Meter base grounding

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tryinghard said:
Actually its the other way around, the meter is not needed but the service to the distribution is. The meter is only desired by the utility company.
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But the "location" of the meter has been established and thus starts the debate.
 
RUWired said:
But the "location" of the meter has been established and thus starts the debate.
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It has but remember this there is an exception to needing a GEC at a structure-- ie not all structures are required to have a GEC (ground rod in this case)
 
Dennis Alwon said:
It has but remember this there is an exception to needing a GEC at a structure-- ie not all structures are required to have a GEC (ground rod in this case)
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Your saying that service conductors are not feeders. But, 250.50 does'nt care if the source is a feeder, or service conductors.
 
RUWired said:
Your saying that service conductors are not feeders. But, 250.50 does'nt care if the source is a feeder, or service conductors.
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I am saying that there are exceptions to 250.50. The exception or I should say the contradictory art I am referring to is art. 250.32(A). This pertains to feeders I know. My point is just because it is a structure does not necessarily mean an electrode must be used. IMO
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Had a discussion last night about a meter base mounted on a post about 100 feet from the house. There are no discos out there and the service conductors go underground from the meter to the house.

Is a ground rod needed at the meter base? If so why? I think it is not needed.
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Dennis, why would you want to install the meter base by itself like this?
 
tryinghard said:
Dennis, why would you want to install the meter base by itself like this?
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If you install a meter fitting by its lonesome, you are not installing service equipment, do not need a grounding conductor, and you are not required to add a grounding electrode. It keeps the meter off the home and improves the appearance. :smile:
 
tryinghard said:
Dennis, why would you want to install the meter base by itself like this?
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I don't want to but I have seen it done this way in the past. HO doesn't want the poco to come in the fenced yard to read the meter or for the reason Charlie stated. Appearance-- the discos are directly inside the structure.
 
Around here the utility company is PG&E and this type of installation they would install the service drop to the pole the contractor would install the pole, riser complete, meter base, and underground structure with pull rope to the residence service disconnect, then PG&E would provide the conductors from the meter load to the residence service disconnect including terminations at both ends.

All this to PG&E’s specifications and pre-approval before installation, in other words they design and engineer not the contractor. I don’t believe their familiar with a remote meter like this. It can be less obtrusive then a meter main, not by much though, but then the service lateral would be warrantee’d by the utility instead of a feeder by the contractor and ultimately the homeowner.
 
tryinghard said:
. . . the service lateral would be warrantied by the utility instead of a feeder by the contractor and ultimately the homeowner.
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PG&E is a different electric utility than all the other electric utilities in the country. That same statement applies to any electric utility you wish to name. If the installation didn't have a service disconnecting means and overcurrent protection, it wouldn't meet the requirements of a feeder. I do not know of any other electric utility that will install the cable from a property line meter fitting to the building (that doesn't mean that they don't exist). :smile:
 
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