need help on 320A service

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Dennis Alwon said:
By "we" do you mean the EC. I always leave the bottom left for PODCO.
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If I did that the people would never get power. :grin:

It's been a while but we always had to run the pipe and wire from the meter over to and up the pole.
 
iwire said:
If I did that the people would never get power. :grin:

It's been a while but we always had to run the pipe and wire from the meter over to and up the pole.
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I am so glad I don't have to do that. When I first moved here the Podco provided the meter bases and would actually install the risers on residential jobs. Times have changed.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
When I first moved here the Podco provided the meter bases and would actually install the risers on residential jobs.
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We always install, own, and maintain the risers on the poles. Most of the time, we will install, own, and maintain the service lateral. You still get to install, own, and maintain the conduit to the structure. We also provide the meter fittings. :)

By the way, I understand POCO as meaning power company but what does Podco mean? :-?
 
It's all so different.

Here we always purchase and install the meter socket or CT enclosure being sure to use on of the models the particular power company excepts.

If the socket becomes damaged the customer will have to pay for replacement.
 
charlie said:
By the way, I understand POCO as meaning power company but what does Podco mean? :-?
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I believe PODCO is an acronym for Power Distribution Company-- same as POCO. At least I thought so. :D
 
The power companies down here have several different requirements for each one, Georgia Power will not allow the grounding electrode in any of their equipment, even bond bushings, (you have to keep them on your side) as where the EMC requires it, even up the mast if its an overhead service.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
By "we" do you mean the EC. I always leave the bottom left for PODCO.
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"What you mean 'we', paleface?!" :mad:

Are you not also in the Dominion Power area? They cover most of both Va. and N.C.
 
iwire said:
It's all so different.

Here we always purchase and install the meter socket or CT enclosure being sure to use on of the models the particular power company excepts.

If the socket becomes damaged the customer will have to pay for replacement.
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Wow, I guess "we" (;)) are lucky. Here, the POCO provides meter (meter only) bases at no charge, even multi units. We install them, they provide and connect the line side.

Now, if a mast is required, or on most commercial projects, that's a different story. But on a residential upgrade, for example, they do everything on the line side free.

And yes, if a meter base requires repair, we must be hired, but again, the meter bases are free. But we still can't land the GEC in it.
 
LarryFine said:
"What you mean 'we', paleface?!" :mad:

Are you not also in the Dominion Power area? They cover most of both Va. and N.C.
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Hey Kimosabe-- we have three companies here. Progress Energy, Piedmont Electric and Duke Energy. I mostly deal with Duke Energy.

Awhile before I moved here in 1978 the University was the main power supplier to the town.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Hey Kimosabe-- we have three companies here. Progress Energy, Piedmont Electric and Duke Energy. I mostly deal with Duke Energy.
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Sounds like co-op country.
 
hillbilly1 said:
The power companies down here have several different requirements for each one, Georgia Power will not allow the grounding electrode in any of their equipment, even bond bushings, (you have to keep them on your side) as where the EMC requires it, even up the mast if its an overhead service.
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That must be a regional thing; I always install GEC in the meter base and GA power here has no problems w/ it. I got a letter once saying that we couldn't use square D meter combo's anymore. I went to my local GA power office and spoke w/ the engineer, and he'd never seen the letter. I was told to continue installing them and they had no problems connecting to them (that was a year ago). The only thing I've been told that GA power doesn't allow statewide is an external grounding lug attached to the meter base (for catv, phones, etc. . ). I think they operate like the REA's, in that each area office can sorta make its own rules about how services are to be constructed.




Dennis Alwon said:
Sounds like co-op country.
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I work in one jurisdiction in southwest GA that is served by FIVE different poco's, each with their own set of rules about how you can build the service. I worked with one a few months ago, my first job w/ them, and found out after the service was built that they did not allow 45deg offsets to come around a footer (2 1/2" from meter to u/g ped). Even after two meetings w/ the poco before this service was built it was never mentioned. POCO refused to connect and forced me to redo all the work. I offered to pull the service conductors for them so I wouldn't have to eat the cost of redoing the work, and they still refused.
 
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LarryFine said:
Gee, Dennis, if you're gonna steal my words, at least try to make it look a little different.
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I wanna be like yooooou. I wanna walk like you, talk like you. You know it's truuuuuuuue .....

What can I say you are the man. :D
 
charlie said:
We always install, own, and maintain the risers on the poles. Most of the time, we will install, own, and maintain the service lateral. You still get to install, own, and maintain the conduit to the structure. We also provide the meter fittings. :)
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That is similar to Northeast Utilities for residential UG services (owner supplies and installs meter socket and conduit, NU provides and installs lateral)

However, under National Grid, the customer owns and installs everything. The only poco involvement is to run and sleeve the conductors up the pole and terminate.
 
brantmacga said:
That must be a regional thing; I always install GEC in the meter base and GA power here has no problems
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They used to have a web site that gave their requirements, but it is gone now. Everything down to using stainless steel fasteners to mount the meter base with. They do seem to be rather independent in different regions, I have called them to have a meter pulled, and they would ask if I could just do it and they would come out and reseal it, then others would jump up and down if you did not wait for them. (Yes, I know it's illegal to break the seal )
 
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