# disconnect ahead of meter cabinet



## codeworks (Mar 26, 2012)

heres a doosie. we are going to logger heads with our poco because they are saying they want disconnects  to be installled ahead of the meter cabinet to "keep thier guys safe" i've never heard of it. if they really want it, thats fine, but then  they own it and should supply it disco)  and install  it( it's in their supply loop) we will still need one on the other side (load side of the meter ) for disconnect of services after the meter. any input, any one heard of this, seen it before ? i can't understand why if the poco is worried about guys pulling meters, they should pull the cutout on the pole


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## cda (Mar 26, 2012)

Thought they owned everything before the meter??

This is the electric company right?


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## codeworks (Mar 26, 2012)

yes, but they (poco) want the electrical contractor to install the disco ahead of the meter......from our stand point, that a big ol' no, he installs after meter, ahead of meter is all poco


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## Dennis (Mar 26, 2012)

I have heard of it but never worked with it.  Most poco's won't allow it.  I think you need to be careful here because once you hit that disconnect then you must use 4 wires in the meter can and the neutral will have to be isolated from the can.  I believe they make them but it another expense.  You should not need another disconnect on the load side of the meter.


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## steveray (Mar 26, 2012)

Do they want an actual disco or just a bypass meter?


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## Dennis (Mar 26, 2012)

Bypass meter will not kill the power on the load side of the meter.  I can't imagine why they need that as they seldom have to get into the meter.


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## codeworks (Mar 26, 2012)

the argurment i'm hearing is "it's 480 volts so we need to keep our guys safe" i've done some big work and never seen or heard of this. maybe they don't employ linemen. is there something on the nesc i'm missing ? wheres mark handler or dennis alwhon ? or an electrical enginner


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## chris kennedy (Mar 26, 2012)

Dennis said:
			
		

> I think you need to be careful here because once you hit that disconnect then you must use 4 wires in the meter can and the neutral will have to be isolated from the can.


Would 250.142(B) exception 2 allow this? Hope so, I have done it before.


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## Dennis (Mar 26, 2012)

chris kennedy said:
			
		

> Would 250.142(B) exception 2 allow this? Hope so, I have done it before.


Yes, that would work as long as those conditions are met.  As I said I never did it and did not know of the exception.


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## chris kennedy (Mar 26, 2012)

Dennis said:
			
		

> Yes, that would work as long as those conditions are met.  As I said I never did it and did not know of the exception.


Yeah, I'm going through my old pics, pretty sure it was one of the State Lab jobs.


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## Dennis (Mar 26, 2012)

codeworks said:
			
		

> the argurment i'm hearing is "it's 480 volts so we need to keep our guys safe" i've done some big work and never seen or heard of this. maybe they don't employ linemen. is there something on the nesc i'm missing ? wheres mark handler or dennis alwhon ? or an electrical enginner


I am Dennis Alwon   , and I have heard that some people have had to buy a special meter.  Now with 3 phase 480v there may be some ground fault protection involved so it may not be allowed.  I don't mean GFCI but rather the adjustable ground fault in the larger main breakers.


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## north star (Mar 26, 2012)

*+  =  +*

Chris,

Isn't this sort of connection "atypical"?......How many experienced electricians,

or even inspectors, are going to be able to approve this, regardless of the

POCO mandate / desires?......If I were the AHJ, I would want something in

writing "REQUESTING" / justifying this expense.

*=  +  =*


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## chris kennedy (Mar 26, 2012)

Dennis said:
			
		

> I am Dennis Alwon


OP is looking for Dennis Alwhon.



> Now with 3 phase 480v there may be some ground fault protection involved so it may not be allowed.


230.95 only requires it at 1000A and up, that type of service is CT metered so I'm guessing the OP's service in question is fairly small.



			
				north star said:
			
		

> *+  =  +*Chris,
> 
> Isn't this sort of connection "atypical"?......How many experienced electricians,
> 
> ...


Absolutely, thats why I'm trying to find a pic. Here the poco (FLP) white book says that disco's, wireways with taps, splice boxes, ect... ahead of metering equip is a no-no, yet often my installs may require one of the above and FPL hooks me right up. On larger commercial jobs there is quite a bit of dancing around with poco during design stages.


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## north star (Mar 26, 2012)

*= < > =*



*Might be a good time for " codeworks' " AHJ to have some*

*communicado with the POCO asking some questions as to*

*why.....Unfunded / unjustified mandates don't set too well*

*with consumers, especially since they *[ we ]* are the*

*ones picking up the bill.   :censored*

*= < > =*


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## Dennis (Mar 26, 2012)

chris kennedy said:
			
		

> OP is looking for Dennis Alwhon.   230.95 only requires it at 1000A and up, that type os service is CT metered so I'm guessing the OP's service in question is fairly small.


Good point. That's why they give you the commercial jobs and me the residential jobs.     Usually over 400 amps it is a CT setup although I had a local poco engineer tell me I could do 500 amps with a 320 amp meter base.  I said I don't think so.


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## paul hardy (Mar 26, 2012)

It is required by our power company in certain occasions as seen on page 121 the lateral would feed the customer service disconnect that is before all of the meter sockets.

https://customerservice.southerncompany.com/PDF/BlueBook.pdf


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## codeworks (Mar 28, 2012)

thanks all for the information. i greatly appreciate it. dennis thru me for a loop with that "mild" photo gallery lol! i'm still unsure what's going on out there, i was out yesterday.


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## Dennis (Mar 28, 2012)

codeworks said:
			
		

> thanks all for the information. i greatly appreciate it. dennis thru me for a loop with that "mild" photo gallery lol! i'm still unsure what's going on out there, i was out yesterday.


I did not install that link under the amp meter in post #15.  Must be an auto advertise thing-  IDK.


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