Meter base installation

[Williams23]

I recently had a shop built on an existing slab with an underground service previously ran. What would be the best way to mount my meter base and tie into the existing underground service. Would preferably mount the meter to the outside wall of the shop. There is about a 3’-3.5’ space from the conduit to the side of the building.

 

[WildBill]

I used unistrut pieces to mount mine after the siding was on. There are tons of different parts and pieces you can bolt togather to get whatever spacing you need. Thats all anyone ever uses around here. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Unist...A-467D-A355-8C988029B52D?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mm08822]

I'd use unistrut coming up from the side of the slab to attach the metermain to. Add rightangle brackets to further connect the vertical strut to the wall purlin on the ext surface of the siding rib.

How high is that conduit?

 

[sparky 1971]

I third the strut. Just make sure to get the channel with the slotted holes, drilling your own holes *****. It looks far enough off of the slab to require starting with 3-1/2" deep vertical pieces and add horizontals in whatever it takes to fill in the gap.

Here's a link to their product page so you know what's available in order to design it.

Powerstrut Strut Channel Metal Framing System Inserts

At Power we offer the best Powerstrut Strut Channel Metal Framing System Inserts in the industry combined with the best customer service.

powerstrut.com

 

[Bert_]

I think I would weld up a metal structure like others have suggested. I usually use 2" galvanized angle rather than strut for something like this.

Only other thing you could do is put a BIG offset in the pipe that comes out of the ground. Your existing wire would probably be short so you'd have to splice the underground. And I would use rigid conduit because it's going to be hanging out there and PVC wouldn't last.

 

[beltfeed]

You could always make a free-standing meter pedestal, then go back underground from the meter and come up on the building sidewall. My new meter socket is halfway between my house and shop being built.

 

[Norcal]

Noticed the riser is rigid steel conduit, I would dig down & unscrew the riser & use SCH 80 PVC conduit to off set to the building, because that will make it too low would then add a underground tap box nippled to the meter can. Although it is not a approved PVC bending tool, a weed burner works great to bend PVC.

 

[rpcraft]

Since this is a recent thread and relevant, I have a question related to meter box surface installation. I have a metal shed/shop and the spacing of the metal and it's vertical ribbing is such that there is no way to mount the box flat to the metal sheeting, which isn't a surprise. I was going to do two 5 ft legs of Unistrut and have to figure that mess out along with drilling new holes in the box but I saw someone use cut off PVC slices, about 1 1/2 inch tall as stand-off spacers in between the box and the wall. Would something like that pass a city inspection or is there any code wording that specifies spacer and mounting materials when you are offsetting a semi-flush mount setup? Seems like it would be a clean install solution, as opposed to having wood or strut hanging out and being overly visible.

 

[sparky 1971]

I usually use 13/16" deep strut since the ribs in the metal are normally 3/4" deep but have had to use 1-5/8" deep strut on a Morton that had 1" deep ribs. Other things I've done that worked but were enough of a PITA that I don't know that I'll do it again are 3/4" stainless steel spacers and another where the holes in the meter socket lined up with the ribs so I drilled it out and screwed it on, the latter two required blocking on the inside.

 

[rpcraft]

Yeah it seems like no matter what I do I am going to have to just drill new holes in the box if I went that route. The siding makes it such a nuisance with the spacing of things. Before I saw the pvc trick I was considering using the strut and mount a piece of PT 2x10 on it as the mounting board for the box, and at least that way I can put the strut anywhere. I was going to go out the top of the meter box for the service port so just need to align the center of a flat spot on the siding for that.

 

[sparky 1971]

Mount the strut, vertically, to the meter using the factory holes. Make the strut long enough to screw to two of the horizontal framing members. Then, all you have to do is screw the strut to the building and everything is mounted.

 

[rpcraft]

What you say makes sense but I'm just curious if using the strut is some code compliance issue or just what everyone recommends by default? I've just been reading through the Oncor info and best I have been able to determine is you can use wood but it just has to be pressure treated (and you can paint it. A spacer is a spacer in my book so long as it is compliant and I already have the pressure treated wood in my scraps pile so money saved there.

 

[dcg9381]

 

[Codyboy]

Noticed the riser is rigid steel conduit, I would dig down & unscrew the riser & use SCH 80 PVC conduit to off set to the building, because that will make it too low would then add a underground tap box nippled to the meter can. Although it is not a approved PVC bending tool, a weed burner works great to bend PVC.

With the taller meter base it may not be too short.
I was going to suggest the same with removing the rigid below ground and using pvc either formed or two 45s.
Around here you cannot have an accessible splice box on the feeder wire before the meter. Too many thieves will take advantage of that.
If the wire is too short it may be able to be spliced in the meter base, but that to is frowned upon, even though I've let it slide before.
No idea about ops PoCo.

 

[nadogail]

I used unistrut pieces to mount mine after the siding was on. There are tons of different parts and pieces you can bolt togather to get whatever spacing you need. Thats all anyone ever uses around here. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Unist...A-467D-A355-8C988029B52D?tag=atomicindus08-20

Your local power utility probably has guidelines.