15 Amp Electric Meter

[Bib Overalls]

I recently acquired a 15 amp electric meter with base that I am going to use as "decor" in my shop.

The meter came off an old house that was originally had knob and tube wiring.

At some point it acquired a StabLoc panel (early 50s) with two 15 amp and two 20 amp breakers.

When the house was demolished the panel had been upgraded to 100 amps and the house had an electric water heater and an electric stove.

The service was overhead #2 triplex through the StabLoc panel being used as a junction box and then #2 copper to the 100 amp panel.

I thought an electric meter had to be rated for the service amperage; at least least 100 amps for a 100 amp service, 200 amps for a 200 amp service, etc. If that is true, then a 15 amp meter would have been inadequate for the early 50s StabLoc panel and grossly inadequate for a 100 amp panel.

So, my question is "Can/could a 15 amp meter work with a 100 amp service?" Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Sneeze357]

In the 50s you could do what you want. Anything you want. Inspection? Permit? NEC? Liability? WHAT is that?

 

[CoopVA]

It would work until there is more than 15 amps being pulled through it....


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Speedy Petey]

I thought an electric meter had to be rated for the service amperage; at least least 100 amps for a 100 amp service, 200 amps for a 200 amp service, etc. If that is true, then a 15 amp meter would have been inadequate for the early 50s StabLoc panel and grossly inadequate for a 100 amp panel.

So, my question is "Can/could a 15 amp meter work with a 100 amp service?" Inquiring minds want to know.

Most plug-in meters can be used from 60A-200A.

I believe that 15A you see on the front is some other rating. It is NOT just a 15A meter as far as I know.

Can you take a pic of the front and post it?

 

[Bib Overalls]

Did a little additional web searching. Could not find out anything technical. Apparently many retired examples were converted in to novelty table lamps. Turn the light on and the meter runs. I found several examples on eBay.

The meter base has small terminals for line and load but no provision for the neutral/ground. They were simply wire nutted together underneath.

Hoping an old time sparky will see this and help fill in the blanks.

 

[Phoenixl37]

For some reason I'm thinking that meter may be a CT meter "current transformer", & it only reads the current being used. if you remove a normal meter it stops the flow of electricity to the breaker box, a CT meter doesn't. I don't remember for sure & can't get a hold of my electrician buddy to confirm.

 

[malibu101]

That is really cool!

It doesn't look like the terminals on the meter were designed or could handle more than 15 amps without melting.

Did you see what size wire was attached to this meter?

 

[Bib Overalls]

Did you see what size wire was attached to this meter?

#2 aluminum triplex in and #2 copper out.

The house was originally wired with knob and tube insulators. At some point, most likely the early 50s it was rewired with black fabric covered Romex. 4 circuits; two 20 amps for outlets and 2 15 amps for lights. They were fed from a 4 breaker StabLoc load center mounted on the outside of the house. The meter appears to date back to the rewire. Subsequently, a 100 amp load center was mounted inside the house to supply the 4 original circuits plus an electric stove and hot water heater along with additional circuits in an addition. The breakers in the old StabLoc load center were abandoned and the feed from the meter was spliced (inside) to #2 copper run through the wall to the new the box. The 4 breaker StabLoc load center was marked "$4.25" on the back.

 

[malibu101]

Did you see what size wire was attached to this meter?

#2 aluminum triplex in and #2 copper out.

Thanks for the info.

Must have been electricians nightmare of a connection.
That size wire to that size screw terminals.

 

[Bib Overalls]

Must have been electricians nightmare of a connection. That size wire to that size screw terminals.

#2 just fits.

 

[Speedy Petey]

That is an old "A-base" meter. I truly have no idea what the 15A means, but it is a meter for a 60-100A service.

 

[mike strobe]

The 15 amp on the meter refers to test amps when the meter is calibrated. Usually a full load test at 100% and a light load test at 10% (1.5 amp in this case) of the rated value are performed. The test equipment is set to these values

Check the "class" on the nameplate. CL 100 is 100amp, CL 200 is 200 amp etc. Also the form or "FM" on the nameplate. FM 2A is a 240 volt 3 wire A-base meter. Needs 240 to operate. Two hots, no neutral make a form 2 operate. A FM 1 is a 2 wire 120 volt only using one hot and neutral to operate.

 

[Grumpy365]

In the 50s you could do what you want. Anything you want. Inspection? Permit? NEC? Liability? WHAT is that?

How did the species survive?

 

[Speedy Petey]

How did the species survive?

Some didn't due to no fault of their own. That's the problem.

 

[C96]

After viewing the picture of your meter, I recognized it and realized I have one similar. I forgot I even had the thing until I saw the picture. This raised my curiosity, so I dug up mine. Sure enough, looks like yours. I’m guessing it’s from the 1940’s. I remember now, I was going to incorporate it into a vintage hanging wall placard for my garage with other old construction materials such as porcelain wire nuts, square nails, vintage hand tools etc.

Well, I think I’m going to have to revisit the old idea and find some time to put it all together.

Thanks for jogging the memory…Lol!

Here are some pics of the meter:

This one has a separate terminal block just below the meter to accommodate larger conductors.

It simply slips into the screw terminals at the bottom.

The glass globe just twists off after sliding out the lever on the right

 

[mike strobe]

C96, the terminal block was also used as a means of disconnect/reconnect by the POCO for nonpayment or other reason. The nuts were backed off. This took pressure off a piece of spring steel breaking/making load. Line side is left two nuts, load is right two.If there wasn't a terminal block, each 120v leg was pulled out, taped and stuffed back in the meter.

 

[Bib Overalls]

My thanks to Mike and all of the other repliers. Going to look neat hanging on my shop wall along under my traffic light. All I have to do now is find an old disconnect box to hide the on-off switch in.

 

[TractorJeff]

25 plus years ago, I had an old 60 amp/240 volt off from an old building that I was going to do some with, some day.......
Now if I could just remember what happened to it????