Meter socket conduit routing question

[Marctrees]

Standard 200a Milbank meter socket on residence.

Just the old fashioned 200a size can that holds a meter, nothing else.

The power co has fed from underground and come into bottom leftmost KO and gone straight up then bend to right to line side terminals.

I want to feed a 100a panel by coming out of the left side lowest KO cause overall it would be best end result layout.

A local electrician says "power co doesn't like you to do that", I guess figuring some kinda clearance issue.. but there is plenty of room for the load conductors to cross the line to go out that side KO, especially being only 100a wire.

Electrician sez to go out right side, so no conflict w line wires.

I ask him "Why?" I see no conflict going out the left side, and going out right side doesn't work out well for other reasons.

Did I miss something? Is there a Code issue or something I am not aware of?

Does the POCO have a valid reason ?

I have tried to call them and it seems impossible to get an answer short of having a service guy come out and look.

Marc

 

[tyme2par4]

POCO doesn't need a valid reason. If that's their rule, it's their rule. They aren't going to change it for you.
But what their reason may be, is if they ever need to service their conductors, they would have to move your conductors first.

 

[ard]

Take pictures, go talk to them? Or find a truck and say 'hey, maybe you can answer a question for me?"

 

[teamextreme]

You're assuming there's a "rule" by the POCO only based on some electricians belief. And "doesn't like you to do it that way" is not the same as "thou shalt not do this", in other words, is there really a POCO regulation, or do his lineman buddies just have that preference? I would consult with the POCO directly, as this "rule" doesn't make much sense to me. If there's plenty of room, there shouldn't be any issue with using whatever knockout you want. There certainly isn't any NEC requirement, not that POCO's are bound by that anyway.

 

[Stuart in MN]

I'm guessing on who is your electric utility, but here's a meter installation detail from Deep East Texas Electric: http://www.deepeast.com/sites/deepeast/files/UNDERGROUND_INSTALLATION.pdf


I can only assume they want to keep any wiring on your side of the meter as far away as possible from their incoming wires. It could be for their convenience so their people don't have to work around them, it could be for safety since there's a possibility for your wires to be energized if they touched, even if the meter was pulled.

 

[Aceman]

In the 14 years I've been doing electrical I've never had to relocate conduits in the meterbase just because the power co. "may not like it."

"Show me in their service requirements manual where it says that, or else I'm going to do what I want and what I like."