# Pre-meter switch question



## SWDweller (Dec 9, 2020)

Premeter means your backfeeding the grid, very very bad.
Without a one line I decline to comment any further.
The sentance structure and wording indicates to me that you may not be qualified for this kind of work.


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

SWDweller said:


> Premeter means your backfeeding the grid, very very bad.
> Without a one line I decline to comment any further.
> The sentance structure and wording indicates to me that you may not be qualified for this kind of work.


It's not back feeding anything. It's a transfer switch. Clearly you don't know what that is.


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## matt1124 (Aug 23, 2011)

If you grab ahead of the meter, when you switch over to generator, the meter is going to light back up and do its job, it won’t care where it’s coming from. I can’t imagine a utility here letting you put equipment like that ahead of their meter either, unless maybe they could put their lock on it. If you need two switches, you need two switches.


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## micromind (Aug 11, 2007)

I've actually done this once, about 15 years ago. 

PUCO transformer to1600 amp underground pull section, meter section then 2 distribution sections each with an 800 amp breaker. 

I met with the PUCO engineer and they were ok with me putting the transfer switch on the U/G pull end of the gear, connecting their wires to the normal side and the load side to the meter section. 

Of course, when the gen was supplying the load, it was EXPENSIVE power.........


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## RodDriver (Nov 9, 2019)

matt1124 said:


> If you grab ahead of the meter, when you switch over to generator, the meter is going to light back up and do its job, it won’t care where it’s coming from. I can’t imagine a utility here letting you put equipment like that ahead of their meter either, unless maybe they could put their lock on it. If you need two switches, you need two switches.


Yes, they would be paying extra for their generated power. They have those smart meters too. Guess I should talk to the power company or do 2 switches.


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## Texan77 (Jan 1, 2022)

A 100A ATS, even a SE rated which it sounds like it should be in your case, doesn’t cost that much. Get two.


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## R777V (May 16, 2016)

They also have requirements on how long (how many cycles) it takes to switch over if there is any backfeed involved, our data center running 3 redundant Caterpillars had several different switching modes. Open to Close, Parallel close backfeed for 5 cycles I think, then open, of course this involved a UPS system in the mix. My guess is the utility has very strict requirements on how many cycles they allow, if at all without tremendous backlash. I wouldn’t even consider any backfeed situation as you could end up killing someone, hopefully without manslaughter charges in a worst case scenario.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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