# Meter or Meter/Main?



## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

Besides the utility, is there any other reason I would have to install a meter/main if I relocate a meter to another side of the house? The conduit will all be run outside the house until it penetrates the wall where the panel is located. I am being told if i run it exposed on the brick i am fine with a meter base. If I bury the conduit between the meter and the panel they want a meter/main. I am then into driving ground rods for the new service disconnect location. The problem would be getting to the water main. It is on the other end of the house with a finished basement. The panel is located in a small closet with no ceiling about 20' from the new meter location. I suppose I could run a 3/4" PVC in the ditch along with the service conduit and splice a gec inside the panel to the gec going to the water main. Or could I? I thind too much cold medicine is affecting my thiking ability tonight. 

The whole thing started as a service call to "fix my power wires". The utility wants the meter relocated for access.

Yes, the power is still on.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

btharmy said:


> The conduit will all be run outside the house until it penetrates the wall where the panel is located. I am being told if i run it exposed on the brick i am fine with a meter base. *If I bury the conduit between the meter and the panel they want a meter/main.*


Who is they?


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

The utility.


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

Cow said:


> Who is they?


The utility.


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## 3DDesign (Oct 25, 2014)

Talk to your inspector. It is possible the utility rep is confused?


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## Sparky J (May 17, 2011)

I know it's a different state/AHJ but I had water ground that was similar the HO had a finished basement and wanted to keep demo to a minimum and I ended up running it along the exterior of the home and penetrating for water pipe and panel. I also had one let me drop my (2) rods in a front yard and run across the basement to the panel (HO had a patio) not a violation just not the norm here. All it usually costs is the phone call and some time to find out.


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

3DDesign said:


> Talk to your inspector. It is possible the utility rep is confused?


He wasnt too sure. I will be in contact with the inspector tomorrow. I'm not sure he will have any input since it is the service entrance conductors. Last time I did a service conversion from overhead to underground in this particular jurisdiction, they didn't even require a permit or inspection. As long as the existing panel remaned untouched in the same location. I have looked and cannot find anything that would prohibit me from using a simple meter base only in the '08 NEC.


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## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

As long as your service conductors are outside, the NEC doesn't care. That's why I was curious who was requiring the outside disconnect. It would seem that is even outside the scope of the utility, so I'm not sure how they could require that.


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## pjholguin (May 16, 2014)

I really don't understand why the utility is dictating post meter wiring. Running the conduit on the brick or buried is still outside of the house.

Patrick


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Btharmy, M/M pros/cons aside, it would seem you've a working clearance issue introducing a OCPD there.....~CS~


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## btharmy (Jan 17, 2009)

Cow said:


> As long as your service conductors are outside, the NEC doesn't care. That's why I was curious who was requiring the outside disconnect. It would seem that is even outside the scope of the utility, so I'm not sure how they could require that.


The utility is requiring the disconnect for anything with more than 10' of conduit after the meter. They dont care if it is inside, outside or burried. I am coming up short on any code article that might affect their decision.


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