# move a meter and a mast



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

Hi guys!

My first post on this forum (which i've been reading a lot of post!) there's good stuff here!

OK, So the home owner is gonna build a new extension to the house. The meter have to move on the right side of the corner... 1 or 2 feet away. I'm just wandering if you guys have any advice or word of caution on this.

What i'm thinking to do:

Tear down the old meter straight down to the panel.
put an anchor on the roof to hold the POCO wire and rebuild a new mast on the right side of the corner. than ridgid conduit the mast down the house to the meter. From the meter down through the wooden deck(Which you can't see on the picture). And drill through concrete wall under deck (about 1 foot off the ground) in the basement.

Question: 1- Can i use PVC under the meter to run feed to the panel?

2-Can i actually drill throug concrete wall into the basement? I'm thinking it could be a bad idea for water leak and foundation integrity....
Other solution would be to come in the outside wall just under the meter or behind the meter down the wall than, angle in the basement ceiling... that might not be a bad idea actualy, but i'd like to hide the elbow under the deck... which is concrete there....

Other thing, the POCO wire is hold on in place right now on the actual mast, which have to be remove. I will need to hold it in place with an anchor... is it gonna be strong enough to just screw in the roof plywood... which could be pretty damn mold. And now i'm thinking, when they gonna build the extension, is my new POCO wire will be in there way.... huuuuuum a lot to think about.

Well any feed back or tought would be great!

Thx


Alex


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

bump


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

sickman said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> My first post on this forum (which i've been reading a lot of post!) there's good stuff here!
> 
> ...


 
We can't answer whether the wood would hold without seeing it. I would most likely cut it loose and worry about pulling it back up when the mass is built. Drilling one foot off the ground would not seem to invite water, unless you did it below grade.

Around here I can normally talk the poco into converting to underground for a little or no charge to the customer. The last one I did was 76 bucks.


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

sickman said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> My first post on this forum (which i've been reading a lot of post!) there's good stuff here!
> 
> ...





> Question: 1- Can i use PVC under the meter to run feed to the panel?


Yes you can.




> 2-Can i actually drill throug concrete wall into the basement? I'm thinking it could be a bad idea for water leak and foundation integrity....
> Other solution would be to come in the outside wall just under the meter or behind the meter down the wall than, angle in the basement ceiling... that might not be a bad idea actualy, but i'd like to hide the elbow under the deck... which is concrete there....


You should be able to drill through the sill plate and go in that way.


Welcome to the forum.....:thumbup::thumbup:


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> Yes you can.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 

A feeder for a service through a sill plate?


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> A feeder for a service through a sill plate?


We do that all the time up here.

Most of the houses are sitting on field stone around here.


----------



## GEORGE D (Apr 2, 2009)

Would that PVC have to be schedule 80?


----------



## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

GEORGE D said:


> Would that PVC have to be schedule 80?


No it would not.:thumbsup:


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

HARRY304E said:


> We do that all the time up here.
> 
> Most of the houses are sitting on field stone around here.


My point was harry, a sill plate lays flat, so you've only got 1.5" for a conduit to fit?

Maybe you meant bandboard? Are you sure you do construction?


----------



## user4818 (Jan 15, 2009)

mcclary's electrical said:


> My point was harry, a sill plate lays flat, so you've only got 1.5" for a conduit to fit?
> 
> Maybe you meant bandboard?


Yeah, that's what he means. The term "sill" is used interchangeably for "bandboard," which is not a term commonly used around here.


----------



## steveco01 (Apr 9, 2011)

*Pvc*

You cannot use PVC direct from the meter to your panel. You need to use metalic conduit.. The only time you can go with pvc is if you feed the panel from a disconnecting means,and providing the local codes allow it..
I always use metallic conduit.. Hope this helps.


----------



## Bulldog1 (Oct 21, 2011)

mcclary's electrical said:


> We can't answer whether the wood would hold without seeing it. I would most likely cut it loose and worry about pulling it back up when the mass is built. Drilling one foot off the ground would not seem to invite water, unless you did it below grade.
> 
> Around here I can normally talk the poco into converting to underground for a little or no charge to the customer. The last one I did was 76 bucks.



We always mount the meter can in the new location and poco runs a new line or taps into the existing one.


----------



## Speedy Petey (Jan 10, 2007)

steveco01 said:


> You cannot use PVC direct from the meter to your panel. You need to use metalic conduit.. The only time you can go with pvc is if you feed the panel from a disconnecting means,and providing the local codes allow it..
> I always use metallic conduit.. Hope this helps.


In almost all areas you certainly CAN use PVC from a meter to a panel. 
Please note the locations of the posters you are replying to, and remember since you are in Chicago your local codes will not apply to most other areas.


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

Hey thanks for all the good tips. I'm going to the job this morning, i will take some more picture and will send them in today.


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

So this his the close up of the actual meter and mast




















This is the view of the new location, just on the other side of the corner











Finally, this is the back yard










What i'm wondering is does the POCO wire will reach the new location... 

If not, how much you think they are gonna charge to bring a new feed??


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

also, im gonna need to bolt the rigid conduit to the house to comply with electrical code. but the house is finish.... i dont want to tear down any interior wall... any idea how to do this one?

