Finally a POCO approved meter main!

[hey_poolboy]

Today I had my first meter main pass inspection! I know, some of you guys are spoiled and have been doing meter mains for a while. Around here we've waited and waited for our POCO to decide to accept one. In the end they (Ameren) got together with Milbanks and had one made to their requirements.

Man, these things are nice. The only complaint I had were the feed through lugs seemed a little flimsy. I felt I may bend or twist the bus as I tightened the lugs. I didn't, but they just felt "soft".

 

[360Youth]

Pardon my shock, but those things have been in circulation forever around here. What in the world took your POCO to jump on board. I am assuming it has always been a separate meter and main when the situation called for it. Welcome to the 20th century .

The only complaint I had were the feed through lugs seemed a little flimsy. I felt I may bend or twist the bus as I tightened the lugs. I didn't, but they just felt "soft".

I have that fear in some other equipment, also. The bus bar flexes as you tighten on the lug. A little nerve wracking.

 

[hey_poolboy]

Not sure what took them so long.

Yah, we've done separate meters and disco when the situation required. The inspectors were fine with the combos, but the POCO just didn't like it.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Today I had my first meter main pass inspection! I know, some of you guys are spoiled and have been doing meter mains for a while. Around here we've waited and waited for our POCO to decide to accept one. In the end they (Ameren) got together with Milbanks and had one made to their requirements.

Man, these things are nice. The only complaint I had were the feed through lugs seemed a little flimsy. I felt I may bend or twist the bus as I tightened the lugs. I didn't, but they just felt "soft".

You must be in southern Illinois


Oh yeah those lugs will break.

 

[360Youth]

The inspectors were fine with the combos, but the POCO just didn't like it.

I can't fathom what the POCO has to do with it. Here the metering equipment is customer owned. I just have never heard of a POCO having any say on the metering enclosure. One of the locals will not allow a meter socket surge protector unless is is one of theirs, but that I get, how else are they going to squeeze the customer for a few more dollars.

 

[hey_poolboy]

Yes, we are south of 80.

We have to install POCO approved meter cans. The problem was they hadn't approved a combo for single meter resi use.

 

[brantmacga]

the municipal utility in the town I live in dictates what type of metering equipment you can use. On multifamily jobs they make me use their meter enclosures, and then I have to attach my own disconnects off the side. I've been allowed to use one sqD meter combo, but only because it was installed for a gate operator and not a dwelling or office.

 

[mdshunk]

We use the one you linked to for mobile homes, most commonly, in my part of the world. Feed the trailer with the feed though lugs and the shed or garage with a breaker.

 

[hey_poolboy]

I once wired a home in a county with their own power co-op. To my surprise they supplied the meter can, the hub, and a temp pole.

 

[Buck Parrish]

Yes, we are south of 80.

Parke county Ind. is the same way Or was. I think all the power companies realize how much money they can save by letting the customer mount the disco, equip, etc... So now they are changing their position.

I've got a house in Parke Co. Ind. The powe co. Set the meter on their pole set the 200 amp disco below it. Then they ran a three wire 40 ft. to the house panel not four wires..
Every now and then you get a tingle while in the shower.
The phone is grounded to the copper water lines. So is the neutral in the house.

 

[220/221]

I just have never heard of a POCO having any say on the metering enclosure.

They do in AZ and they like to change their allowable equipment list every couple of years...without notice. They won't accept the style pictured in the OP. Their side must be on the left, seperate from the customer side so you cant run conduits out the top, thru their area.

They want all in one panels for resi, no seperate meter/disco.

Commercial must have bypass mechanism so they can remove the meter without interupting power.

 

[Minuteman]

Poco supplies the meter can and hub here. Even has their name stamped next to Milbank. However, I have supplied my own meter main (kinda like yours) for a pond fountain pump.

 

[iwire]

I can't fathom what the POCO has to do with it. Here the metering equipment is customer owned. I just have never heard of a POCO having any say on the metering enclosure.

The customer may own and purchase the socket but I doubt they own 'the meter'.

Here where I am the EC purchases and installs the meter socket but it has to be one of the power company approved model numbers and the local supply houses only carry the ones that are locally approved.

I would not be surprised if that is the case where you are but you just never knew that the meters the supply house have are in fact Power company approved ones.

As Charlie the utility guy would say the meter is the power companies cash register and they have total control over it.

 

[360Youth]

The customer may own and purchase the socket but I doubt they own 'the meter'....As Charlie the utility guy would say the meter is the power companies cash register and they have total control over it.

You are correct. The POCO owns the meter, not the enclosure. I mentioned that one of the POCOs here will not allow after market socket suppressors because it is attatched to their meter. If you want to use that style suppress you have to use theirs, purchased or rented.