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 > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
