OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Dick Coers

"Seems like a pretty straight forward project as both cables come into the bottom of the the box." Both? You are talking about the main meter right? You should be talking about 3 cables right? When I had a new service put in the house, the only real trick the electrician mentioned was a heavy taping of the neutral so the inspector would trust that you had marked and carried the common wire up to the weather head.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Tom Norton

This is underground service. The main enters the bottom if the box in a PVC conduit. From the meter to the panel it is a flat " Romex style " cable. There is probably a more accurate term.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Dick Coers

You must not have a high amperage service then. I have 3 large size single wires coming into my box, 200 amp service.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Tom Norton

I gave 200amp service.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Kneale Brownson

Tom, hire an electrician.

There should be three wires into a 200 amp service.

This isn't tinting some wood.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Garthinsandiego

I read that he has two cables, not two conductors. One cable is underground service to the meter and the other, romex, is supply from the meter to the distribution panel. Should be fine doing it himself. Already stated that he has wiring experience. Also, power company tech won't reinstall the meter if wiring is not ok.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Tom Norton

Maybe I have not adequately explained the situation.

The service coming in from the road,which I did the direct burial 34 years ago, is 3 wire service. This enters the bottom of the meter base via a PVC conduit. There is a "Romex type" 3 wire cable, exterior grade, that exits the bottom of the meter base and enters the house and goes into the panel.

So it will be a fairly straightforward swap just need to " manhandle" the large gauge wire inside the new box.

So wondering if anyone here has done this project?

Thanks

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

David Yoho

You have a 200 amp service, which means you have what's called 4-ott service entrance cable from the meter to the breaker panel. This wire is aluminum. I don't know if requires any type of goo (for a lack of a better term) where the wires attach to the lugs. Just be sure they all are tightened properly.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Jason Roehl in Lafayette, IN

That would be "4/0" or "0000" wire, pronounced as "4-aught," 'aught' being an old-fashioned term for zero.

4/0 aluminum is typical for 200A service, barring any adjustments due to run length or temperature, and 2/0 copper is typical for 200A service.

Jason

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Barry Irby

The new meter base may not be identical to the old one. Likely to be larger due to increased requirements to allow for "bending radius". The code now demands gentle large radius turns. (They found sharp turns/corners in the wires lead to heat buildup.) So your existing wires might be a little short. Since both cables come in from the bottom you MAY have to lower it a few inches. This should be easy unless there is no siding behind the meter base. You could put up a panel of exterior plywood or something to cover the exposed damage. Or you could put up a picture frame of trim around the meter base

Be careful removing the existing meter base. Don't skin up your wires.

When you reinstall use Anti Oxide paste on the ends of the wires in the lugs if the wire is aluminum. You don't need much, you can get a small tube at a big box store. Might be good to gently scrape the ends of the cables to remove the gray aluminum oxide and expose the bright shiny aluminum. Really cinch the lugs down tight. Might want to use a wrench as a cheater bars on your Allen wrench.

Before you thoroughly attach the meter base, test fit the wires into the lugs. Just to be sure everything works.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Rum

Most of those lugs connectors have specific torque requirements, under torquing them is bad, but over torquing them isn't great either (thing stripped lugs and thus minimal actual torque). How many people actually use a torque wrench on them is debatable, but that's the right way to do it.

Be aware that most of the requirements are listed in "inch/lbs" not the normal "ft/lbs" so you'll either have to do a little math or buy an inch/lbs torque wrench.

https://www.e-hazard.com/blog/electrical-connections-and-torque-requirements/

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Bill Houghton, Sebastopol, CA

Ask your building inspector what the current grounding requirements are. This changes over time. And have a conversation with the inspector to get a sense of whether s/he is supportive of or opposed to homeowners doing their own work. Some are, some not; and I understand there are some jurisdictions (cities, counties) where electrical work can be performed only by licensed electricians.

If you've got a supportive inspector, just run through your plan and see if there's anything you've missed out. S/he may require you to submit a plan for the work, in which case, do your best drawing of what you'll do and be comprehensive about your notes on how you'll do it.

We're blessed in our little town; the inspector respects homeowners who do their own work and is very supportive. He comes off as really crabby, but, once he determines that you know at least generally what you're doing, he's supportive within that crabbiness.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Walter Ahlgrim

Many utilities refuse to connect unless it was installed by a pro as they are betting there live on your work. If there is a short the guy installing the meter is likely to be engulfed in a plasma fire.

