Knockout Sizes in Meter Bases

Merry Christmas
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jeff48356

Senior Member
Location
Livonia, Michigan
Consider a house that has a meter base rated at 200-amps and a currently-installed #2 SEU cable with a 100-amp breaker panel. The cable comes out of the side knockout and it is not intrinsically possible to enlarge the hole by removing concentric circles (there aren't any). If I wanted to upgrade the service to 150 amps by replacing the #2 with #2/0 cable (I can because the service feed is there), how would you recommend enlarging the knockout hole? It is an underground service and I'd rather not have to replace the meter base just for this.

Can I use a 1.5" twist drill bit to enlarge the hole to 1.5" so I can use that size of a clamp to hold the #2/0 cable?
 
45972_300.jpg



Greenlee knockout set. Not really expensive.
 
You actually own a drill that will drive a 1-1/2" twist drill bit? ;)

Actually, a 1-1/2" diamter hole will only allow for 1" trade size fittings.

KOsizes.jpg
 
stickboy1375 said:
45972_300.jpg



Greenlee knockout set. Not really expensive.
Click to expand...


If you are going to use one of those on a regular basis, than you have got to have one of these. :D Not entirely necessary for an alu. meter can, but we use knockouts on a nearly daily basis and I wouldn't give it up. We have a new guy that went on a first install and asked him if had used knockouts. "Oh, yeah," he said. "Well, not our way," we replied. He likes our way. :wink: Seriously, if you use many knockouts, give it a try. Impact driver and 1" socket and you will never crank again unless you absolutely have to.
 
You could make a wooden jig to enlarge the hole if you had the proper sized hole saw. Take the hole saw and drill a hole in a piece of wood that's the same width as the meter pan. Clamp the wood to the meter pan with the hole centered over the existing KO. Place the hole saw in the wooden jig hole and drill the new hole at a very slow speed. The wood jig will keep the hole saw in place.

Or just buy a KO set. IMO no electrician should be without one.
 
jeff48356 said:
What's a knock out set? Do they make tools for enlarging knockouts? Do you have a picture you can show me?

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Jeff,I do not want to seem doom and gloom but your profile says you are a electrician. How is it you do not know what a knock out set is?
 
jeff48356 said:
I've never had to enlarge a knockout before.
Click to expand...

Its not hard and if have an unused area a hole saw might be cheaperhttp://www.hermanscentral.com/department/hole-saws-cutters-10441.cfm?killnav=1&gclid=CIPrzdyNn5ACFQspFQod5SHn6g
 
Last edited:
jeff48356 said:
I've never had to enlarge a knockout before.
Click to expand...

Have you ever had to put a KO where one wasn't before? It works the same way.... After all is said and done - our job is about putting wire into holes in one way or another. Something any Journey should be old hat at.

These are the best for putting them there in the first place - better than a KO set IMO. And Enlarging or moving one is easy with them - just put a 2X4 scrap in the panel to allow the arbor to have something to sink into as a center, and go slow.
 
infinity said:
You could make a wooden jig to enlarge the hole if you had the proper sized hole saw. Take the hole saw and drill a hole in a piece of wood that's the same width as the meter pan. Clamp the wood to the meter pan with the hole centered over the existing KO.
Click to expand...

I'd go it one simpler: Just clamp a piece of wood inside the enclosure. The pilot bit will hit it and keep the hole saw where you want it. :)
 
If you have any amount of holes to cut hydrolic is the only way to go. Impact guns work but you can bend the draw stud on the KO cutter if your not careful.
View attachment 1047
 
acrwc10 said:
If you have any amount of holes to cut hydrolic is the only way to go. View attachment 1047
Click to expand...
The set pictured would equal the job it sounds he's doing. FYI I won a race with hole cutters against punches doing 20 each - the guy neary missed lunch finishing them, only to pay for mine. :D
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top