Replacing Unicorn Meter Mains

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C

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
These old Unicorn panels are pretty common around our area.

UnicornMeterbase.jpg

UnicornMeterbase2.jpg


Same old thing with this one, the main breaker burned up and took the buss down with it. Managed to install another used main breaker with some deox for a temp repair until the can is replaced here shortly. The problem is when we replace these, the existing POCO feed comes in on the right but the new Siemens meter main combos we typically use have the POCO feed on the left. We end up digging those 2" pvc sleeves out and swapping the direct burial wires across each other to make it work. Which definitely doesn't help with the wire length situation. Does anyone know of a better can or brand to use that may work a little better? Does every brand have the meter on the leftside nowadays? Thanks.

Forgot to add, ideally the meter main typically needs to have at least a few spaces for some branch breakers as well. This particular one has just one 2 pole in there to feed the pumphouse.
 
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ultramegabob

ultramegabob

Senior Member
Location
Indiana
Cow said:
We end up digging those 2" pvc sleeves out and swapping the direct burial wires across each other to make it work. Which definitely doesn't help with the wire length situation.
Click to expand...


does it matter which direction the meter faces? if you removed the old post and set a new post and faced it the other direction, you wouldnt have to cross the wires over...
 
ericsherman37

ericsherman37

Senior Member
Location
Oregon Coast
I don't have any advice on the meter equipment but it does remind me of a sticker we put on a guy's work van:

"I BRAKE FOR UNICORNS!"

It was very colorful, too. Coincidentally, so was the guy's language upon finding it.
 
C

Cow

Senior Member
Location
Eastern Oregon
Occupation
Electrician
ultramegabob said:
does it matter which direction the meter faces? if you removed the old post and set a new post and faced it the other direction, you wouldnt have to cross the wires over...
Click to expand...

You know, I'm not really sure, especially now with the new remote meter installed. I actually joked with the POCO guy about it too when he showed up to pull the meter for me. He didn't say much about it though...

I'd really like to find a similar replacement though, since these changeouts seem to happen every so often. One possible lead I may have found is Milbank, but list on them is roughly $700+. With a Siemens meter combo being a third that price, my helper and I can do some digging and still come out ahead.
 
N

norcal

Senior Member
Cow said:
You know, I'm not really sure, especially now with the new remote meter installed. I actually joked with the POCO guy about it too when he showed up to pull the meter for me. He didn't say much about it though...

I'd really like to find a similar replacement though, since these changeouts seem to happen every so often. One possible lead I may have found is Milbank, but list on them is roughly $700+. With a Siemens meter combo being a third that price, my helper and I can do some digging and still come out ahead.
Click to expand...


Milbank bought Unicorn and their Zinsco clones.
 
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