[2x_Tom]

The short version is I got a couple quotes on adding a disconnect. I just want a disconnect installed after the meter. The existing panel doesn't have to be tied back in as I'll be relocating it. I'm getting quotes of 2-3.5k. How long does a job like this actually take?
I'm a plumber and I know labor rates are high here. I could swallow $200/hr plus material and markup. From what I'm thinking this is 2-4 hours and $200-$300 in material. I'm sure I could do it in 4 if I was willing to move wires around in the meter pan. Am I missing something here that makes it more difficult? I was expecting $600-$1200.


I'm renovating a space over my detached garage. It has it's own 100 amp electrical service. Currently the panel inside is in a kitchen cabinet and is nearly inaccessible I want to move the panel to an interior wall and put in a larger panel. As a result I will have about 16' of wire in the house before it gets to the main breaker.

I'd like to add an outdoor fused service disconnect right after the meter before the cable goes into the structure. I'm going to be doing most of the work myself but working in the meter pan with live unfused connections is something I'll let an electrician handle. I want someone to add a disconnect and connect the line side. I'll install the new panel inside and all the branch circuits then either connect the panel to the disconnect or have the electrician come back and do the connection between the panel and disconnect.

 

[griz]

There may be more involved than you realize.

 

[dmxtothemax]

Such as ?

 

[joed]

What is your location? Rates vary greatly across the country.
Try calling other companies for more quotes.
Maybe the first guy just decided he didn't want the job so he quoted high hoping you wouldn't pick him.

 

[hueco]

As I understand what you're wanting, you can do it if you pull the meter before doing the work. I wear leather gloves when I must handle hot wires, but any work after the meter, but before the panel, I pull the meter.

I've heard that some utilities become irritated if anybody (except them) pulls a meter, but I've never had any problems. There have been times I've gone back and see the tag has been replaced without any contact from the service provider.

Not sure why you want a fused disconnect when you can use a breaker type.

 

[rjniles]

Handling hot wires even with leather gloves is very dangerous advice.

 

[2x_Tom]

My terminology may be off, I do want a breaker type. I'm pretty sure I could do the work myself. I know what I need to end up with and have all the tools and safety gear to do it. If it was just a matter of pulling the meter and changing the main breaker in the load center or somthing I wouldn't think twice. It's working in the meter panel with a punch, attaching conduit, using a wrench to turn the lugs and working the wires in there all 4" away from live un-fused wires where a little slip could turn into a disaster that I want to avoid. A few years ago when I was a little more invincible I probably would have done it. Now I'm willing to pay someone with the experience and knowledge to handle it. A few hundred bucks saved doesn't do much good if I'm dead. Once the disconnect is in and I can kill that panel by pulling the meter I'll take it from there.

As for the prices I did get two quotes, both outrageous even given the high labor rates here. Maybe you're right and they didn't feel like doing it. I've done that plenty of find we when I didn't want a job. I got two more over the phone estimates today. One for $240 plus the cost of wire, the other for $1100. They're both comming tomorrow to look. The low one scares me, I don't know how he can do it that cheap.

 

[beenthere]

As I understand what you're wanting, you can do it if you pull the meter before doing the work. I wear leather gloves when I must handle hot wires, but any work after the meter, but before the panel, I pull the meter.

I've heard that some utilities become irritated if anybody (except them) pulls a meter, but I've never had any problems. There have been times I've gone back and see the tag has been replaced without any contact from the service provider.

Not sure why you want a fused disconnect when you can use a breaker type.

Hope your wearing arc flash gear when you pull a meter. If one ever blows on you when your pulling it, you'll be wearing melted glass, and have lots of plasma in you.

Leather gloves alone are not approved for safely working with live wires.

 

[Msradell]

As for the prices I did get two quotes, both outrageous even given the high labor rates here. Maybe you're right and they didn't feel like doing it. I've done that plenty of find we when I didn't want a job. I got two more over the phone estimates today. One for $240 plus the cost of wire, the other for $1100. They're both comming tomorrow to look. The low one scares me, I don't know how he can do it that cheap.

I agree that the $240 one sounds awful though but he may be hungry. If you have all the equipment available and are ready to go it really shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to do the entire job. Are you providing the disconnect box and any other materials or if the electrician providing everything?

 

[Speedy Petey]

As I understand what you're wanting, you can do it if you pull the meter before doing the work. I wear leather gloves when I must handle hot wires, but any work after the meter, but before the panel, I pull the meter.

I've heard that some utilities become irritated if anybody (except them) pulls a meter, but I've never had any problems. There have been times I've gone back and see the tag has been replaced without any contact from the service provider.

Not sure why you want a fused disconnect when you can use a breaker type.

It is EXTREMELY irresponsible to suggest a DIYer, even a plumber, pull a meter. MOST utilities get "irritated" but some could send you a warning or even fine you. This is aside from the fact that it CAN be very dangerous to pull a meter. I know, you wear your leather gloves and you are fine every time you do it. Great. What if a DIYer does it and a lug is broken inside the meter pan?? I've seen it several times. What if it is broken and it is a ring type pan, where the cover stays on until after the meter is pulled.

This NOT something to be taken lightly. Bottom line, In my VERY STRONG opinion, it should NEVER be suggested that a DIYer or non-professional pull a meter, ever.

