How To Upgrade An Electric Meter To 200-Amp Service – This Old House

Master electrician Scott Caron shows the first phase of replacing an antiquated electrical system.

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36 Responses to "How To Upgrade An Electric Meter To 200-Amp Service – This Old House"

ThreePhaseHigh says:

September 30, 2015 at 3:40 am

There was no need for the expansion coupling. With the top only having a
weatherhead it will move up and down as it expands and contracts.

Reply
anthony c says:

October 30, 2015 at 11:15 pm

Jesus……Hacks Why wouldn’t you use a sleeve? ..Also Pvc pipe to a
weather head? ever hear of Emt? I see code violations , Also Aluminum
feeders but No NoLox? …….Another No No is you don’t Cut all the wires
at 1 time!!! ….he doesn’t even show you that he killed power!! On the
Line side

Reply
Hamza Lateef says:

December 28, 2015 at 4:20 pm

what’s the name of the wire in the conduit , please tell me thanks

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howiboy says:

January 7, 2016 at 7:08 pm

Guy is good, makes it look so easy

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Sarina Hernandez says:

January 9, 2016 at 9:59 pm

the meter 5’6″ maximun 6 ‘. and ridgid conduit 2″.and you can pas the
neutral al the way to panel

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Matthew Braun says:

January 11, 2016 at 11:18 pm

I wonder why there isn’t a main disconnect outside.

Reply
brian phillips says:

January 14, 2016 at 3:46 pm

remember to dig a hole around where you will drive the ground rod so you
can completely bury the rod, preventing possibly hitting it with a lawn
mower or weed trimmer

Reply
brian phillips says:

January 14, 2016 at 3:52 pm

many times an electrician will do this with live power, disconnecting the
meter, unscrew it from the house after removing the house feed, sliding the
meter to the side, installing the new meter and mast with power lead, use
the old house feed to temporarily jump from the bottom of the old meter to
the new meter. this gives us temporary power rather than using a generator.
when done the power company will make the switch and remove the temporary
jumper

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AdamMargie4ever says:

January 18, 2016 at 9:56 pm

awesome video.

Reply
ThreePhaseHigh says:

February 2, 2016 at 9:19 am

Actually he should have went went through the overhang with steel pipe used
a roof flashing and hook the wires to the mask.

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Jeremy Miles says:

February 10, 2016 at 6:35 am

Looks like he put it on the neutral. But looks like none was put on the
feeders. That’s what I was referring to. The video is poor and leaves out
some steps. Also the meter socket is installed too low. Should be 5′ 6″
minimum. Jeremy

Reply
Jeremy Miles says:

February 10, 2016 at 6:44 am

Also to answer someone else’s question, a disconnect is not required
because the panel is less than 6′ away from the meter socket. Jeremy

Reply
VauxhallViva1975 says:

February 15, 2016 at 8:19 am

American power distribution is interesting. So that looks like a 2-phase
supply to that house then, yes? Normally here in New Zealand, you only have
one phase capable of around 80-100 amps @ 230v 50Hz. In USA, they obviously
need a 200A feed for 110v line for roughly the same kW, but it’s still two
phase + neutral, by the look of it. Is this normal for all houses over
there? IE: they all have two-phase supply from the utility side of the
network? Interesting that you have the power meter outside too. Most houses
here, the meter is inside the house. This has the disadvantage that you
have to gain access to the property to be able to read the meter, so the
USA method is much more logical in that respect. 😉 We have quite a lot of
smart meters now, which send usage data back to the power company via the
cell-phone network and text messaging. Also, what’s the idea behind two
earth(ground) stakes? We normally just use one.

Reply
James McBride says:

March 21, 2016 at 4:14 am

What happen to copper wiring now days

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Daniel Beauregard says:

April 9, 2016 at 5:00 pm

Aluminum wiring is not use anymore in neck of the wood.

Reply
Mark Cuellar says:

April 11, 2016 at 1:27 am

Any chance you can get rid of that annoying Target commercial???

Reply
Хлебников Денис says:

April 21, 2016 at 7:53 pm

don’t they have money for copper wires?

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Easter Stedman says:

April 22, 2016 at 6:04 am

I think you need to take some time and go to inplix website to learn how to
make it.

