Electrical Service

[FredW65]

Have very old meter coming into my cottage. I need to replace the meter. There are many meters at Home Depot. How do I choose the right meter and meter pan? I have a 240 Vrms service @ 100amperes. Thank you. Fred

 

[Megawatt]

Have very old meter coming into my cottage. I need to replace the meter. There are many meters at Home Depot. How do I choose the right meter and meter pan? I have a 240 Vrms service @ 100amperes. Thank you. Fred

Fred you will have to contact your power company and draw a permit so the power can be disconnected before you attempt changing your meter base, then you will have to have it inspected before the power company will hook it back up. As far as buying a meter my suggestion would be to buy a 200 amp meter base and what brand name is irrelevant. I read your profile and you can draw a permit since it’s your cottage and you live in it.

 

[FredW65]

Fred you will have to contact your power company and draw a permit so the power can be disconnected before you attempt changing your meter base, then you will have to have it inspected before the power company will hook it back up. As far as buying a meter my suggestion would be to buy a 200 amp meter base and what brand name is irrelevant. I read your profile and you can draw a permit since it’s your cottage and you live in it.

Thank you, Megawatt, for your reply. The power is already disconnected from the meter. A storm shorted the line. The twisted-pair feeding the weather-head (from power company) is completely disconnected from the weather-head (open circuit). My plan was to replace the meter pan/meter plug which I can buy from Home Depot. I will also replace the wire-leading conduit up to the weather head. Then I'll run 240V/200A SEU Southwire AlumaFlex AA-8000 cable. Then I was going to call an electrician to connect everything. I appreciate any input/help you might further give me.

 

[Megawatt]

Thank you, Megawatt, for your reply. The power is already disconnected from the meter. A storm shorted the line. The twisted-pair feeding the weather-head (from power company) is completely disconnected from the weather-head (open circuit). My plan was to replace the meter pan/meter plug which I can buy from Home Depot. I will also replace the wire-leading conduit up to the weather head. Then I'll run 240V/200A SEU Southwire AlumaFlex AA-8000 cable. Then I was going to call an electrician to connect everything. I appreciate any input/help you might further give me.

If I was you I would use 2/0 copper, it’s a little more expensive but it is a lot easier to bend and your electrician will thank you for that. Good luck my friend

 

[FredW65]

If I was you I would use 2/0 copper, it’s a little more expensive but it is a lot easier to bend and your electrician will thank you for that. Good luck my friend

 

[FredW65]

The power company (PSEG Long Island) is requiring that I install a 200A/240 meter pan with a by-pass lever which I am doing. I need to replace the wire mast too. Correct me if I'm wrong: I need to come down through my eaves with a 2" RMC, right? And I need either #2 AWG copper or #4 AWG aluminum wire, right? My question is: since the 200A service is far in excess of what I need (original service was 100A), can I use smaller gauge wire coming out of the bottom of the pan into the structure? Or do I I need to come into the structure with the same wire gauges as come down from the wire mast? Thank you for any help. I'm a M.S.E.E. but not a certified electrician, so this is a learning experience for me.

 

[Megawatt]

The power company (PSEG Long Island) is requiring that I install a 200A/240 meter pan with a by-pass lever which I am doing. I need to replace the wire mast too. Correct me if I'm wrong: I need to come down through my eaves with a 2" RMC, right? And I need either #2 AWG copper or #4 AWG aluminum wire, right? My question is: since the 200A service is far in excess of what I need (original service was 100A), can I use smaller gauge wire coming out of the bottom of the pan into the structure? Or do I I need to come into the structure with the same wire gauges as come down from the wire mast? Thank you for any help. I'm a M.S.E.E. but not a certified electrician, so this is a learning experience for me.

