My mother in-law is building a house in Mexico. I already did the wiring in the house and we have to run the service feeds from the meter 150' away. We have a 200 amp panel and I am going to run it underground on a 2" conduit and are going to use 4/0 aluminum. My question is do i need a breaker @ the meter and @the panel? There is no way to put a breaker in the meter box so I have to put it on a junction panel of some sort. Any suggestions on the best way to do this?

tkrussell

Depends on the local codes, but usually a breaker is installed at the meter which will then protect the underground cable from short circuits. There are 200 amp meters socket enclousures that contain a 200 breaker all in one cabinet.

If the meter socket is already installed, a 200 amp breaker can be added in a raintite circuit breaker enclosure made for that breaker. Or a raintite fusible 200 amp disconnect switch can be used.

Once a main breaker is located at the meter, a breaker in or at the panel is not necessary. One can be used, does no harm, but is not needed.

mrl8zyboy

So I can add two 100A breakers to the meter. Where does the ground rod have to be? Can I put it were the panel is instead of were the meter is?

tkrussell

Yes at the load side of the meter you can then feed two 100 amp breakers, in Raintite enclosures, to feed two 100 amp panels, if you like.

The grounding always begins at the Main Disconnect, so the ground rod, or rods, will connect to the neutral lug at the main. This is where the neutral, or grounded conductor, is grounded, by the grounding conductor, which is the wire that connects to the ground rod(s).

mrl8zyboy

Do I need to run a separate a ground besides the 2 hot's and the neutral to the 200A panel?

tkrussell

Yes, an equipment ground, either green insulated or a bare does need to go from the Main Disconnect to the panel, along with the two hot and one neutral feeder conductors.

This will connect to the Main Neutral at the Main Disconect, along with the grounding conductor coming from the rods. At the panel, the neutral will connect to the insulated Neutral bar in the panel, and the equipment ground will connect to the equipment ground bar that will be bolted directly to the panel backbox.

mrl8zyboy

What size ground do you recommend? What size conduit do you recommend for the 2 hot's,neutral and the ground? I will be using 4/0 aluminum for hot's and neutral. Thanks,

tkrussell

For a 200 amp circuit either a #4 copper or a #2 aluminum. for a 150 foot run,I would use either 2.5" or 3" PVC, to make the wire pull easier.

mrl8zyboy

Thanks for the info you've been really helpful.