Meter Base Grounding

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inspector 102

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Although a meter is not required by code, how many jurisdictions require that the meter base be grounded. It seems that around here the utility is now requiring that there be no grounding electrodes placed within their meter base. The meter base is purchased by the consumer, making their meter, not the utility. If a customer wants to ground the base for protection, where is the harm. I realize if you don't meet the utility requirements, you don't get power, just wondering what other areas allow or require for meter base grounding?
 
The meter base (in line meter base) will be grounded whether or not a grounding electrode conductor is taken into the actual meter base or not. The grounded conductor of the system will perform this function due to the connection to the grounding electrode system installed at the premises served.

I believe your question is; Will the local power supplier allow a grounding electrode conductor to be terminated in the meter base?

At least in the SW portion of Ohio the utilies (maybe not all) will allow a grounding electrode conductor to terminate in the meter base.

Pete
 
You're speaking of "grounding" the meter (metal) can?
On every meter base (residential) that I've ever seen, the enclosure is bonded (by the manufacturer) to the grounded conductor lug.
When the grounded service conductor is attached it is by design "grounded".

It doesn't matter if the GEC lands in the Meter base or the Main Breaker enclosure, the grounded conductor in the service entry bonds the two together.

In my opinion...It's a moot point.

Around here, the GEC always lands in the Meter Base, although I have seen it landed in the Main Panel.....There's no rule to dictate either way.

Hope this helps.
steve
 
Jim, many POCO's have some strange idea that the GEC shouldn't be landed in the meter, the fact is that the neutral bar in the meter is factory bonded to the enclosure making this the most logical place to make the connection.

The primary reason for the GEC is for surges and lightning events, so why would we want to route this into the interior of a building or panel?

There is some twisted reasoning that the connection is not accessibile inside the meter can, what a joke, :rolleyes: are the other connections we make not a concern as far as accessibility.


Roger
 
I this area the only approved/allowed method of connecting to the electrode is from the meter can. you may run a supplemental from the panel if you desire but it alone will get you turned down. In the past the city utility required the bare ground to run through the meter socket up the mast for thier connection??
 
We have the opposite here in Va. The meter seal renders any connection "inaccessible", so we cannot land a GEC. I wish we could; it's the ideal place, and would eliminate running the driven-electrode conductor through the wall to the panel.
 
LarryFine said:
The meter seal renders any connection "inaccessible", so we cannot land a GEC.
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And who's interpretation is this, the POCO's?

Roger
 
Just about anything is accessible with Kleins. Meter can GEC connections are common here...BUT the poco just started making contractors install a disco ahead of the meter opposite of what has been done here for years. As others have said- the meter can is bonded anyway.
 
roger said:
And who's interpretation is this, the POCO's?
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Honestly, I'm not sure if it's the AHJ adhering to the POCO's desires, or the opposite. It's the AHJ that enforces it. I'll scan the blue book for it.
 
LarryFine said:
Honestly, I'm not sure if it's the AHJ adhering to the POCO's desires, or the opposite. It's the AHJ that enforces it. I'll scan the blue book for it.
Click to expand...

Larry, if you don't find that it is the POCO and is in fact the AHJ, he/she should open the code book and read the definition of "Accessible (as applied to wiring methods)".

Then I would like for the responsible party to tell us why the other conductors we install and tighten down inside the meter enclosure are not a concern if they are forever inaccessible.

Roger
 
roger said:
Then I would like for the responsible party to tell us why the other conductors we install and tighten down inside the meter enclosure are not a concern if they are forever inaccessible.
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You're right! From now on, NO connections are pertmitted in meter bases. :smile:
 
LarryFine said:
You're right! From now on, NO connections are pertmitted in meter bases. :smile:
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I'll go along with that, if a POCO is going to be stupid they should do away with meters and just give us the electricity. :D

Roger
 
LarryFine said:
... I'm not sure if it's the AHJ adhering to the POCO's desires, or the opposite ...
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Larry, it's Dominion's rule. (Which IMO is silly for the same reasons cited by Roger at post #4)

240.10 Customer grounding electrode conductor shall not be installed in or routed through Company meter bases or Current Transformer (CT) cabinets.

Source: Dominion 2003 Blue Book

Jim
 
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Meter Base Grounding

I now reside in N.C. and just got knocked down by the local electrical inspector because I Installed 2 ground rods and ran 2 seperate #6 ground wires to MBP. He said just loop one #6 from both rods back to meter pan.
Back up North the POCO will not allow you anything but a bond from MIG bushing to any lug in meter pan as well as 2 seperate #6 one from each rod to MBP. Actually I like it better going to meter.
 
the ahj here requires a #4 bare from either the meter can or the service panel as well as two ground rods and water pipe ground if it is metal. power co allows us to use meter can here with no problems
 
resistance said:
Different jurisdictions have deferent rules.
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That's the bottom line. ALWAYS consult the utility "green book" first. The poco rules take precedence over the inspector and the NEC.

For instance, Northeast Utilities does not allow GEC connections in metering equipment. National Grid, on the other hand, permits them.
 
Around here one POCO doesn't permit the connection in the meter pan either. Many meter pans have POCO installed locks wouldn't that make the connection inaccessible?
 
infinity said:
Around here one POCO doesn't permit the connection in the meter pan either. Many meter pans have POCO installed locks wouldn't that make the connection inaccessible?
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Trevor what is their reasoning that the other terminations inside the meter enclosure do not need to be accessible?

BTW, I don't see a lock as rendering anything in the meter enclosure inaccessible, think about the GEC connection inside a locked residence, is it any more inaccessible than a lock on an meter enclosure?

Roger
 
roger said:
think about the GEC connection inside a locked residence, is it any more inaccessible than a lock on an meter enclosure?

Roger
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I guess that depends on who really need access to the connection. Certainly the HO would have access to the connection point within his home but wouldn't have any access to a connection point within a meter pan that had a POCO lock on it. IMO this POCO rule is rather silly, but this is what the POCO wants, or in this case, doesn't want. For whatever reason they don't want the connection point within their meter pan. The rest of us just have to follow along.:roll:
 
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