200 dollars but i received that much in free electricity. I had no bill for over 2 yrs.

My Co-op used to be that way. Not anymore.

 

[RoyKing]

It is the county or town/city that sets the codes, all are based on some year of NEC rulebook. Most places run 2 to 7 years behind on which book they use.

The power co and the town come together, like one can't get a pad while next county can only get pad, same electric company.

What you want is too keep the cost down, Amazon has lots of this stuff so you can see choices and cost. Those 200amp trailer box's I spec are as cheap as you'll get plus leave room for lots of expansion

I'll bet you will have a hard time beating $260.00 plus tubing

 

[dstig1]

It seems rather arbitrary that the inspector wants you to run to the house first, then back to where you started.

My setup is similar to what I think you are trying to do. High voltage line buried from the road up the hill to the shop. Pad transformer there. Short run to 400A meter on the shop, then power runs to the house. I was going to feed directly from the meter to the house but they required a disconnect on the outside of the shop for the house run for some reason. It isn't in the NEC but it is in the Wisc code, so that was that. Silly waste of a disconnect IMO, but at least they didn't make me do something dumb like double it back like they want you to do. Ask him if you can just put a disconnect on the shop and the side of the house and then only make one run. There has to be a better solution than what he said. I used something called a "Farm panel" (around here) on the shop to feed the house. Just an outdoor panel with a couple breakers that was relatively inexpensive compared to some other options.

 

[GSVette]

My 400 amp service runs from a power junction at my gate approximately 150’ to the transformer and then another 75’ to a dual lug meter base set on side of shop building. 200amps to shop and 200amps to house site.

This was per NEC and Washington Residential Electrical code ( which is mostly the same as NEC)

 

[workinonit]

It is the county or town/city that sets the codes, all are based on some year of NEC rulebook. Most places run 2 to 7 years behind on which book they use.

The power co and the town come together, like one can't get a pad while next county can only get pad, same electric company.

What you want is too keep the cost down, Amazon has lots of this stuff so you can see choices and cost. Those 200amp trailer box's I spec are as cheap as you'll get plus leave room for lots of expansion

I'll bet you will have a hard time beating $260.00 plus tubing

In SC, all counties and municipalities abide by state code at a minimum. Most munis and some counties carry things a bit further. Disconnects have become the norm and are a good idea, especially if you are incorporating a standby generator. The disconnects are there primarily for the fire depts.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

WHO is determining where the pad will go? Can it be placed closer to the house?

I get to determine where the pad and transformer goes. And no.... wifey won't allow it any closer to the house. Behind the shop is perfect, I just need to get the inspector on board.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

My 400 amp service runs from a power junction at my gate approximately 150’ to the transformer and then another 75’ to a dual lug meter base set on side of shop building. 200amps to shop and 200amps to house site.

This was per NEC and Washington Residential Electrical code ( which is mostly the same as NEC)

EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO.... I can't find anything in the NEC that says the meter and disconnect must be on the house. Man... I hate to question this guy's opinion right out of the gate.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

It seems rather arbitrary that the inspector wants you to run to the house first, then back to where you started.

My setup is similar to what I think you are trying to do. High voltage line buried from the road up the hill to the shop. Pad transformer there. Short run to 400A meter on the shop, then power runs to the house. I was going to feed directly from the meter to the house but they required a disconnect on the outside of the shop for the house run for some reason. It isn't in the NEC but it is in the Wisc code, so that was that. Silly waste of a disconnect IMO, but at least they didn't make me do something dumb like double it back like they want you to do. Ask him if you can just put a disconnect on the shop and the side of the house and then only make one run. There has to be a better solution than what he said. I used something called a "Farm panel" (around here) on the shop to feed the house. Just an outdoor panel with a couple breakers that was relatively inexpensive compared to some other options.

Yes... looked at those panels. I would rather go the dual disconnects and two panel route.

 

[dstig1]

Maybe you could push him on the extra voltage drop and need to upsize conductors for the round trip that you wouldn't (Shouldn't) need to do if you ran direct? Check state codes to see if there is anything in there as that is what got me. A call to the state electrical inspector office might help you with some ammunition to argue with. There are times to just go along with the inspectors unreasonable demands and times to fight it. Obviously you make your call, but this is one that would push me to fight as it is not just silly but an actual BAD idea. 2x the run for no reason, and then the shop with all the big motor loads is at the end of that? no thanks.

 

[Diggin It]

Pull yer pantz up. Tell the wifey unit 'The pad's goin' yonder. You can plant flowers around it and use the money we save to buy shoes'.

 

[Frankenkubota]

Absolutely agree!!!! Our Co-op charges $29 per month. I used to be on three. Now I'm on one. That's a lot of KWs of electricity. I'm .15 cents per KWH.

My first career job was westinghouse, we built residential power meters, the old electro mechanical kind.

I don't remember exactly but, back in 1982 they sold in volume for about $40 each.

Fast forward to Oregon, 2008. There on one of my barns was an old westinghouse meter from the 80s.

The co-op had been collecting rent on that meter for at least 25 years.

At the end of the day, they gotta/gonna get their money, one way or the other.

 

[coldsteelva]

Instead of simply questioning the inspector, would it be possible to find an EXISTING INSTALL in the jurisdiction that is the same or similar enough to what you want to do?

 

[jaxs]

As a percentage,inspectors and code inforcement have more than their share of horse rear ends. Both wear pistols in the county I just moved from and those where I live now probably should. I grit my teeth and feed their ego in hopes of avoiding confrontation. I recently had to meet inspector at the site where I had applied for a buliding permit for new construction. He told me I would need lines to temporary electric service pole 19'6" above ground to prevent arcing to 13'6" concrete trucks entering property. I thanked him for the heads up on something that I wasn't aware of. He later told me slab foundation surface would need to be 12" above grade because there had been multiple 100 year floods in recent years. I again thanked him for telling me so that I can budget for insurance. Never had a moments trouble with him throughout construction. No,I didn't set a 25' temp-pole nor did we pour foundation 12" above grade and he never mentioned it again. I'm suprised inspectors aren't occasionally found in a ditch beaten half to death.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

As a percentage,inspectors and code inforcement have more than their share of horse rear ends. Both wear pistols in the county I just moved from and those where I live now probably should. I grit my teeth and feed their ego in hopes of avoiding confrontation. I recently had to meet inspector at the site where I had applied for a buliding permit for new construction. He told me I would need lines to temporary electric service pole 19'6" above ground to prevent arcing to 13'6" concrete trucks entering property. I thanked him for the heads up on something that I wasn't aware of. He later told me slab foundation surface would need to be 12" above grade because there had been multiple 100 year floods in recent years. I again thanked him for telling me so that I can budget for insurance. Never had a moments trouble with him throughout construction. No,I didn't set a 25' temp-pole nor did we pour foundation 12" above grade and he never mentioned it again. I'm suprised inspectors aren't occasionally found in a ditch beaten half to death.

That's gonna be my angle of approach... and begging if necessary...