I had a question on electrical meters and the amps they are rated for. This is my personal meter and it is a round one which would be a 60 amp meter according to the electrical training on this site. The guts of this meter was replaced a few years ago and it is very common in my area for the electric company to replace the guts of the meter with a new one and leave it in the same can. Is there a way of telling the amps capability of the meter itself? On my personal house I only have a 70 amp feed at maximum but I do know the meter was replaced about 4 or 5 years ago and I see brand new meters in old cans all the time with new risers or new main disconnects but with the same old can. I have actually seen the power company replace one before and leave the new one in the same can. Do they replace the old with a new 60 or 100-150 or 200 what ever the can is rated for or how does that work? Thanks
The meter appears to be rated for a maximum of 200 amps. Unlike the service (70 amps) which could be a lower value. If your distribution panel were rated higher than the service coming in you might have a potential problem.
Ok thanks I have just been going through the electrical training and it tells us to identify the meter by which can it is in so it started to confuse me. Thanks for all of your responses.
It used to be that round base was 60, square was 100, and rectangle was 150 and up.
However, the utility company decides. I had the same issue. A round can with a 200 amp meter in it. When I asked the power company, they said they wouldn’t put a 200 amp meter in if the service wasn’t rated for such.
I have 4 gauge wires, which is good for about 85 amps. When I told the power company this, they repeated the above.
So I switched out the fuse panel for a 100 amp panel and a 100 amp sub-panel, and mounted a fire extinguisher beside the panels.
It also looks like a disconnect below that meter. If it is, then everything downstream from that is a sub-panel. If your breaker box is a sub-panel, then the neutrals and bare grounds have to be isolated on different buss bars.
The power company a long time ago changed to 200 .Why have a bunch of nothing when a 200 will handle most everything.
The meter rating doesn’t say what the service really is.
It is only the capacity of the meter.
You are mixing up the meter and meter and meter base. The meter is the round glass domed thingy with all the dials on it.
The meter plugs into the base like a giant electrical plug, and probably every one you will find is rated for 200 amps, it means nothing at all, meters are owned and installed by the power company, the owner has no control over it., there is no need to say anything other than talk to the power company.
The meter base is the box it plugs into.
Maximum amp rating of the base (box) will be based on how many cubic inches are inside.
Big amps need big wires, so more cubic inches, and bigger boxes.
Related is the conduit diameter. Big amps, fat wires, larger diameter conduit.
Other than the meter itself and (only) the wires that run from pole to house, all boxes, conduits, fittings and fastenings are the responsibility of the home owner, and meat for your inspection.
