# 5 plex service change



## Going_Commando (Oct 1, 2011)

Stack metering is how I would do it.


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## Service Call (Jul 9, 2011)

Yes a 5 plex is available. Bypass I'm not sure of. I googled it and they had one for $425 I believe.


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## ben franklin (Nov 15, 2014)

Smileyboy said:


> I may have a lead on 5 plex. The service needs replaced. This is my first unit like this.
> 
> Do they make 5 in 1's with lever bypasses or am I stuck with an old gutter method?


personally,I turn those down, being a one man army, you'll run into problems, like getting the old wires into the new panels, and with 5 tenants there with power off most of the day, you will have to deal with them complaining, well I hope it's better for you where you are, pics of the finished work please..


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

ben franklin said:


> personally,I turn those down, being a one man army, you'll run into problems, like getting the old wires into the new panels, and with 5 tenants there with power off most of the day, you will have to deal with them complaining, well I hope it's better for you where you are, pics of the finished work please..


Dude, get a helper! That is great money. And screw the tenants, let them complain. When a tenant complains to me about a service change I am doing for the owner, I tell them that I will make sure their unit is the last one I do, it always shuts them up quick.

Smileyboy, I have a question for you. Does your PoCo give you free meter pans? If so, it may be in your best interest to use a trough.

Everyone always says to spend the extra money on the meter packs because they are easier and save you so much time, but that time is money. You are going to give that money to the manufacturer instead of keeping it yourself for labor.

It might take you 2-3 extra hours to install a trough and the 5 meters, but if you get the meters for free you might spend $400-600 less on equipment than if you bought a meter pack.

I'm just saying, do the math yourself.


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## ben franklin (Nov 15, 2014)

HackWork said:


> Dude, get a helper! That is great money. And screw the tenants, let them complain. When a tenant complains to me about a service change I am doing for the owner, I tell them that I will make sure their unit is the last one I do, it always shuts them up quick.
> 
> I can always hire a helper, most likely it won't be one that can understand what I'm trying to get done, as most of my work is service calls,not need to pay anyone to watch me, most re wires are done by myself until I do the home runs,..As for the tenants, down here, (New Orleans) you'd end up fighting with one or all or , because it's a shoot em up era, being killed.. so yes, I can get help, but no, I'd rather leave those to the big companies..


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## ben franklin (Nov 15, 2014)

Keep in mind he said it'll be his first one..nothing's ever easy on the first try, not trying to scare him off on it, but know what's ahead of you..get power killed as early as possible..bring as much to the job as you can think of plus more..good luck..


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Is that really 5 units or 4 units and a house meter?
Not that it changes the job; just curious.


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## ben franklin (Nov 15, 2014)

Also, it looks to be more than 6' above grade for the meters...if so, you'll have to lower them(here they look for that)..which brings me back to getting the old wires in the new meter base..


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

Maybe it's just me but I'd stay with the trough as Hack said and prefab the trough and cans and maybe even panels and hang it right after demo of the existing.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

I'd just bring out some spray paint -- and be done with it.

NOTHING you've posted leaves me to believe that they need more power, nor that the conductors are shot.

Instead, I'd suspect that the building is getting heat for its non-standard meter heights.

In which case, just pre-fab some new meter pans// and drop them further down from the existing gutter.

I'm presuming it's a 'hot' gutter.

The ABOVE is a one-man, one-day job. You could mount the new work below the old work -- and then show up on he magic day to tie all everything together in double-quick time.

The interior panels are not to be touched. The old meter pans get demo'd and replaced by pipe... passing straight down and past the disconnects to the new meter pans. The conductors then flow up into the disconnects -- where they sit -- from below.

The disconnects don't really need to move -- but you could.

%%%%%%

Plan B: call in a carpenter and build a platform with railing at a suitable height. Plant scrubs in front of same. 

&&&

One must pray that the landlord wastes his money on you, does not come to his senses. :thumbsup:


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