For those of you who have done an upgrade from 100amp --> 200 amp service: Did any of you ever have to replace your meter base (pedestal)? Around here is the homeowners responsibility... Electric company mentioned that I should replace it but I question if it is necessary. Is there any way to tell what my meter base current capacity is without opening the box?
You might want to clarify with the electrical company on the 'should' part and make sure it wasn't a 'must', because often they're the pickiest about it. Also the layout guys often don't know what the inspector is going to want, or what the linesmen are going to demand. Typical left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing most of the time.
Chances are your meter base is rated for 200A electrically. It's the manuvering of the larger conductors within that calls for a larger base.
Around here (Ontario Hydro One) 200A underground installations have to have the 'jumbo' base. It really is an eyesore because it's friggin huge, but I can't imagine getting 3/0 Al or 2/0 Cl into anything smaller, you would have to be superman.
Maybe your best bet might be to take a trip to the local home depot and see what they have marked as the 200A base to get an idea.
-- Steve
When I did our panel upgrade/replacement last May (Westerville, OH), the meter base wasn't really a question since it was the original, 30 year old rusted, falling apart base. It was definately needing replacement. However, when I called the electrical inspector to ask what kind I should get, he told me that when I got the permit at the city planning office, take the reciept to the Electrical department office and they'll give me the new base to use. I had to install it, though.
Before I knew they provided it, I was looking into the specs for new ones. What I found was that the dimensions of the old one pretty much matched most of the 100A bases I saw. 200A ones are generally larger to handle the larger cable & conduit.
Talk to the local electrical inspector, I found out a bunch of information and tips before I did mine.
Mike O.
When I rewired my home a few months ago, I just tossed the meter and base in the garbage and wired the breaker box direct to the line. All those meters do are cost me money, and I saved at least 100 bucks from in parts from not installing that crap. Besides that, I got one solid piece of cable right from the pole to my breaker box with no connections in between. That way there are no connections where electricity can leak out and be wasted. The best part is that I am saving around $100 a month that I used to have to pay for the electric bills.
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