Can I add a 5th meter to this stack?

[satcom]

I hope you'll forgive my stupidity but I still don't see why the OP says the HO wants a meter. I assume that this service is a for 4 unit condo with a meter for each unit so why is a fifth meter needed? A brief explanation would be appreciated from someone who has the time to educate an old fool!

It might be he is trying to make an illegal appartment in the basement of the condo.

 

[massfd]

Most likely to supply building common loads, boiler, exit lighting, exterior lighting etc. They are most likely being supplyed by one of the tenant meters now, that was ok if the tenant meter being used was the owner. If it is all tenants a house meter is required around here.

 

[satcom]

Most likely to supply building common loads, boiler, exit lighting, exterior lighting etc. They are most likely being supplyed by one of the tenant meters now, that was ok if the tenant meter being used was the owner. If it is all tenants a house meter is required around here.

If it is a condo, there are no tenants just owners, and the only reason for an additional meter is usually an illegal appartment they want to add. Let's see what the OP has to say.

 

[hurk27]

In my experience the utility side of that meter stack has double lugs for feed through, in most cases added load would only be seen by the riser conductors, but since this load is just being removed from one side to be added to the new meter, I would say it will have the same load, I have seen many meters tapped off the utility side from the extra set of lugs in it, even whole meter stacks.

Just something to look for.

 

[hurk27]

Most likely to supply building common loads, boiler, exit lighting, exterior lighting etc. They are most likely being supplyed by one of the tenant meters now, that was ok if the tenant meter being used was the owner. If it is all tenants a house meter is required around here.

The second meter from the bottom is marked "Hall" so I think it has a house meter?

 

[jjhoward]

Yes this is a house.
There are 4 apartments in the house.
However, the common basement area and a common storage area on the 3rd floor have lights and recetpacles that are on circuits from other apartments.

The plan is to get all common area power (stairwell lighting, outdoor lighting, shared basement space and shared finished attic storage space) on this new meter, the "owners meter".

An owner's meter is very common in NJ in multi family homes. Often the owner doesn't live there and no one in the apartments should pay for the lighting in the common areas.

 

[ozark01]

Thanks for the explanation. It sounds like the meter addition is going to easy part of the job.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

Yes this is a house.
There are 4 apartments in the house.
However, the common basement area and a common storage area on the 3rd floor have lights and recetpacles that are on circuits from other apartments.

The plan is to get all common area power (stairwell lighting, outdoor lighting, shared basement space and shared finished attic storage space) on this new meter, the "owners meter".

An owner's meter is very common in NJ in multi family homes. Often the owner doesn't live there and no one in the apartments should pay for the lighting in the common areas.

See 210.25

 

[al hildenbrand]

Those meter adapters are common around here . . . The adapter plugs into the meter socket and the two or four conductors terminate in the old meter.

Thanks, Rob. The variations in POCO practice is interesting.

I had no idea such an adaptor existed.

 

[LarryFine]

. . . no one in the apartments should pay for the lighting in the common areas.

Nor have the ability to deenergize those circuits, either on purpose or by moving or not paying their bill.

 

[iwire]

The variations in POCO practice is interesting.

I was thinking more like scary and unbelievable.


Those would be unfused service conductors run like cable TV.

 

[ozark01]

Isn't there breakers under those black covers to the right of the meters?

 

[hurk27]

Isn't there breakers under those black covers to the right of the meters?

Yep but they don't protect those wires hanging out of that adapter, they only protect the SE cable coming out of the bottom of the meter stack, those adapter wires are not protected at all.

We have a few of those adapters, they come in a meter box that totally encloses them on old 15 and 30 amp services, 120 and 240 volt. when we do an upgrade we hook them back up but at the WH when the utility comes out they remove them and install new stab in CL200 meters.

 

[ozark01]

Thanks for the clarification!