Before you buy a base make sure it is on the list of current approved models from your utility.

It is no fun redoing it.

Walta

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Tom Norton

Bill,

Thanks for that idea! I thought about it yesterday and sent him an email. I too was thinking about the grounding requirement and if it has changed.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Barry Irby

Discussing this with the inspector is a good idea. Grounding requirements have changed over the years. Also be careful of online resources. Some of them are out dated and do not follow the current code. Once online, they never seem to go away.

Your local power company may provide you with a meter base. Or at least sell you one or make it clear what you must buy.

Locally, you are allowed to do your own work, but it must still meet the Code. Some localities are less inclined to allow you to do the work.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

John K Jordan

When I installed a new meter base/breaker box to split the feed between the house and new shop I got a guy who worked with the utility company to do it off-hours.

He bought the box, cut the power to the property, ripped out the old, we put in a new post together, then he installed the new and put the meter back on and set the seal. I don't know if you can find someone like that but it was cheap. I know several people who will work like that and according to the them the utility company doesn't mind a little moonlighting. Some, of course, may have different ideas. This ag property 1/4 mile from the road if that matters.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Bill Howatt

When I did mine, the inspector had to inspect it before the utility company would reconnect the service.

Bill

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Tom Norton

Too good to be true?

As I wait for a few call backs I was looking on the ulitity website and found these maintenance plans. They are running a special for Exterior Electrical Service , which includes meter bases, for $2.99 a month with a minimum of a 1 year commitment. Spoke with the rep and there is a 30 day waiting period before a "claim" can be filed. No prorated cost if you cancel after the first year.

So...........

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Tom Norton

Decided to do the work myself. Yesterday after a finally get at scheduled time from the electric company they disconnected the power. Removed the old meter base and installed the new. Harder part was bending the heavy wire to fit! The messiest part was the goo that goes on the wire!

Also need to bring the grounding up to today's code. Do a second grounding rid and new copper ground wire.

My cost with permit-$120. Quote to do the work $650.

Slept well last!

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Barry Irby

Congrats!

I recently replaced a 200 amp interior panel. you are right about bending the wires. And the goo. And I had to drive a new second ground as well. In my case the materials were just under $400 but the job would have cost $1950 if I farmed it out and that did not include the new ground.

I know you are glad to have this behind you.

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Bill Howatt

Is ground upgrading a frequent issue?

I realize there are numerous jurisdictions and I'm even in a different country but often these things go in lock-step?

Thanks,

Bill

Re: OT- Electric meter base replacement?

Barry Irby

Grounding has undergone some changes. For a while they went from a single 10' ground rod to two 8' rods about ten feet apart. (Check my numbers, I'm a little rusty.) The next step was they (teh Code) started grounding through reinforcing rods in the footings.

My understanding is that if there is nothing wrong with your ground system, it's grandfathered in, unless you change the system so dramatically it is no longer adequate.

Re: OT- Also dependent on local inspector!

Larry Clinton At Frankfort, (Central) Indiana

I started installing new entrances in about 1957 when I was still in High School. This was in the Northern part of Indiana under NIPSCO regulations / rules. I had been trained by working with my older cousin who ended up running the Transformer shop for them.

I also installed MANY in other districts and some in separate municipalities that had their own rules.

Some required "bonding" the Neutral and Ground with a green screw that came with the main Entrance box. - others wouldn't hook up if it was inserted!

The oddest and most ignorant was the old inspector in my local city. He refused to hook up one new entrance I had installed until I moved the ground rod away from the house!

I actually had a rod (5/8" X 8') that exceeded the local written code about 6" from the foundation. He stated the soil would not be "wet" enough their and I had to move it out a foot!

Nothing you can say to convince the ignorant so I pulled it (car jack & vice grips and moved it!

Re: OT- Also dependent on local inspector!

Barry Irby

Years ago I bought a house that was in the path of an upcoming road. Hired a crew to move the house to a lot I owned nearby. The house movers were stunned when I reached down and pulled the ten foot ground rod out of the ground with one hand. They said they had tried with their backhoe several times and gave up. My only explanation is the area has expansive clay soil (AKA shrink swell soil) and it was very dry. The soil shrank away from the rod. Probably was a poor ground at that point.