 

[Speedy Petey]

The short version is I got a couple quotes on adding a disconnect. I just want a disconnect installed after the meter. The existing panel doesn't have to be tied back in as I'll be relocating it. I'm getting quotes of 2-3.5k. How long does a job like this actually take?
I'm a plumber and I know labor rates are high here. I could swallow $200/hr plus material and markup. From what I'm thinking this is 2-4 hours and $200-$300 in material. I'm sure I could do it in 4 if I was willing to move wires around in the meter pan. Am I missing something here that makes it more difficult? I was expecting $600-$1200.

Labor rates don't enter into some jobs like this. If you asked me how much I am charging an hour to do a service upgrade I would tell you it's a flat rate price and that's it. I WOULD NOT break it down. There are other off-site things going on with service upgrades and work. It's NOT just the time he is standing on your property involved with this type of job.
You are a plumber. Literally every plumber I know charges a flat price to replace a boiler or furnace. Don't you???


That said, $2.5-$3K DOES sound like a lot to add a main disconnect. I'd get considerably less that that to do a complete 100A service.
Then again, it depends on where you are. That is an extremely odd meter pan for a 100A residential service. Can you tell us what state you are in?

 

[hueco]

Hope your wearing arc flash gear when you pull a meter. If one ever blows on you when your pulling it, you'll be wearing melted glass, and have lots of plasma in you.

Leather gloves alone are not approved for safely working with live wires.

Excuse my shorthand, but when I pull a meter, it is after I've switched the panel main to off. I figure the question is about residential and not commercial service. I use leather gloves on those occasions, after a service upgrade, where I splice into the existing service drop until the power company can get to the reconnect.

It is true, I've never had a meter explode and I'm not sure how one would if there is no current flow.

 

[tribe_fan]

Without getting into who is pulling the meter - I have a question. If you add a disconnect - is the existing main panel now considered a sub-panel - and the ground and neutral must be separated? Does the ground that is in the main need to be moved to the disconnect?

 

[Speedy Petey]

It is true, I've never had a meter explode and I'm not sure how one would if there is no current flow.

Seriously???
See my previous reply.

 

[Speedy Petey]

Without getting into who is pulling the meter - I have a question. If you add a disconnect - is the existing main panel now considered a sub-panel - and the ground and neutral must be separated? Does the ground that is in the main need to be moved to the disconnect?

Yes, exactly.

 

[hueco]

It is EXTREMELY irresponsible to suggest a DIYer, even a plumber, pull a meter. MOST utilities get "irritated" but some could send you a warning or even fine you. This is aside from the fact that it CAN be very dangerous to pull a meter. I know, you wear your leather gloves and you are fine every time you do it. Great. What if a DIYer does it and a lug is broken inside the meter pan?? I've seen it several times. What if it is broken and it is a ring type pan, where the cover stays on until after the meter is pulled.

This NOT something to be taken lightly. Bottom line, In my VERY STRONG opinion, it should NEVER be suggested that a DIYer or non-professional pull a meter, ever.

I don't know, but all my experiences with meter pans require one to open the pan to pull the meter which would, it seems to me, alert someone to broken connection/lugs/etc. And, I don't know when a utility company was enabled to fine anybody. As I said, I do it all the time and never had any issues.

That said, I never bid jobs based on any "flat rate." There are just too many unknowns.

Since the panel is being replaced anyway, switching to a lug-only sub panel simplifies the new requirements regarding neutrals and grounds.

Installing a disconnect isn't rocket science and, I wonder, when you upgrade services, if you don't pull the meter, what do you do?

 

[joed]

Installing a disconnect isn't rocket science and, I wonder, when you upgrade services, if you don't pull the meter, what do you do?

Around here we call for permit and set up an appointment for the POCO to disconnect at the pole. Once you pass inspection they reconnect. It all happens in one day.

 

[Speedy Petey]

I don't know, but all my experiences with meter pans require one to open the pan to pull the meter which would, it seems to me, alert someone to broken connection/lugs/etc. And, I don't know when a utility company was enabled to fine anybody. As I said, I do it all the time and never had any issues.

So because you do it all the time and never have any problems you think it's OK to suggest it's OK for a DIY to do???
You've never seen a ring-type meter pan? Are you an electrician or not?

That said, I never bid jobs based on any "flat rate." There are just too many unknowns.

Even service upgrades and new construction?? Are you an electrician or not?

Since the panel is being replaced anyway, switching to a lug-only sub panel simplifies the new requirements regarding neutrals and grounds.

He says nothing about replacing the panel, only about adding a main disconnect. Or am I missing something?

Installing a disconnect isn't rocket science and, I wonder, when you upgrade services, if you don't pull the meter, what do you do?

First off, I hate the silly "electrical work is not rocket science" line. Of course it's not, the act of the physical work is not difficult really. It's knowing what to do and how to do it safely, correctly and to code........and to be able to make money doing it.
For simple service upgrades, panel changes, etc, on single family, single meter dwellings, I am on an approved list with my utility that can cut and re-make taps. We need to have gone through their seminar going over the rules and safety procedures, use approved materials, have approved safety equipment (including real Class 0 gloves), and have a ton of liability insurance. Everything else is a disconnect/reconnect appointment with the POCO.

 

[jbfan]

I used to pull meters when I was young and dumb, but now, I wait on the poco.

 

[Jim Port]

Hueco,

A DIY does not have the training or PPE to attempt to pull a meter. For you to suggest this is irresponsible and could have potentially deadly consequences.

Pulling a meter is considered tampering and can be a fineable offense. I know one that will not reconnect if they did not open the meter. They also send a letter to the AHJ .