The size of wire for service entrance conductors for a 400 amp 3 phase service could be 500 MCM copper. This is very large size wire and difficult to bend and shape, to connect to terminals in the main disconnect and distribution panel. This problem is solved by using parallel conductors or on higher ampacities triple conductors. Using parallel conductors the wire size would be three ought (3/0) copper.
About 1000 kcmil. However, I'm not aware of any residential panels rated for 600 Amps.
400 kcmil in copper.
This is not a job for an amateur, but I will help you with some primary considerations. My answers are based on the United States' NEC (code) and do not take into consideration any local requirements. You do not want to extend your existing service conductors. You want to install a 100amp breaker into your existing panel and run conductors from there to your new panel. If this is a residential application you can run this with #4 copper conductors. If this is a commercial application you must run #3 copper conductors. I would answer this question based on what your shop is intended to do. If you are running professional equipment and are more or less "in business", use the commercial requirements. If you know how to properly ground a new service, and if your new panel has a main breaker, you can do what you need with 3 conductors. This will allow you to put neutral and ground conductors on the ground bar like you would in your primary panel. If you do not know how to properly ground a new service or doing so is not practical, you will need 4 conductors and your grounds and neutrals will have to be ISOLATED from each other in the new panel. Your neutral bar in this case would be insulated from the panel. In this case your new panel would become a sub-panel of the primary panel. Some panels do not have a main breaker and this is a critical consideration if you intend to wire it as a new service. Personally, I wouldn't install a panel without a main breaker whether or not it is a service or sub-panel.
Per the 2011 National Electric Code, Art 230 Services:230.7 states:"Conductors other than service conductors shall not be installed in the same raceway or service cable."Exception #1: Grounding conductors and bonding jumpers.Exception #2: Load management control conductors having overcurrent protection.
Absolutely not. #2awg conductors are only good for about 100 amps depending on Cu or al. see nec table 310-16.
The term SN refers to a panel or disconnect switch that has solid neutral bar installed. It is a small bar that allows the service conductors to be bonded to the enclosure at that point.
In the service distribution panel there are termination points at the top of the panel. Two of the utilities "hot" conductors terminate on the main breaker. The neutral utility termination point is on a terminal block usually off to the side near the main hot terminations. It is in this neutral termination block where the system ground connects from the ground rods to the distribution panel. For a 100 amp panel the wire size will be a #6 bare copper conductor.
This is not a job for an amateur, but I will help you with some primary considerations. My answers are based on the United States' NEC (code) and do not take into consideration any local requirements. You do not want to extend your existing service conductors. You want to install a 100amp breaker into your existing panel and run conductors from there to your new panel. If this is a residential application you can run this with #4 copper conductors. If this is a commercial application you must run #3 copper conductors. I would answer this question based on what your shop is intended to do. If you are running professional equipment and are more or less "in business", use the commercial requirements. If you know how to properly ground a new service, and if your new panel has a main breaker, you can do what you need with 3 conductors. This will allow you to put neutral and ground conductors on the ground bar like you would in your primary panel. If you do not know how to properly ground a new service or doing so is not practical, you will need 4 conductors and your grounds and neutrals will have to be ISOLATED from each other in the new panel. Your neutral bar in this case would be insulated from the panel. In this case your new panel would become a sub-panel of the primary panel. Some panels do not have a main breaker and this is a critical consideration if you intend to wire it as a new service. Personally, I wouldn't install a panel without a main breaker whether or not it is a service or sub-panel.
Typically copper conductors that provide a phase of electricity.
5
Whether you have an overhead or underground feed, that section of the installation is referred to as Service Entrance Conductors. On an overhead installation, it includes the conductors on BOTH sides of the meter, from the service drop conductors (attached at the service head) to the service equipment LINE terminals. On an underground installation, it refers only to the conductors between the meter's LOAD side and the service equipment LINE terminals. The conductors on the LINE side of the meter come from a distribution transformer and are unbroken between the transformer and your meter.
Per the 2011 National Electric Code, Art 230 Services:230.7 states:"Conductors other than service conductors shall not be installed in the same raceway or service cable."Exception #1: Grounding conductors and bonding jumpers.Exception #2: Load management control conductors having overcurrent protection.
If the single line is compared to another single line and the voltage that you need is correct then you are looking as a singly phase supply. The electrical classification of single phase is that any two legs of a three phase supply can be called single phase. Look on the nameplate of the distribution panel. There it will state what the panel is, either single phase or three phase. Look at where the distribution enters the building from the utility supply. If there are three insulated conductors (red, black and blue) wrapped around a bare aluminium messenger wire it is a three phase wye connection service. If you see two black insulated conductors wrapped around a bare aluminium messenger it is a single phase service.
Absolutely not. #2awg conductors are only good for about 100 amps depending on Cu or al. see nec table 310-16.
Best way is to use a clamp on amp meter. You need to be able to put the clamp over a single conductor. This is usually easy to do in the electric panel, but for a device you need to split the conductors. You can take an extension cord you don't need and separate the conductors so you can get the clamp on a single conductor.
The term SN refers to a panel or disconnect switch that has solid neutral bar installed. It is a small bar that allows the service conductors to be bonded to the enclosure at that point.
In the service distribution panel there are termination points at the top of the panel. Two of the utilities "hot" conductors terminate on the main breaker. The neutral utility termination point is on a terminal block usually off to the side near the main hot terminations. It is in this neutral termination block where the system ground connects from the ground rods to the distribution panel. For a 100 amp panel the wire size will be a #6 bare copper conductor.
=== === == == The process of replacing the equipment that comprises your service is simple and straightforward.1. Get a permit.2. A trained person cuts the service conductors so that they don't interfere with the utility company lines [so they can splice back in]!3. Remove the circuit conductors from the old panel.4. Demolish the old service.5. Install the new service.6. Reconnect the circuit conductors.7. Tie the new service cable back into the utility lines.8. Call for inspection.As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.Before you do any work yourself,on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
A conductor used for grounding of the main service should be a single wire. The code book has a table that states the size of ground wire for different service panel amperages.