Any estimate how much it will cost to replace this old panel?

[dogdog]

I’m in Ohio too. Funny enough, I remember my dad telling me to just yank the meter if I needed to do work on the panel when we bought our house. Something along the lines of “Just pull the meter and tell them you needed to do some work if they say anything”. Giving them a heads-up seems a little more kosher. Lol.

Also, I want to see where this thread goes since I want to upgrade our panel in the next year or two.

They have those security tags and anti tempering tags here locking the meters. If you yank it, poco will throw fit. Here, you have to be a licensed electrician by the city and registered with poco to call in. That’s what they did moving my meters outside the house. There is a thread that some one had their meter cut by some one else and poco was throwing fit and accusing him of stealing electricity.

 

[mike93lx]

They have those security tags and anti tempering tags here locking the meters. If you yank it, poco will throw fit. Here, you have to be a licensed electrician by the city and registered with poco to call in. That’s what they did moving my meters outside the house. There is a thread that some one had their meter cut by some one else and poco was throwing fit and accusing him of stealing electricity.

And with smart meters, they will get an alert when it's pulled.

 

[dogdog]

And with smart meters, they will get an alert when it's pulled.

Yea those ******* have the smart meter installed, capable of shutting down my whole house electricity remotely now. No need to pull meter but still they require licensed and registered electrician to call in. Easy $300 just to make a phone call.

 

[alfredeneuman]

They have those security tags and anti tempering tags here locking the meters. If you yank it, poco will throw fit.

Here the POCOs have locking meter rings that takes a special key to open. The keys are issued only to POCO employees.

 

[whateg01]

Here the POCOs have locking meter rings that takes a special key to open. The keys are issued only to POCO employees.

Not sure what they look like there, but our's can be cut with a pair of dykes.

 

[alfredeneuman]

Not sure what they look like there, but our's can be cut with a pair of dykes.

Meter Lock Rings | Electric Meter Locking Rings | Highfield

Manufactured from carbon or stainless steel Highfield's meter rings provide the highest level of security for electric meter boxes.

www.highfield-mfg.com

The type used here is the "Armor Front Entry Ring"

​

 

[sparky 1971]

Meter Lock Rings | Electric Meter Locking Rings | Highfield

Manufactured from carbon or stainless steel Highfield's meter rings provide the highest level of security for electric meter boxes.

www.highfield-mfg.com

The type used here is the "Armor Front Entry Ring"

​

The locked meters around here are rare,, but it still occasionally happens. I cut a locking ring once. It took five Sawzall blades to get through just the ring but I got 'er done. I have a friend that has a key that was given to him by a lineman, he claims it's identical to the Jonard barrel lock key available through Amazon. I've been considering one for about 15 years now but haven't pulled the trigger. As far as smart meters, rotate the bottom out, leaving the line side engaged and throw a piece of cardboard in on the load side jaws. I've done that once. I learned it from a former apprentice that is now a state inspector.

 

[u2slow]

Since OP says his panel has a disconnect ahead of it, I consider this job DIY viable. Buy the stuff at HD or Lowes and get to work.

 

[Norcal]

The locked meters around here are rare,, but it still occasionally happens. I cut a locking ring once. It took five Sawzall blades to get through just the ring but I got 'er done. I have a friend that has a key that was given to him by a lineman, he claims it's identical to the Jonard barrel lock key available through Amazon. I've been considering one for about 15 years now but haven't pulled the trigger. As far as smart meters, rotate the bottom out, leaving the line side engaged and throw a piece of cardboard in on the load side jaws. I've done that once. I learned it from a former apprentice that is now a state inspector.

Cordless grinders work too.

 

[sparky 1971]

Cordless grinders work too.

This was about 2000ish. At that time, the only cordless tool I had was a drill. In fact, I think I went on the roof and skinned a little of the insulation back on the service drop, and between a hose clamp and a pair of vice grips, connected some #12 THHN to a duplex so that I could fire up the sawzall to cut the lock so that I could pull the meter and change out the bad main breaker. I don't miss corded tools one bit.

