# Breaker Panel with 200A Meter Main



## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

Technically, the 4/0 aluminum conductors need to be upsized to 250 mcm.


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

Thinking the meter panel needs some type of main. 

The panel feeder needs to be protected. 


Nice picture.


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

ritelec said:


> Thinking the meter panel needs some type of main.
> 
> The panel feeder needs to be protected.
> 
> ...


It has a main, at the top.


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

Why would the feeder need to be up sized? It should be carrying the entire load of the dwelling.

The meter main has a disconnect.


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

Jim Port said:


> Why would the feeder need to be up sized? It should be carrying the entire load of the dwelling.
> 
> The meter main has a disconnect.


I guess that is debatable since there are breaker spaces in the meter/ main.
And it is a feeder, no longer service conductors.


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## Oso954 (Jun 23, 2012)

The phrase "aluminum wire bundle" bothers me.

OP, is that some sort of cable, or is it individual conductors in conduit ?


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

The wording used to allow the service sizing rules to apply to feeders if the served the entire load of the dwelling. Also, from a paraphrased memory, the feeders never have to be larger than the service conductors.


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

I don't disagree except it always depends upon the interpretation of the AHJ.


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## Jump-start (Sep 26, 2012)

I would do 4/0, you only need to upsize if loads are in the disconnect.


Also, I would add a ground bar (which this panel already has two on the sides). Splitting up the two bars is doable, but a ground bar tends to allow for more neutral terminals.


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## zootjeff (Jul 11, 2007)

Here is an updated drawing that shows a more optimal Neutral and grounding arrangement in the Breaker Panel where I don't convert one of the isolated Bus-Bars into a Ground Bus-Bar..

By Aluminum Wire Bundle I meant standard SER cable like a 4/0-4/0-4/0-2/0 Jacketed Cable:
http://platt.com/pl/4A3SERGX500

Breaker Panel: Siemens-P4040B1200CU
Meter Main: Siemens-MC0816B1200ESN


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## Jump-start (Sep 26, 2012)

Yes, that will work out better. 8 feet is good, over the minimum 6 feet


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

Oso954 said:


> The phrase "aluminum wire bundle" bothers me.
> 
> OP, is that some sort of cable, or is it individual conductors in conduit ?


SER, as noted in the drawing, is 4 conductor cable.


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## zootjeff (Jul 11, 2007)

brric said:


> I guess that is debatable since there are breaker spaces in the meter/ main.
> And it is a feeder, no longer service conductors.


Since there was confusion to how this Meter Main combo panel is routed, this picture may help. There is the optional sub-section at the top, and the 200 amp ganged back-fed breakers that act as the disconnect to the bus bars.. 

The Utility comes in at the top of the meter and then is wired over to the load side at the bottom of the meter..


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

zootjeff said:


> Since there was confusion to how this Meter Main combo panel is routed, this picture may help. There is the optional sub-section at the top, and the 200 amp ganged back-fed breakers that act as the disconnect to the bus bars..
> 
> The Utility comes in at the top of the meter and then is wired over to the load side at the bottom of the meter..


Looks like a bottom feed to me.


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

Reminds me of a past post of the conductors being the same length 

Those lines don't look it

Should current run mostly over the shorter leads ?


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

Are you allowed to splice the ground cable between the rods at the first rod? Here it has to be continuous.


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

Can go to the rod with a different acorn. 

What's the thing on top of the meter panel. Built in surge protection ?


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## Jim Port (Sep 21, 2007)

The conductors aren't in parallel so they don't need to be the same length.


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## zootjeff (Jul 11, 2007)

ritelec said:


> Reminds me of a past post of the conductors being the same length
> 
> Those lines don't look it
> 
> Should current run mostly over the shorter leads ?


What are you talking about? Which lines what?


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

ritelec said:


> Can go to the rod with a different acorn.
> 
> *What's the thing on top of the meter panel. Built in surge protection* ?


Same question. I've never seen that!


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## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

jbfan said:


> Same question. I've never seen that!


If you are talking about the image by Jumpstart then it looks like the overhead input power feed from the POCO.


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

No. Pic from op


Line goes in bottom to top. Through meter. 
Out three times from load. Two to main breaker. One to top thing on right


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

ritelec said:


> No. Pic from op
> 
> 
> Line goes in bottom to top. Through meter.
> Out three times from load. Two to main breaker. One to top thing on right


Agreed. It's from the load side of the meter. No POCO I know of would allow user access to power ahead of the meter.
I'm trying to research what it is. Remote metering maybe? C. T. Connections?


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

Know what I think? 

It has a little door on it. It's a place to hide your key to house in the event you get locked out. Too many people know about the fake rock so that's where they go now


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## brric (Mar 5, 2010)

http://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/6d/6d103fc3-efed-465c-b23b-69336d3c41c6.pdf
This Siemens unit is similar and the wiring diagram shows it as a secondary main, 50 amp max. It does not look exactly the same as the OP picture.
OP picture looks like it may have a cover to remove giving access to install a 2 pole cb.


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## ritelec (Aug 30, 2009)

Nice job. You can see where the busses are and the back clips that grab the base of the breaker. 

Thank you


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