Meter Base Upgrades / Repairs
What is a Meter Base?
The meter base is the enclosure that houses your electric meter. With out an intact meter base and meter, you cannot maintain a connection to the grid. The meter base houses an enclosed socket for the power company’s meter to connect to. It must keep all the electrical connections and wires inside dry and protected from the elements.
Each building is different. Any structure still being served with a round, ringed, 60A base in due for replacement. Typical homes today have 200A minimum service requirements. That’s not to say lower or higher capacities can still be appropriate given its application. We can let know how your service matches up to current safety standards and modern needs.
Why do I have to pay to fix the power company’s equipment?
While your local power company uses and supplies the meter within the base, you are responsible for all the equipment from the point of attachment on. The power company is only responsible for supplying power to the point of attachment.
If a storm knocks the line off your home. It is your responsibility to get it repaired, if the point of attachment was damaged. If the wire simply snapped, the power company should reconnect you free of charge, but will force you to make any needed repairs before doing so.
If you have underground service, you are required to provide the power company a clear path, i.e. trench, to lay their cable in. As well as a proper conduit system to protect their wiring up to the meter base.
Meter Base Upgrades
If your meter base is older, it may need to be upgraded to meet the new code requirements. The code is continually updated to meet the needs of today.
We are able to upgrade your existing meter base to a higher amperage. The standard today for a typical home is 200A. Most new homes are built with 200A services. Below are pictures of different meter base capacities that you can compare your meter base to.
Some meter bases may vary, you can only be sure what equipment you have by having it inspected by a qualified electrician.
Many customers have flickering and dimming lights or other problems due to lack of amperage capacity. Upgrading your meter base and panel will eliminate these problems and give you more room to add more circuits to your home.
