Wiring the load out the back of the meter base...

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lakee911

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, OH
Why is it a violation, or at least bad practice, to bring my load off my meterbase through the back/rear of the enclosure and into the building?

Why do we go through the bottom, turn with an LB and enter the building?

Thanks,
Jason
 
mcclary's electrical

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
lakee911 said:
Why is it a violation, or at least bad practice, to bring my load off my meterbase through the back/rear of the enclosure and into the building?

Why do we go through the bottom, turn with an LB and enter the building?Thanks,
Jason
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only when it's needed. I had an inspection yesterday that I came right out of the back of the meter base and into the building. Nice clean look.
 
G

gndrod

Senior Member
Location
Ca and Wa
lakee911 said:
I would think it would be clean too, but see Construction Note 1 in this PDF http://www.buckeyerec.com/images/schematic11.pdf

Also, read another post here that stated it was a violation. http://forums.mikeholt.com/archive/index.php/t-66480.html "The load from the meter bases to the load center mains were fed from the rear of the base enclosures (A violation)."
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If you are referring to residential, a meter base back-to-back configuration is very common on the West Coast for the single safety with a through nipple into a main disconnect. Using SER for tennant feeders is another condition that can be red tagged if the meter center is not semi-flush mounted. If meter center is surface mounted then the LB is usually required.
Too many variables makes it an AHJ call. rbj
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
Have fed through the back many times. Who told you it was a code violation and did they give you a code section?

It may be a POCO requirement. Our POCOs (Georgia) have no problem with it.
 
iwire

iwire

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Massachusetts
lakee911 said:
Why is it a violation, or at least bad practice, to bring my load off my meterbase through the back/rear of the enclosure and into the building?
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Where are you going after you leave the back?

Are you going into the back of a panel or are you going to run SE cable down inside the wall cavity through the floor and into the basement to the panel?

If your running down inside the wall cavity that could definitely be a violation of 230.70(A)(1)

Why do we go through the bottom, turn with an LB and enter the building?
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To 'move' the point of entrance of the service conductors closer to the over current protection.
 
mcclary's electrical

mcclary's electrical

Senior Member
Location
VA
lakee911 said:
I would think it would be clean too, but see Construction Note 1 in this PDF http://www.buckeyerec.com/images/schematic11.pdf

Also, read another post here that stated it was a violation. http://forums.mikeholt.com/archive/index.php/t-66480.html "The load from the meter bases to the load center mains were fed from the rear of the base enclosures (A violation)."
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that pdf is a poco requirement, and I don't have that problem here.
Like I said, I had one pass inspection yesterday, back to back, thru nipple. One coupling in between, thru nipple into base and panel.
 
H

hurk27

Senior Member
Location
Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
lakee911 said:
I would think it would be clean too, but see Construction Note 1 in this PDF http://www.buckeyerec.com/images/schematic11.pdf

Also, read another post here that stated it was a violation. http://forums.mikeholt.com/archive/index.php/t-66480.html "The load from the meter bases to the load center mains were fed from the rear of the base enclosures (A violation)."
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I just looked at the PDF link, you posted, and I can see a good reason not to come out of the back of the meter.

There's a pole there:roll:

This PDF is about a pole mounted service, like a farm service, it is riddled with errors, the image on the left correctly shows the meter in the correct position, but the diagram on the right has the meter after a disconnect, and it has one disconnect feeding another ahead of the meter?

looks like wiring it like this the barn is metered, but the house gets free electricity:confused:


I no of no code that will not allow coming out of the back of the meter, if it is below the terminals, we set more back to back service than any other kind.:D
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
I also believe that the POCO can restrict it. Our POCO Blue Book specifies which KOs may and may not be used for each type of meter base they approve.
 
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lakee911

Senior Member
Location
Columbus, OH
Yes, the PDF does seem a little odd. I agree that the pole would be a good reason not to come off the back of the meter. :)

So, it sounds like a lot of might depend on the location of the meter and the main panel as to whether one can go directly through the wall and into the panel.

Thanks for the clarification.

Jason
 
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macmikeman

Senior Member
Location
Planet macmikeman
LarryFine said:
I also believe that the POCO can restrict it. Our POCO Blue Book specifies which KOs may and may not be used for each type of meter base they approve.
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I cannot readily figure out why POCO's in many area's do not allow combination meter/main switch cans like those of us out here in the land of "convieniently located for the fire dept --main switch outside the dwelling" get to use. Makes for more choice in locating the circuit breaker panel, rather than "closest to the point of entry at the building". Nobody has ever really answered me when I asked is it because of snow piles, but is it because of snow piling up at the meter??
 
LarryFine

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
macmikeman said:
I cannot readily figure out why POCO's in many area's do not allow combination meter/main switch cans like those of us out here in the land of "convieniently located for the fire dept --main switch outside the dwelling" get to use.
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Outside main discos aren't required here, but I believe a meter/main is allowed if you want to buy it yourself. The Blue Book has a list of approved base types. I'll look later.

In the city, many older houses have outside MB panel upgrades, because it's cheaper and easier to extend the old circuits than to use an outside main, SER, and an inside panel.

Makes for more choice in locating the circuit breaker panel, rather than "closest to the point of entry at the building".
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If a remote panel location is wanted or needed, the option for the outside main and indoor panel is still there, plus it makes a generator/ATS addition easier later on.

Nobody has ever really answered me when I asked is it because of snow piles, but is it because of snow piling up at the meter??
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While we get snow, I've never heard that as a reason for a main disco location choice, but it seems that snow is more of a reason for inside mains than outside mains.

Maybe you have outside mains because fire might be more of a threat there. You'd have to ask those responsible for the requirement.
 
kbsparky

kbsparky

Senior Member
Location
Delmarva, USA
It is a POCO requirement. I did a service upgrade out of my usual area once, and did the same thing: Fed directly out of the back of the meter box, with a short section of PVC conduit into the back of the panel box.

The inspector approved the installation, but then PEPCO rejected it.

I had to redo the entire service drop, leaving a short section of SE cable exposed below the meter box to satisfy the POCO bureaucrats. Looked like crap, but that was the only way they would complete the upgrade. :mad:

I live on Delmarva, where one of the main POCO's is DP&L, which is wholly owned by PEPCO. Around here, we routinely install services with the load exiting the meter box from the back, and there is no problem with such an installation.

But the parent company won't have it. :confused:
 
T

tyha

Senior Member
Location
central nc
I dont have the code article or even the actual rule but from an experiance years ago I want to say it has something to do with the wire bending space by comming onto the back. The distance from the entry to the front of the meter is too small. Again i think this may be the issue but I remember us doing it several times and not having a problem
 
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