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Add Circuit to Meter Panel

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MrGiggles

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I just had a carport put up to get my boats out of the garage, and I need to add a circuit to power a battery charger and a small flood light.

There are no buildings close by, the closest place to get power is the main meter panel.

Here is what it looks like. While I could take power from here, it would be an essentially unprotected circuit, not a good idea.

View media item 87910
I was advised to call the power company and see if they could install a different main breaker that has an adjacent 20a breaker for the carport. Is this the best plan, or is there another option?
 
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Bert_

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You just want a single circuit correct?

You could do a feeder tap off those lugs. Run wire suitable for the load from those lugs to a small panel then power your outlets from there. Panel could be on the pole or on the carport.
 
OP
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MrGiggles

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Bert_ said:
You just want a single circuit correct?

You could do a feeder tap off those lugs. Run wire suitable for the load from those lugs to a small panel then power your outlets from there. Panel could be on the pole or on the carport.
Click to expand...

Yes, just a single 15a 110v circuit is more than enough. All I need it to do is power a battery charger/maintainer and a 10W led flood light.

Wouldn't I have to run big wire (big enough to trip the 200A breaker without catching on fire) from the meter to the small panel?

Can you buy a breaker that has a lug to fit into the big terminals on the meter? Seems like that would be the simplest.
 
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Bert_

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MrGiggles said:
Wouldn't I have to run big wire (big enough to trip the 200A breaker without catching on fire) from the meter to the small panel?

You don't have to run 200A size wire. The code allows us to tap the load side of that breaker with much smaller wire. Inside a building there is size and distance limits. Outside you can run as far as you want with wire that is big enough for your load. The 200A breaker will still protect against shorts and the downstream breaker protects against overload.


Can you buy a breaker that has a lug to fit into the big terminals on the meter? Seems like that would be the simplest.
Your not going to find anything like that. Closest you will get is a little two space panel below your meter/main.
Click to expand...

Taps like this are extremely common on farms and acreages. Central meter and tap after the main with wire to each building.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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MrGiggles said:
I just had a carport put up to get my boats out of the garage, and I need to add a circuit to power a battery charger and a small flood light.

There are no buildings close by, the closest place to get power is the main meter panel.

Here is what it looks like. While I could take power from here, it would be an essentially unprotected circuit, not a good idea.

View media item 87910
I was advised to call the power company and see if they could install a different main breaker that has an adjacent 20a breaker for the carport. Is this the best plan, or is there another option?
Click to expand...


Most if not all PoCos do not install anything that would be or is owned by the customer. This includes your panel pictured.

If you have a need for multiple branch circuits at this location you could install a meter main with multiple spaces.
 
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Bert_

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MrGiggles said:
I'd think they have to, since the supply side of the main breaker comes right off the pole, I don't have any way to cut power to it.


Most likely if you wanted to change it the utility would cut the wire and you would be responsible for replacing the equipment.

Thanks. So, just to clarify, I could get something like this and screw it to the pole?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Square-...r-Main-Lug-Load-Center-HOM24L70RBCP/100194428

Yea something like that would be fine. Make sure you get the apropriate outdoor version, I think that one is but the picture doesn't look like it. I would use a conduit ****** to go from the meter main to the panel and use at least a #10 wire or maybe larger if the lugs on the main won't accept wire that small.You can put that panel on the pole or at the carport, which ever works best.
Click to expand...

Changing the whole meter main would be quite a bit more expensive than a $20 panel.

*edit
You must have changed the link. The panel in the current link looks fine.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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nsula_country

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wyliesdiesels said:
I would replace the existing panel with a new meter Main.

This means having the PoCo cut the power, taking the old panel off the pole and installing the new one.

May need permits and inspection before power is restored
Click to expand...

Why replace meter main? Curious why replacement is suggested here?

OP has a multi lug main with 3 taps. All that is needed is to tap an unused from buss. Use a 3R sub and continue. Life goes on. A 4 or 8 slot 3R subpanel with a 30A 2P backfeed main will solve this problem. Unless I'm missing something...

CT
 
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sberry

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You need to feed whatever you connect with number 6 or better under 200A breaker. A 10 wire is not adequate. A 10 could be fed under a 60 like it used to be fed thru to 1 arm bandits from olf fuse panels.
If this is not clear ask again.
 
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Bert_

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sberry said:
You need to feed whatever you connect with number 6 or better under 200A breaker. A 10 wire is not adequate. A 10 could be fed under a 60 like it used to be fed thru to 1 arm bandits from olf fuse panels.
If this is not clear ask again.
Click to expand...

I read the tap rules before posting and that's not the case.

If it were indoors we would have some rules for wire size.
-If the tap is 10' or less we would need wire at least 1/10 the size of the breaker.
-A tap up to 25' must use wire 1/3 the size of the breaker.

In this case the tap is outdoors so the tap can be as long as we want with no restriction on wire size.
The only requirement is that the tap conductors are protected from damage and terminate to a single over current device.

Side note, I love your term "one arm bandit". Never heard a fused disconnect called that before.
 
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