[milbrett]

We are building a house and installed our own electrical. We were now told that our meter base is incorrect. It is a ring less style and the power company requires a ring style. I thought it was because of the security and locking issues. But, they say it is due to corrosion that can happen within the meter base, making removal of the meter difficult. We do not want to have to just "waste" this purchase, these and the parts to go with it are NOT cheap. Is there any way to create a sealed ring area over it? Has anyone faced this and succeeded?

 

[TarheelTerp]

...and the power company requires a ring style.

What the PoCo wants... the PoCo gets.
They don't make it hard to know what's expected but you do have to ask.

 

[Oso954]

We do not want to have to just "waste" this purchase, these and the parts to go with it are NOT cheap. Is there any way to create a sealed ring area over it?

Schneider Electric (Square D) says no. They also point out that it might cause problems with the NEC listing and labeling requirements of the NEC.

You could try contacting the mfg of your meter base, but I would suspect a similar answer from most of them.

 

[Old Thomas]

Live and learn. 40 years ago our power company would give a free meter base and put a sticker on the house where they wanted it mounted. No more, now it is buy your own.

 

[jbfan]

One call does it all.
Most POCO's have web sites with all of their requirements.
If it was just a meter base, they are cheap in the grand scheme of things.

If it is a meter/main, replace it with the correct one and sell on craigslist.

 

[Oldmaster]

Unfortunately different POCO'S have different requirements regarding meterbases. No way around it. I work with 3 different power companies and 3 different meters. A $50.00 lesson.

 

[milbrett]

Won the battle, got to keep the ring-less meter base. Thanks for your responses. The meter base we got was over $500 and I did find a replacement for over $600 and had it ordered. We weren't looking forward to it since we figured the new one wasn't going to line up the same and so we would probably be out even more. Besides that we just weren't buying the power company's excuse of corrosion, so I kept questioning them about it. Finally was given approval to keep the ring-less meter base since we are far enough inland that it shouldn't matter. Got to keep it and move on with the house build. :smile::smile:

 

[TarheelTerp]

The meter base we got was over $500
and I did find a replacement for over $600 and had it ordered.

What are you calling a meter base that costs $500 or $600?
Can you post some detail & a picture?

 

[milbrett]

The meter base we have to put on our new house that has the power company's meter that intakes the 400 amps and then the other half of it has the 2/200amp breakers that split, one into our house and one to the shop.

 

[Oso954]

That is called a meter main or a meter combo panel.

It’s not What people think of as a meter base or meter socket.