 

[Zeke]

As far as smart meters, rotate the bottom out, leaving the line side engaged and throw a piece of cardboard in on the load side jaws. I've done that once. I learned it from a former apprentice that is now a state inspector.

That's a neat trick. Probably not an OSHA favorite.

 

[Norcal]

The locked meters around here are rare,, but it still occasionally happens. I cut a locking ring once. It took five Sawzall blades to get through just the ring but I got 'er done. I have a friend that has a key that was given to him by a lineman, he claims it's identical to the Jonard barrel lock key available through Amazon. I've been considering one for about 15 years now but haven't pulled the trigger. As far as smart meters, rotate the bottom out, leaving the line side engaged and throw a piece of cardboard in on the load side jaws. I've done that once. I learned it from a former apprentice that is now a state inspector.

Disconnected power to 2 smart meters for bootleg work, 1) Changed out a panel that was damaged due to water intrusion. 2) Change out roof jack so it could be reroofed. In both cases PG&E never came around, 1st one took the seals apart & put them back together, 2nd only disconnected the overhead service drop, tried to reuse the connectors but almost 40 years did them in.

 

[TexMedium]

In my zip code, replacing the panel in my house was quoted by the ONE contractor who actually showed up at around $40-$50,000. The local municipality owns and maintains the "grid". Their own trucks, linemen, etc. AND, they hold us up to their own "electrical code". AND, they have a very short list of "approved" contractors. So, no competition, most contractors who aren't on "The List", which no one is allowed to see anyway, just laugh and say, No!" when you tell them where the project is.

My house was built in 1959, with a "200-amp" Federal-Pacific, split buss, FUSE panel. Light bulb base and cartridge FUSES, NOT circuit breakers. The panel is fed with what appears to be 1/0 Aluminum SER cable. So it can't really support 200amps, but that is what my electric bill charges for. Anyway, I have wanted to replace the thing since we moved in. The ONE contractor who showed up to give an estimate said every circuit he touched would have to meet "current borough codes" to pass the final inspection. Well, replacing the main panel means "touching" every branch circuit. All of which are 1959 era "romex", as in, the ground wires aren't the same gauge as the current carrying conductors. This meant that EVERY foot of wire in the joint would need replacing.

This cat wanted to bust holes in all of my real plaster walls to pull all new wire. And, he said he could set me up with a "really good drywall guy", who was also "approved by the borough." That was fifteen years ago. I imagine the price is even higher these days. Fuses are cheap. So is fire insurance. Relatively speaking...

 

[Zeke]

In my zip code, replacing the panel in my house was quoted by the ONE contractor who actually showed up at around $40-$50,000. The local municipality owns and maintains the "grid". Their own trucks, linemen, etc. AND, they hold us up to their own "electrical code". AND, they have a very short list of "approved" contractors. So, no competition, most contractors who aren't on "The List", which no one is allowed to see anyway, just laugh and say, No!" when you tell them where the project is.

My house was built in 1959, with a "200-amp" Federal-Pacific, split buss, FUSE panel. Light bulb base and cartridge FUSES, NOT circuit breakers. The panel is fed with what appears to be 1/0 Aluminum SER cable. So it can't really support 200amps, but that is what my electric bill charges for. Anyway, I have wanted to replace the thing since we moved in. The ONE contractor who showed up to give an estimate said every circuit he touched would have to meet "current borough codes" to pass the final inspection. Well, replacing the main panel means "touching" every branch circuit. All of which are 1959 era "romex", as in, the ground wires aren't the same gauge as the current carrying conductors. This meant that EVERY foot of wire in the joint would need replacing.

This cat wanted to bust holes in all of my real plaster walls to pull all new wire. And, he said he could set me up with a "really good drywall guy", who was also "approved by the borough." That was fifteen years ago. I imagine the price is even higher these days. Fuses are cheap. So is fire insurance. Relatively speaking...

I really feel sorry for you. I'll have to look into that myself. I did a complete rewire of knob and tube in 2016 and to code at the time. I'd hate to think that at lot of that work would need to be amended. We did AFCI's where they were called for at the time. Same with GFCI's. but it's not up to 2020 (IDK if we're following 2020 or 2017, but there were changes).