Yes you need to use 2 inch RMC and remember that it has to be a minimum of 3 feet above the roof with no couplings above the roof. I would use 2/0 copper x 3, not aluminum and when you are trying to install the mast you will thank me. Yes it needs to be 2/0 copper from the mast to the top of the meter base and from the bottom of the meter to the panel. I’m going to assume that you know the requirements of bonding the panel? Good luck

 

[FredW65]

Yes you need to use 2 inch RMC and remember that it has to be a minimum of 3 feet above the roof with no couplings above the roof. I would use 2/0 copper x 3, not aluminum and when you are trying to install the mast you will thank me. Yes it needs to be 2/0 copper from the mast to the top of the meter base and from the bottom of the meter to the panel. I’m going to assume that you know the requirements of bonding the panel? Good luck

Megawatt, thank you very much for your help. Unfortunately, a simple meter-pan replacement is becoming a service upgrade, so it will entail more work. Thanks again. Fred

 

[Megawatt]

Megawatt, thank you very much for your help. Unfortunately, a simple meter-pan replacement is becoming a service upgrade, so it will entail more work. Thanks again. Fred

My friend I didn’t say it would be easy. Good luck with your project

 

[FredW65]

My friend I didn’t say it would be easy. Good luck with your project

Megawatt thank you for your continued help. As I said, I'm M.S.E.E., not an electrician. You said, "No couplings may be above the roof." My plan was to run a 10' RMC 2" pipe and thread it into the flange on the 200A meter pan. The pan is 4' above the ground. I need to have a height 18" above the driveway. I was going to thread another 4' pipe--the male end into the female of the 10'. This would be above the roof: does a threaded connection constitute a "coupling"?

 

[Megawatt]

Megawatt thank you for your continued help. As I said, I'm M.S.E.E., not an electrician. You said, "No couplings may be above the roof." My plan was to run a 10' RMC 2" pipe and thread it into the flange on the 200A meter pan. The pan is 4' above the ground. I need to have a height 18" above the driveway. I was going to thread another 4' pipe--the male end into the female of the 10'. This would be above the roof: does a threaded connection constitute a "coupling"?

Yes the NEC states that no couplings are allowed above the roof so put the coupling under the roof. This requirement is in the 2020 Edition of the NEC. Your state has adopted the 2020 edition. The reason is when the power company has to pull thier wire overhead, they depend on your pipe to stabilize there wires so they can get it tight.

 

[FredW65]

Yes the NEC states that no couplings are allowed above the roof so put the coupling under the roof. This requirement is in the 2020 Edition of the NEC. Your state has adopted the 2020 edition. The reason is when the power company has to pull thier wire overhead, they depend on your pipe to stabilize there wires so they can get it tight.

Megawatt, I'd like to say I've solved my problem. I've decided to upgrade my weather mast/pole to a class 7. Right now I have a pole that does not meet specs. PSEG will re-connect to the new pole. Then I can come down the pole with schedule 40 2" PVC conduit (I think--). This will solve the weight problem. It's easier than building a weather mast through the eave of 2" RMC with guy wires. I calculated the weight, and it will be about 50 Lbs. The new pole will cost me some money, but so be it. A couple more questions: 1) Is 4/0 4/0 4/0 SEU cable acceptable for an over-head service--or only an "Underground" service? I'm not sure. The acronym is Service Entry Underground, and I don't want to make any more mistakes. 2) I noticed one of the wires is striped--why? Sorry for the dumb question; I'm still learning.

 

[Megawatt]

Megawatt, I'd like to say I've solved my problem. I've decided to upgrade my weather mast/pole to a class 7. Right now I have a pole that does not meet specs. PSEG will re-connect to the new pole. Then I can come down the pole with schedule 40 2" PVC conduit (I think--). This will solve the weight problem. It's easier than building a weather mast through the eave of 2" RMC with guy wires. I calculated the weight, and it will be about 50 Lbs. The new pole will cost me some money, but so be it. A couple more questions: 1) Is 4/0 4/0 4/0 SEU cable acceptable for an over-head service--or only an "Underground" service? I'm not sure. The acronym is Service Entry Underground, and I don't want to make any more mistakes. 2) I noticed one of the wires is striped--why? Sorry for the dumb question; I'm still learning.

Yes SE cable is approved for service mast and underground, the wire with the stripe is your neutral wire. Keep me posted

 

[FredW65]

Yes SE cable is approved for service mast and underground, the wire with the stripe is your neutral wire. Keep me posted

Thanks again, Megawatt. Will keep you posted.

 

[norcal]

It will a very good idea to check and comply with the power companies requirements, in addition to NEC compliance, inspector can sign off & they can still refuse to connect if it does not meet PoCo specs.