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Corey Mcniel says:

April 22, 2016 at 6:50 am

Im using inplix instructions to make it and I do it already :)

Reply
Daniel LaBuda says:

April 25, 2016 at 2:58 pm

I didn’t think you could glue pvc conduit with the conductors in place due
to possible damage to the wire insulation.

Reply
Mark Cuellar says:

May 1, 2016 at 8:49 pm

ok, thanks waldo.

Reply
Mike Fry says:

May 3, 2016 at 3:43 pm

How much does it cost approximately to upgrade from 100 amp to 200 amp
service?

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John Chambers says:

May 5, 2016 at 6:55 am

aluminum is not allowed here for service entrance has to be all copper.

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wirewizzzz says:

May 6, 2016 at 2:23 am

speed cable is garbage. it’s like using s huge extension cord. it wears out
quick and you end up paying a real electrician to clean up this hacks work.
I can’t believe they would showcase this rookie handyman on TV lol..Use
ridgid pipe.

Reply
sam111880 says:

May 6, 2016 at 11:30 pm

nice video only one thing i don’t get is how the electric company turns off
the power normally to your home. It looks as if they cut the transformer B
, R , W wires from the pole to houses temporarily seems. Seem as they could
just turn a fuse or breaker/switch at the transformer instead… was those
wires just disconnected after words because you where install a whole new
service stick/pole before the meter as well?

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Matt M says:

May 11, 2016 at 4:34 pm

Is the second rod needed if you also bond the water service pipe?

Reply
working shlub says:

May 16, 2016 at 5:53 pm

nothing wrong with using aluminum for the service drop as long as
everything is nolox.

Reply
MrCamo says:

May 19, 2016 at 3:21 am

this is usually a way bigger pain in the dick than Scott makes it seem.
Especially setting the service, or if the power company requires the
electrician to cut the live service entrance.

Reply
AP2brolic says:

May 22, 2016 at 5:24 am

No deox

Reply
FrozenHaxor says:

June 27, 2016 at 12:32 pm

Lol, “upgrading” to Aluminium, only in America haha! Not even legal anymore
in Europe.

Reply
Mauricio de Oliveira dos Santos says:

July 13, 2016 at 6:42 pm

oooooowwwwwww very goooood, Hello my name is Mauricio and I currently live
in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil . His videos are wonderful and I’m learning a
lot , I’m electrician and electrical technician in Brazil and in 2017 I
finish my degree in Electrical Engineering and I am eager to go to the USA
. I would like to ask me adicionasse on Whatsapp to take some questions and
learn a little more with you. Your works are wonderful . My Whatsapp is
+5521982222928 . God be with you , and best wishes .

Reply
Arturo from Tucson says:

August 14, 2016 at 5:50 am

sledgehammering the rods out here is the hardest part of the job. a foot
deep and the ground is like concrete. rods bounce back

Reply
MrElPoderozo1 says:

August 16, 2016 at 3:12 pm

I always wonder who regulates the meter meaning who makes sure that is not
running too fast. I know the electric company owns the meter but I wonder
if the company that makes the meters is also owned by the Electric Company.
Who is to say that the Electric Company wont have them made to run faster
so that we as consumers use more electricity? I mean who regulates that?
and makes sure that wont happen? I have a friend that his house would
consume a tremendous amount of electricity even when he was gone in
vacation for 3 weeks and leave all lights off except one on a timer and
still consume way too much electricity.Turns out that after calling the
electric company and complaining several time for years NOT that they care
cause all they said everytime was that all was good that there was nothing
they could do,well it came a time to upgrade for a new meter and his bill
started to come down. So my point is that they do get old and out of timing
and we pay for it. Meanwhile they make a ton of money out of us.

Reply
Kevin and Jindi Behbahany says:

August 30, 2016 at 2:03 pm

Vin Diesel in “The Electrician”

Reply
Paul Pomeroy says:

September 2, 2016 at 12:44 pm

#HazardousGuru420 “230.91 Location. The service overcun’ent device shall be
an integral part of the service disconnecting means or shall
be located immediately adjacent thereto.” @TheChosenOne

Reply
Arslan Shezad says:

September 13, 2016 at 10:27 am

shani hi

Reply

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