underground feed meter socket

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wcpa

New member
Location
West Chester, PA
Can I use an 200 amp "underground feed" meter socket for an overhead feed? Line side is connected with a watertight connector on the side of the socket, load leaves through the back of the can, also with watertight connector. Both enter under the lugs.
 
LEO2854

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
wcpa said:
Can I use an 200 amp "underground feed" meter socket for an overhead feed? Line side is connected with a watertight connector on the side of the socket, load leaves through the back of the can, also with watertight connector. Both enter under the lugs.
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Yes you can do that .

Is it a pipe or cable that is 90 into the side of the meter socket?


Welcome to the forum...:thumbsup:
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
LEO2854 said:
Usually the top of a Underground meter socket will be just flat with no KO for a hub.
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That is what I had on my mind when he said underground socket.

Most of the ones I buy are OH/UG. They have wider enclosure than OH only so there is room to run conductors from bottom around the jaws if you choose to feed from bottom, or install a hub and feed into the top.

I don't see a problem with a myers hub in the top. OP says entry is below lugs, if so probably doesn't need to be anything gasketed. But I find it hard to believe it is possible to enter below all live parts on most 200 amp meter sockets, maybe possible with most 320 sockets.
 
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meternerd

Senior Member
Location
Athol, ID
Occupation
retired water & electric utility electrician, meter/relay tech
Not sure about Code, but the POCO will probably not like it. Panels must be rated for OH/UG. If not, the UL listing is violated when you modify the can. Any fittings such as LB's would have to be sealable, since the conductors are unmetered, but many utilities do not allow ANY fittings with removable covers to be used in the service riser.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
meternerd said:
Not sure about Code, but the POCO will probably not like it. Panels must be rated for OH/UG. If not, the UL listing is violated when you modify the can. Any fittings such as LB's would have to be sealable, since the conductors are unmetered, but many utilities do not allow ANY fittings with removable covers to be used in the service riser.
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Does cutting a hole in a cabinet void a listing? Maybe I should get rid of all my hole cutters and KO punches as it would not be legal to use them anyway.

If someone wants to make an illegal tap a service conductor in an LB by all means let them attempt to do so - it gives the Darwin theory more credibility:happyyes:
 
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meternerd

Senior Member
Location
Athol, ID
Occupation
retired water & electric utility electrician, meter/relay tech
On service equipment, I doubt that any manufacturer will stand behind their equipment if any modifications have been made. Could just be a CYA for them, but they spend a lot of money getting their equipment listed by UL, so they're kinda picky. If the AHJ has no problem with it, then go for it.
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
meternerd said:
On service equipment, I doubt that any manufacturer will stand behind their equipment if any modifications have been made. Could just be a CYA for them, but they spend a lot of money getting their equipment listed by UL, so they're kinda picky. If the AHJ has no problem with it, then go for it.
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What makes a meter cabinet any different than a panelboard cabinet or a disconnect switch that is also rated as service equipment? You can also have junction boxes or aux gutters used for service conductors.

As far as water entering from a hole in top of cabinet - I am more concerned about water entering via condensation inside raceways than entering through ko or factory hub with proper fitting installed in it.
 
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meternerd

Senior Member
Location
Athol, ID
Occupation
retired water & electric utility electrician, meter/relay tech
kwired said:
What makes a meter cabinet any different than a panelboard cabinet or a disconnect switch that is also rated as service equipment? You can also have junction boxes or aux gutters used for service conductors.

As far as water entering from a hole in top of cabinet - I am more concerned about water entering via condensation inside raceways than entering through ko or factory hub with proper fitting installed in it.
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I'm only going by the hairball solar installation has caused with metering equipment mfgrs. I belong to a western utilities organization that sets requirements for service equipment and the manufacturers have asked us to come up with acceptable methods of manufacturing meter panels that meet the needs of the majority of utilities. The way it is being done now is kind of random and many times involves modifications to the service panel, which becomes a warranty, liability, UL or utility issue. Junction boxes and gutters don't seem to be a problem. Maybe because they don't get UL listings. Who knows.
 
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kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
meternerd said:
I'm only going by the hairball solar installation has caused with metering equipment mfgrs. I belong to a western utilities organization that sets requirements for service equipment and the manufacturers have asked us to come up with acceptable methods of manufacturing meter panels that meet the needs of the majority of utilities. The way it is being done now is kind of random and many times involves modifications to the service panel, which becomes a warranty, liability, UL or utility issue. Junction boxes and gutters don't seem to be a problem. Maybe because they don't get UL listings. Who knows.
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I admit to knowing very little about PV or for that matter any other alternate source being connected to feed back to POCO. It just is not happening much around here, a little wind generation but not very much so far. I did look through 690 a little bit and as far as anything there that may relate to meter sockets all I see that is very relevant is the fact that you can connect ahead of the service disconnectiong means. If that is convenient to do at the meter all one needs is a socket with lugs to accept the PV source. Otherwise something that has meter, disconnect, alt source, etc all in one would be an assembly of convenience and not necessity. At very least why can't it be assembled out of listed components. No different than an all in one meter/main/branch breaker panel, maybe convenient but not an absolute necessity. I also don't see what any of this has to do with knocking a hole for a raceway into a meter socket
 
S

Strife

Senior Member
The "underground feed meter" doesn't have a hub on top, so if you want to feed it from overhead you'd need a meyers hub. Which begs the following question:
A 200 A meter can is 40-50 bucks for a resi(top or bottom), a 2" meyer hub is 30 some bucks, a regular hub is 3-4 bucks. So why you wanna spend more money?
Furthermore, not sure how the inspector's gonna look at a meyer hub on a meter. I never tried it, so I can not tell you.

wcpa said:
Can I use an 200 amp "underground feed" meter socket for an overhead feed? Line side is connected with a watertight connector on the side of the socket, load leaves through the back of the can, also with watertight connector. Both enter under the lugs.
Click to expand...
 
kwired

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Strife said:
The "underground feed meter" doesn't have a hub on top, so if you want to feed it from overhead you'd need a meyers hub. Which begs the following question:
A 200 A meter can is 40-50 bucks for a resi(top or bottom), a 2" meyer hub is 30 some bucks, a regular hub is 3-4 bucks. So why you wanna spend more money?
Furthermore, not sure how the inspector's gonna look at a meyer hub on a meter. I never tried it, so I can not tell you.
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If for some reason you don't want to enter in the center of the cabinet maybe you get the one that has no hub opening on top. I can buy 2 inch myers for maybe 5-7 dollars. bolt on meter hubs are maybe 8-10 dollars. It does take more labor to punch the hole than it does to put in 4 screws.
 
LEO2854

LEO2854

Esteemed Member
Location
Ma
kwired said:
If someone wants to make an illegal tap a service conductor in an LB by all means let them attempt to do so - it gives the Darwin theory more credibility:happyyes:
Click to expand...

Someone has to have a picture of that....:lol:
 
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