Buying a clue

[Timpala]

Group,

I need to discuss burying our electrical service to the house and I want to have some idea what I'm talking about so as not to annoy the supplier and electrician. I'm looking to you guys to tell me what you wished the homeowner understood before calling you.

We have the high voltage supply running north to south through our property. A line connects from that to a transformer on a pole and then our supply comes from the transformer to a pole, to another pole, and then to the weatherhead above the meter. The meter is near the backdoor and on the exterior side of the wall from the panel (200A).

I intend to run a 30" deep trench from below the meter to the transformer pole, approximately 150'. My understanding is that I need schedule 40 large sweep conduit up to the bottom of the meter box. Do I need conduit in the trench or just buryable wire? I have heard mention of schedule 80 conduit. What would that be for?

My long term intent is to close in the back porch which will contain the meter. It is read electronically. Are there other issues with "building in" the meter that is now outside to the weather?

We are susceptible to ice storms here and so far have been lucky to not lose this supply line.

Thanks much guys. If you need assistance with your home network security I'll be glad to return the favor.

TH

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Power company is not going to allow you to enclose the meter. Even if electronic read, they still need access to it to read manually, or to replace it if they determine it might be bad.

Charles

 

[babzog]

^^ That's right. What you might be able to do though, is run your trench to another spot, install a new meter there and run a conduit from the new meter location to your panel with new supply wires.

Or, have them put the meter on the pole... see that all the time around here. Cleans up the house as you can then bury everything.

 

[Aceman]

You need to call your power company.

They have a spec book on what's required for services. Sometimes you can even find it online. There's no one way to do it, different power companies have different requirements.

 

[Timpala]

Thanks for the input guys. I called the power company and had an informal discussion which was very helpful. Yes, they do want the meter exposed and therefore moved. I like the idea of putting the meter on the pole. However it is 150' from the house which might be an issue.

They also gave me names of a few local electricians that the supplier has worked with before.

 

[Grumpy365]

. However it is 150' from the house which might be an issue.

.

If you have a shovel, you don't have a problem.

 

[Milton Shaw]

Put the meter on the house, you will have line losses on current for the 150 feet of wire if the meter is at the pole. let the electric company pay for the electricity lost before it gets to your house.

 

[Grumpy365]

Put the meter on the house, you will have line losses on current for the 150 feet of wire if the meter is at the pole. let the electric company pay for the electricity lost before it gets to your house.

I don't understand this.

You buy electricity in watts.

Even if you have a voltage drop, causing a slightly / minuscule higher amp draw, it doesn't do a thing with what you pay for electricity.

Now it will cost you to pull the power 150 foot underground and the cost may be significant. Where the power company would probably being it to the house for free.

 

[Jarcese]

A lot of utilities won't let you put the meter on the pole unless they're metering another companies piece of equipment on that pole, but since the pole is on your property already then they may not have a problem with that. You could always go underground from the pole, then to a pedestal nearby through the meter and then back down to a disconnect. That might not look too bad if as long something near the pedestal to make it blend into the scenery. A lot of the nicer houses around here go with that option to keep the meter away from the house.