Line and Load reversed on meter base

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Sharpie

Senior Member
Location
PA
I have a customer with an overhead service. He wants to upgrade his service, and at the same time change it to an underground service. He is requesting to use the same meter base and feed it from the bottom, and have the line side come out the top and go into the house (the main panel is on the first floor, a little bit higher than where the meter is). Has anyone done this or seen it done? I do not have experience with this application and was just looking for some suggestions.

Thanks.
 

bphgravity

Senior Member
Location
Florida
It won't work and is likely a violation of the serving utility rules and regulations. Read the markings on the meter socket enlcosure. They clearly identify line and load terminations.
 

Sharpie

Senior Member
Location
PA
Thank you Bryan.
I was leaning toward a new meter socket anyway. You know how home owners like to nickel and dime and "save money" where they can.
 

buddhakii

Senior Member
Location
Littleton, CO
Most meter cans you can still come into the bottom with the line and just router your wires around to the top. Same with load side. Just run them to the bottom. I don't suspect the new meter can you get will be much different with the line on top and load on bottom.
 

Dennis Alwon

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Chapel Hill, NC
Occupation
Retired Electrical Contractor
I always was told that if a meter was installed upside down it would turn the opposite direction. I don't know if that is an old wiise tale or not.
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
The power company in my area (a big one covering 7 states) supplies written rules about meter sockets. The rules include technical drawings that show wire routing and even where the conduit cannot enter the socket.

None of this info is in the NEC. Yet the Power Company will refuse to connect until I comply with their rules.
 

crossman

Senior Member
Location
Southeast Texas
Sharpie said:
I have a customer with an overhead service. He wants to upgrade his service, and at the same time change it to an underground service. He is requesting to use the same meter base and feed it from the bottom, and have the line side come out the top and go into the house (the main panel is on the first floor, a little bit higher than where the meter is). Has anyone done this or seen it done? I do not have experience with this application and was just looking for some suggestions.

So we are not talking about hooking the line side wires to the load lugs and load side wires to line lugs. As was mehtioned above, just run the wires to the proper lugs. I see no issues with having the service conduit come in the bottom and conduit out of top to panel. As always, check with the power company.
 

don_resqcapt19

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Illinois
Occupation
retired electrician
Dennis,
I always was told that if a meter was installed upside down it would turn the opposite direction. I don't know if that is an old wiise tale or not.
The old ones would do that, but all of the newer mechanical meters have a ratchet device that prevents them from running backwards.
Don
 

HyVOLtage

Member
If you follow the instructions "buddhakii" laid out, you'll be fine. I've wired many temporary power poles (underground and overhead) using the same meter base.
 

al hildenbrand

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
Occupation
Electrical Contractor, Electrical Consultant, Electrical Engineer
My power company started requiring internal bypass mechanisms in all meter sockets less than a decade ago. Even though it's been a decade, most all existing services are older than that requirement, probably 95% of what's out there. They don't have bypasses.

My power company requires a meter socket internal bypass on overhead to underground conversions of existing services, or they will not connect.
 

Sharpie

Senior Member
Location
PA
Thanks for everybody's knowledge and suggestions.
I think I'll get a new meter base that's made for underground service.
Besides, if I'm installing everything else new, what's another $30-40 to make that new too.

On another note, If my customers have the old mechanical meters, I'm sure they won't complain if I wire them backward:grin:
 
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