I guess i can bolt it to a 2X4 and screw the 2X4 to the wall....
that might work actually!


----------



## macmikeman (Jan 23, 2007)

sickman said:


> Hi guys!
> 
> My first post on this forum (which i've been reading a lot of post!) there's good stuff here!
> 
> ...



Well, since nobody else has mentioned it, how about upgrading that 100 amp service while you are going thru the process of moving it? If your poco allows an exterior meter/main combo you can still keep your old 100 amp setup in the existing main panel, just separate the neutrals from the grounding wires, don't miss that step since it now becomes a sub panel. But you will have an extra 100 amps capacity outside you can use in the future by adding a second 100 amp service disconnect breaker. Maybe for an air conditioning panel, or in your case another maple syrup mixing machine, I don't know what you people do up there in eskimo land. A 2" pvc can be run straight down into an LB and then just drill a hole into the sill and run ser cable to the panel and up thru the Lb and the pvc conduit into the load side of the meter main combo. The pvc and lb on the exterior are just for physical protection of the cable.


----------



## farlsincharge (Dec 31, 2010)

Why not leave the old mast in place until the new one is ready to support the drop?
Then tie it off to the new mast with rope if it is not long enough to reach until the poco shows up to extend it (I doubt they will run a new one).

I would be looking at the underground option as well.


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

Yeah, 200 amp upgrade! and the rope trick on the mast! Good thinking guys... a few more years on my own and .... i'll be thinking on my own! :001_huh:


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

don't think they are gonna go for the underground, it's a move in upgrade and the guy seems pretty tight on his money


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

I extend drops like those all the time. A banana and a couple connectors or insulinks.


----------



## Bulldog1 (Oct 21, 2011)

sickman said:


> also, im gonna need to bolt the rigid conduit to the house to comply with electrical code. but the house is finish.... i dont want to tear down any interior wall... any idea how to do this one?
> 
> I guess i can bolt it to a 2X4 and screw the 2X4 to the wall....
> that might work actually!


2x4? 

Unistrut if you have to use anything.


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

Hey, i'm just wandering what would be the best way to secure the mast to the outside wall... i cannot brace it from the inside with a 2X4 (finish wall) 

What do you guys normally do? do you have to cut some of the exterior finish to screw in 2X4? ... Any insight would be appreciated!

thx

Alex


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

steveco01 said:


> You cannot use PVC direct from the meter to your panel. You need to use metalic conduit.. The only time you can go with pvc is if you feed the panel from a disconnecting means,and providing the local codes allow it..
> I always use metallic conduit.. Hope this helps.


You must be nuts...


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

sickman said:


> don't think they are gonna go for the underground, it's a move in upgrade and the guy seems pretty tight on his money


If the power company's willing to convert to underground, you're wasting money fooling with aa mast.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

sickman said:


> Hey, i'm just wandering what would be the best way to secure the mast to the outside wall... i cannot brace it from the inside with a 2X4 (finish wall)
> 
> What do you guys normally do? do you have to cut some of the exterior finish to screw in 2X4? ... Any insight would be appreciated!
> 
> ...


Unistrut , lags and straps. or locate a beam and base your center on that.


----------



## Shockdoc (Mar 4, 2010)

mcclary's electrical said:


> If the power company's willing to convert to underground, you're wasting money fooling with aa mast.


 If he lives in an overhead network the POCO will consider it a luxury and even include a tie in charge on top of the electrician install. least they do around here.


----------



## McClary’s Electrical (Feb 21, 2009)

Shockdoc said:


> If he lives in an overhead network the POCO will consider it a luxury and even include a tie in charge on top of the electrician install. least they do around here.


Around here, they seem like they are trying to eliminate drops to houses. Branches fall, rip them off houses, uhauls hang them. It's a hassle. Normally if they're upgrading and will be using more power, they will convert it for little or no charge if you ask. Sometimes they ask me to provide the ditch. The last one I did cost the customer a 76 dollar charge, and no more overhead line.


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

i just called electrical company, i have to dig it and lay 120 feet of wire in it... just over 2500$ just in wire... i think i will keep the overhead service. 

And yeah, never taught about putting strut, i just assumed that strut was mostly for commercial job... not on a patio, but nicely hang it could look pretty good actually.


----------



## sickman (Aug 31, 2011)

oups! i mean 600$ of wire!


----------



## kbatku (Oct 18, 2011)

sickman said:


> ,,, but nicely hang it could look pretty good actually.


No, the strut is going to look like horse sh*t, but that's how it's done, unless you are willing to tear into the interior walls and go with U-bolts.

U-bolts are much cleaner and you could give the HO the option. That way if he doesn't like the way strut looks, it's his fault and he won't whine as much.

Around these parts we call "bandboards" box sills and commonly (on a service change in a house with a basement) run PVC to an LB, then into the house with either a 90 or another LB, depending on how far/little you have to reach.

Once it's inside the house, however, we have to run Schedule 80 if the conductors are unfused, and no more than 15 feet of unfused conductors.

I've been doing it that way so long, I can't separate the code from the WAC from the PP&L anymore - the knowledge has fused into one impenetrable mass.

Sorry.


----------

