Feeding a bottom feed only meter section with a riser.

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I have a 4-plex that I am rewiring and upgrading the service for. I am trying to install a 4 gang meter/main combo unit on the exterior of the building in order to keep the installation clean and simple. However, I can't seem to find a top feed unit that is anywhere near affordable. That being said, here is what I came up with:

Install the bottom feed meter section and install the riser next to it. Have the riser land in a junction box below panel and then feed up to meter section.

Has anyone had any experience with something like this?

Thank you in advance for any help.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
I have a 4-plex that I am rewiring and upgrading the service for. I am trying to install a 4 gang meter/main combo unit on the exterior of the building in order to keep the installation clean and simple. However, I can't seem to find a top feed unit that is anywhere near affordable. That being said, here is what I came up with:

Install the bottom feed meter section and install the riser next to it. Have the riser land in a junction box below panel and then feed up to meter section.

Has anyone had any experience with something like this?

Thank you in advance for any help.

Get the unit designed for what you need. Generally by the time you make something work, you have more than paid for what should have been there. Pay the $$s
 
Thanks for the reply. I'd love to get the "right unit" for the application. I'm just having a hard time finding it. This unit is $300... from what I see, adding a nema 3r j-box and a couple more fittings and feet of wire is going to still keep me at about 25% of the cost of any top-fed unit I can find.

Maybe someone can point me in the direction of a fairly priced 4 gang meter/main section with ring type meter sockets?
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
If I had to use that meter I would probably use 2 elbows. One out the bottom and the other turned to turn the conduit up.
 

curt swartz

Electrical Contractor - San Jose, CA
Location
San Jose, CA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I have installed many small meter packs (2-6 meters) and all of them have been designed for top and bottom service entry. It would be more common to fine a unit that is not rated for UG do to the strict EUSERC requirements for underground service equipment here on the west coast.

Can you provide a model number or link to the model you are looking at?

This is Square D's equipment.
http://download.schneider-electric.com/files?p_Doc_Ref=4141CT0701
 

meternerd

Senior Member
Location
Athol, ID
Occupation
retired water & electric utility electrician, meter/relay tech
"Infinity" is right. Many utilities do not allow "fittings" ahead of the metering equipment. All encosures containing unmetered conductors must be sealable and barriered from metered conductors. If a box was used, such as a bus gutter, it would have to be sealable. We wouldn't allow LB's either. Might just be a western thing, though. Hard to believe you can't find a combo OH/UG panel though. That's about all I ever see. Using a Meyers hub would be a local POCO decision. Here, at least, the Town inspectors are not interested in anything associated with the utility side of the meter panels.
 

JoeyD74

Senior Member
Location
Boston MA
Occupation
Electrical contractor
I have a 4-plex that I am rewiring and upgrading the service for. I am trying to install a 4 gang meter/main combo unit on the exterior of the building in order to keep the installation clean and simple. However, I can't seem to find a top feed unit that is anywhere near affordable. That being said, here is what I came up with:

Install the bottom feed meter section and install the riser next to it. Have the riser land in a junction box below panel and then feed up to meter section.

Has anyone had any experience with something like this?

Thank you in advance for any help.

What is your idea of affordable? The solutions your taking about don't go with your clean and simple install either.
 
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