Two main panels

I believe this is ok but wanted to bounce it off you guys. I had two 200 amp panels that were being fed from the meter just outside the basement wall into a gutter box above both panels and then into each panel independent of one another. So it’s a 200amp service with two main disconnects correct? Thank you in advance!

From northern MI, it looks like two 200 amps services. Mind you, I can’t see the main disconnect sizes (You say 200 amp each.), SEC size nor panel board size.

Was it a duplex or 2 apartments?

It was just one house, 200 amp each.

You’re the best Larry. I don’t care what Ben and Nick say about you!:wink::joy:

What Larry said…of course :wink:…two 200 amp panels

Excellent. Thank you to both of you!

What kind of meter did it have to support the load of two 200 amp panels?

Nick and Ben who? :wink:

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Why the Gromickos of course but I was just kidding. I was feeling pretty punchy last night with little sleep.

I knew who you meant. I was just goofing with you back. :crazy_face:

I’m curious how one would determine from the information given that this is 2-200 amp services without knowing what size conductors are feeding that metal wireway. In the other recent thread about sizing a service (split bus panel) it was agreed on that “the service amperage, generally, is the smallest of the Service Entrance Conductors, Service Disconnect and Panel Board Rating”. OK that makes sense, with the split bus you have 6 service disconnecting and no single service disconnect so you would use the panelboard ampacity or SEC’s to size the service.

Here you have a similar installation with two service disconnecting means but how do you know that the SEC’s feeding that wireway make this 2-200 amp services?

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The 2 Service Disconnecting Means could be smaller in total than the total ampacity of the Service Entry Conductors but in 50 years of work I never saw that done. The Size of the Service Entry Conductors is required to be enough to meet the load calculation for the residence. If your familiar with the style of meter enclosure that the providing electrical utility uses then you can get a clue from which one got installed. After 200 Amperes the next commonly available Meter Enclosure size is 400 Amperes. Be advised that the utility will call it 320 Amperes because they are subject to the US National Electrical Safety Code rather than the US National Electric Code. If you can determine the size of the Service Entry Conductors you will have your answer.


Tom Horne