Where is your spirit of adventure? Better to beg for forgiveness than to
ask permission?
On 15/07/2021 1:25 PM, dan penoff.com via Mercedes wrote:
This is a possibility, however, messing with the meter for most electrical
utilities is a major league no-no, like fining you or putting in a commercial
meter box that has the meter behind a window so you can’t get at it (all of
this on your dime, too.)
Most utilities will coordinate pulling and replacing a meter without too much
hassle. You break the seal and you’re in for some serious hurt.
-D
On Jul 15, 2021, at 11:59 AM, Randy Bennell via Mercedes
<mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote:
I am not an electrician and I know nothing about the rules in Florida, so take
this with a grain of salt.
I think you should be able to install a splitter box (which is basically a
metal box with terminals inside to connect wires ) where the old panel is and
then run new wires up to a new panel, or perhaps up to 2 new panels. A friend
has a set up like that in his house. He has 2 100 Amp panels. The ability to
have an actual 200 Amps likely depends on how big the wire coming in is and the
size of the meter box but often the issue is not so much the need for 200 Amps
as it is the need for space for more breakers etc. Who uses all of their
electrical stuff at one time?
You are likely not allowed to do it but if you can remove the meter from the
socket, then there would be no power feed into the house and you could install
the splitter box and a new panel quite safely. Then just push the meter back
in. Around here the meters are glass or now plastic covered bowl shaped things.
There is a ring around the outside that holds it onto the meter socket box.
Remove the seal and the ring comes off. Then you should be able to pull the
meter out if you wiggle it a bit as you pull. It just has male metal terminals
that go into female terminals on the inside of the meter socket box. To
re-install you just push it in tight to the socket frame and put the ring clamp
back on. Leave the broken seal on the ground under it so the utility company
thinks it fell off?
You should get permits for this sort of thing and/or hire an electrician, but
lots of people do things like this themselves. Just be careful and know what
you are doing.
A friend actually changed out his panel while it was live. He did not want to
pull the meter because he knew there was a broken part in the meter socket and
it would have to be replaced. He disconnected wires in the panel and taped
rubber spark plug boots over the ends in order to get them out of the panel and
into the new panel while they were live. I thought he was crazy to risk it but
he did it without killing himself.
On 14/07/2021 6:48 PM, dan penoff.com via Mercedes wrote:
Wondering if anyone here has experience with relocating an existing
distribution panel in a house?
In this case the existing panel, a 1970s 100A service panel, has been partially
obstructed by “improvements” to the house that place it at or near floor level
of an exterior deck.
[cid:0852C906-A70E-43D0-A951-22936A1E8C78][cid:BA5F3A9B-D003-4A56-A2DF-E8D575390C6D]
Ideally, I would want to raise it up to the proper height as well as possibly
increase the size to a 200A service. I realize the service capacity would be a
utility thing we would have to work out with them. From my experience with
utilities, it shouldn’t involve any changes to speak of as I suspect the
transformer and service drop is probably good for 200A.
I guess my primary concern is if this can even be done. And how would they
connect the existing cables to extend them? Split bolts? Crimps? Or is this
even feasible without rewiring the whole house?
TIA,
-D
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