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Marc M
11-13-2009, 08:31 PM
Ran into this yesterday but have never seen this before. This serves 2 panels in the garage both 100A each side by side. I assume they are the SEPs.
Any idea are the other center two sets of conductors are for? There were only the two panels on the property.

Jerry Peck
11-13-2009, 08:43 PM
Do you have other photos?

Hard to tell from those, but it looks like you have parallel conductors, only if the meter is fed from an overhead service, down to the meter, down to those terminal, then off to the interior service equipment panels, then ... what are the two sets going down to ... (this is where the photo does not cover enough area) ... ???

It looks like .... dangerous words ... those are more parallel conductors feeding something else????????

Marc M
11-13-2009, 10:00 PM
Do you have other photos?

Hard to tell from those, but it looks like you have parallel conductors, only if the meter is fed from an overhead service, down to the meter, down to those terminal, then off to the interior service equipment panels, then ... what are the two sets going down to ... (this is where the photo does not cover enough area) ... ???

It looks like .... dangerous words ... those are more parallel conductors feeding something else????????

Sorry Jerry no more pics.
The meter is fed from underground service. Also, the garage panels are FPEs.
I assume the two center are the feeds but why two sets??

Rollie Meyers
11-14-2009, 04:52 AM
They look to be test blocks for the meter which it also looks like its 240/120V 3 phase, I hope you did not break any seals to access that section as the PoCo will not look kindly on you doing so.....


California PoCo's require test bypass for all 3 phase & non residential services with some exceptions.

Jerry Peck
11-14-2009, 06:28 AM
The meter is fed from underground service.


Okay, now I think I understand the photo.

The 6 center conductors coming up from the bottom (I only see 5, but there should be 6, and 1 could be hidden from view in the photo) are from the underground service lateral.

Two sets of parallel conductors, you can see the neutral behind the right set of parallel conductors but not see it behind the left set, but it is supposed to be there.

The two center blocks are where the underground service lateral hot conductors land, then continua on to the meter above with new conductors.

The neutral lands on a block above and behind the main set of terminal blocks.

Then, back down from the meter comes the service entrance hots, one to the right side terminal block (labeled A) and one to the left side terminal block (labeled B).

Then, two sets of service entrance conductors go to the inside service equipment panels, with one hot from the left terminal block and one from the right terminal block.

You can see one red is being used as a neutral, looks like another neutral is just barely visible at the top of the neutral terminal bar going up.

That's my story ... and I'm NOT sticking with it if someone sees it better than I do. :)

By the way, Rollie is correct - that should have had a power company seal on it and you should not have been able to get into it.

Marc M
11-14-2009, 07:20 PM
Thanks guys. BTW, i didnt break the seal. It was like that.