Electric meter location

[Andres Arias]

Good morning dear collegues.

When we are going to install a PV system in a residential electrical service, we often find that the electric meter is installed inside. As per NEC, the electric meter should be installed outside considering the height and the clearance. Does the electric meter have to be relocated outside (required) of the house when it is found inside? Is this related with an electrical service upgrade required in the house? When is electric meter relocation certainly required? Thank you in advance.

 

[busman]

Location of the Electric Meter and whether it needs to move is entirely a PoCo issue around here (and probably most places).

Mark

 

[rc/retired]

The NEC is silent on meter location. I'm surprised your POCO allows the meter inside the house.

Ron

 

[NTesla76]

230.66(B) says meter sockets aren't service equipment. As noted in the posts above, the POCO would determine where they are located.

 

[Andres Arias]

Thank you everybody for the feedback. Now it seems that this is a matter for utility company.

 

[hillbilly1]

The NEC is silent on meter location. I'm surprised your POCO allows the meter inside the house.

Ron

It seems to be a 50’s-60’s thing. Most that I have found that way were built in that era. On one house, the service drop was at one end of the house, ran through the attic, then down to the half basement at the other end, with the meter and panel side by side in the basement.

 

[mtnelect]

In southern California most overhead, electrical services are fed from the utility's easement at the rear of the property, to the rear of the house. Plus, they are now digital, and can be read remotely.
And, if you don't pay your utility bill, they can remotely disconnect your service. It happened to me !