Connecting between meter and panel?

[gfunkdave]

We are buying a condo in Chicago. I'm thinking it would be too expensive to have an electrician route power from the panel in our unit to the garage. But I discovered that the electric meters are in a closet right next to the garage. Each meter has a disconnect for its unit next to it. Does anyone know if it's possible to tap in there and run a circuit for a charger? There would still be an accessible main disconnect that would turn everything off inside and outside.

 

[Sophias_dad]

We are buying a condo in Chicago. There is space for a new two pole breaker in our unit's breaker box but the main breaker in the panel is just 100A. All appliances are gas. The only other 240V load in the panel is the air conditioning.

I'm thinking it would be too expensive to have an electrician route power from the panel in our unit to the garage. But I discovered that the electric meters are in a closet right next to the garage. Each meter has a disconnect for its unit next to it. Does anyone know if it's possible to tap in there and run a circuit for a charger? There would still be an accessible main disconnect that would turn everything off inside and outside.

I know I probably won't be able to do the full 50A but I'd be happy with 20A or whatever 240V I can get, really.

A picture of the meter/disconnect would probably be helpful here.

If nothing else, your electrician should be able to make a new small 'main' panel down at the meter and make your current main panel into a 100 amp subpanel. This is probably the only reasonable answer.

If that 'disconnect' is really a circuit breaker(it probably is), the electrician MIGHT be able to feed a second 100 amp panel near the meter from the same 100 amp breaker. It'd have to be fed by nothing less than 100 amp capable wiring and probably is against all sorts of codes.

 

[gfunkdave]

Thanks. I think it's a circuit breaker under the plastic cover but I didn't look.

I suppose the other option (if the condo association approves) is to connect to the building-wide panel down there. It's also only 100A but maybe they can upgrade service and provide everyone a 50A connection...I guess I'll have to wait and see what the electrician says.