Conductors Through Meter Socket

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mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
I plan to install a whole house generator. The ATS will be mounted next to the existing outside meter with a new conduit between the meter socket and ATS. To connect the ATS load to the old main panel I want to use the existing nipple between the meter socket and the main panel just inside the garage (through the exterior wall). My question is, is it acceptable to run back through the meter socket to get back to that nipple going to the main (now sub panel) panel. I am hoping to avoid a new complete run of conduit to the old main panel because it is in a finished wall in the garage, and I would really have to make a mess of the interior wall around the panel.
 

texie

Senior Member
Location
Fort Collins, Colorado
Occupation
Electrician, Contractor, Inspector
No as you can't run service conductors in the same raceway as other conductors. Also likely not enough room to be compliant anyway. And many POCOs would not allow it in any event. All that said, I've seen it done.
 

Carultch

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
Thanks for that but is the inside of a meter socket a raceway?

If it is a socket for a customer-owned meter (e.g. check meter), as opposed to your utility service meter, and if it doesn't contain service conductors, the vacant space inside the socket enclosure can be used as a raceway for pass-thru conductors, just like the space in panelboards or other enclosures. This means a meter whose measurement data doesn't concern the utility, but instead is for purposes that concern the property owner/tenant. This is a meter that would be cold-sequence, such that it would be possible to de-energize both the metered circuit and the pass-thru circuit with disconnects/breakers on the premises. You'd need a label to describe where to find the disconnecting means for the pass-thru circuit.

Utility service meter sockets by contrast, should be dedicated to the service conductors. Not only because the meter is likely hot-sequence and requires a utility shutdown to de-energize, but also because utility rules will govern what can be inside an enclosure that is dedicated to their metering. It is common that utilities don't allow foreign connectors or circuits.
 

mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
If it is a socket for a customer-owned meter (e.g. check meter), as opposed to your utility service meter, and if it doesn't contain service conductors, the vacant space inside the socket enclosure can be used as a raceway for pass-thru conductors, just like the space in panelboards or other enclosures. This means a meter whose measurement data doesn't concern the utility, but instead is for purposes that concern the property owner/tenant. This is a meter that would be cold-sequence, such that it would be possible to de-energize both the metered circuit and the pass-thru circuit with disconnects/breakers on the premises. You'd need a label to describe where to find the disconnecting means for the pass-thru circuit.

Utility service meter sockets by contrast, should be dedicated to the service conductors. Not only because the meter is likely hot-sequence and requires a utility shutdown to de-energize, but also because utility rules will govern what can be inside an enclosure that is dedicated to their metering. It is common that utilities don't allow foreign connectors or circuits.
Thanks for all the help with this guys
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
You could move the meter and mount the ATS over the nipple, or mount the ATS inside, next to the panel.

Or, an access panel in the garage could give you access to go through the exterior wall and a stud with SER.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
Occupation
EC - retired
A meter enclosure is not a raceway or a wireway, come on you know better and are being sloppy! You will not find any NEC prohibition on this, but POCO will almost certainly not like it.
My thoughts are if you are using it as a wireway, it is one. Sounds like he is planning on using the same conduit from the meter socket to the ATS, then back through the meter socket to the now sub panel. 230.7 still stands.
 

mkgrady

Senior Member
Location
Massachusetts
You could move the meter and mount the ATS over the nipple, or mount the ATS inside, next to the panel.

Or, an access panel in the garage could give you access to go through the exterior wall and a stud with SER.
I would do that but the service comes from underground. If it were overhead I would do it that way
 
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