# How difficult to move a power meter?



## JawjaBoy (Jan 21, 2013)

We are thinking about building on a small utility room/pantry, but the power pole and meter is located exactly where the room would go. I can handle the building and basic wiring, but haven't had any experience with moving a meter before and haven't had a chance to ask anyone local. 

Does anyone know how much trouble this would be? The plan is to leave the breaker box where it is and move the meter and pole about 7 feet to the new outside wall.

I will be checking with a local guy who does construction work later this week to see what his take is, but I wanted to check in here to see if anyone had any experience with this.


----------



## Sawmill Jim (Dec 5, 2008)

From what you describe I bet it will be fun and ouch in the pocket :help:


----------



## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

The cost will be in the wire from the old panel to the new meter base. May need new meter base and pig tail up , with new wire there too depending on roof line and how high you will have to go. May have to use conduit for the wire from meter to panel depending on code and where it has to be routed....James


----------



## farmerj (Aug 20, 2011)

The power company will have to move it. My electrician couldn't even touch the meter itself when we update from a 100 to 200 amp service.

So I would rate it a 10 on the scale of hardest to easiest with 1 being hardest. Make a phone call.


----------



## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

I would talk with your power company preferably in person. Mine was very helpful.

I installed the meter (with flash protector) that they required and all they did was hook it up at the loop AFTER it was inspected by the state inspector. It was pretty simple.


----------



## joseph97297 (Nov 20, 2007)

Don't know where in GA you are, but when we lived there our local Power would handle everything like that, especially the pole part.

We had Georgia Power, so your mileage may vary.


----------



## chuckhole (Mar 2, 2006)

We have three meters at our country place. One pole has a transformer on it so the power company owns that one. But the other two, we own the pole, main breaker, weather head and even have to supply the can for the meter. But I would still get the power company to move it. The way they see it, it's not your pole and breaker that you are moving but their meter and connection that is being moved.

If it is mounted to the side of the house, then you do not even have a pole to move. No hole to provide for them.


----------



## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

If this is a service pole for a MH with above ground feed wire and it has a disconnect box below the meter----where you do not have to break the seal, it should not be to big of a problem------just buy a longer wire. I would move the pole to a place that is the same distance from the next pole that the feed wire is hooked to-----so when you put the pole in the new spot the feed wire is not bagged---just as tight as before. Then "properly" run a new longer wire/pipe/etc to hook it back up to the home.


----------



## wharton (Oct 9, 2011)

This is one of those questions where the only answer is the one that comes from your local utility. Many of the previous posts on this thread simply do not apply to my local utilities. For example, I can call then with a job number and a request to permanently reconnect a job like this, after I have done all the relocating, including cutting and reconnecting their hot income wires, and gotten an inspection.

One issue that you may need to address is the "close as physically practical" aspect of a service installation. Basically, the code and most jurisdictions call for the meter and the service disconnect (typically your panel) to be as close as possible, with the shortest run of wire practical, when it comes to service cable leaving the meter and passing through the structure into the panel. The reason for this is that the service cable has no real circuit breaker protection. So, when you relocate the meter and reconnect to the same panel, you need to either, run the service cable exposed on the exterior of the structure, or install a disconnect switch directly adjacent to the panel, then route the wire to the existing panel. This disconnect then becomes the service disconnect, you need to run a four wire service cable to your old panel, and the panel becomes a sub-panel. Now all of that information is "by the book" and may be exactly how you need to do the job. OTOH, I have worked in some real backwoods locations where the utility couldn't care who does what, and even new installations have a third world look, and a pile of code violations. So, once again, there really is nobody here who can give you the right answer, because it all depends on what the local inspector and utility want to see.


----------



## Fire-Man (Apr 30, 2005)

I 100% agree, IF you are going to get It Inspected---Better Do It Like The Inspecter wants---Code!


----------

