From: fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com (Fred Christiansen)
Subject: Re: Moving a power panel
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Technical Systems Operations
Date: Mon, 27 Jul 1992 18:45:08 GMT

[Me, originally]
>>>> I'd like to understand what the options are for the following situation:
>>>>                       |-----------|--------------------------|
>>>>                       |           |                          |
>>>>                       |  future   |  house to be built       |
>>>>                       |  garage   |  starting in 2 weeks     |
>>>> .....................Y|...maybe..X|                          |
>>>>                       |  in 2-3   |-------------|            |
>>>>                       |   years   |Z            |            |
>>>>                       |-----------|             |------------|

[Chris?]
>>>An even better suggestion for Fred - ask your electrical utility.
>>>Only your electrical utility knows for sure...

[patter@dasher.cc.bellcore.com]
>>In his original posting Fred said that the utility company gave him no
>>choice. If I understood him correctly, they are going to put the meter
>>at location X in the top sketch and there isn't anything he can do about
>>it.

First, I want to say a big thanks to all the respondents.  Helpful, as
always.  Second, with hindsight, I see I should have made a few details
clearer.  Here goes:

I met the utility service designer at my lot and showed him where the house
will go.  He indicated that "X" looked like the best spot because of where
the service cable runs from the J (for "junction"?) box will come from (he
happens to also be relocating the J-box).  So, yes, that's where they
told me to put it (very standard location for new homes that are going
up in droves around here).  However, some flexibility remains.

I pointed out to the designer that I will be adding a garage, so maybe "X'
would not be so good.  His suggestion was to put the power meter and main
disconnect breaker switch on a power pole (of utility's specification,
whatever that entails) at roughly location "Y" and then relocate it later
to the side of the garage.  He qualified this by saying he's done this in
rural locations but never in the City of Phoenix and maybe the City would
object.  So, possible but not certain.  I'll take it up at plan review
time with the City (sometime this week, they say).

My electrician suggested putting in a small footer and stem wall and putting
up a "standing all by itself" 4 ft wall frame, then later incorporating it
into the garage structure.  My concrete contractor, however, said that a
partial footing and stem wall arrangement was not reasonably workable; really
must do the whole footing and stem or none of it.  Well, if I do the whole
thing I'll have anchor bolts and stem wall sticking up, making a physical
hazard for my kids at play.  Moreover, it seems highly questionable if the
City would accept this odd arrangement.

Since the two people's creativity seemed limited to the above, I turned to
my favorite "good idea" resource -- all of you out there in Netnews land.

[Chris Lewis:]
>I musta missed that part.
>In that case, his second idea (moving the meter base and disconnect
>switch to Y, and running a big cable from Y to X (the panel) is by
>far the best way when the garage gets built.  Splicing all of the internal
>runs will be a royal pain in the ass, and cost more.  Use a separate
>disconnect switch and panel.

I was leaning this way.  However, the idea of locating things at "Z" (per
Russ Cage) sounds interesting; the cable run would be only slightly longer.
However, I'm concerned about the "elbows" in the run.  I am permitted only
270 degrees of bend (including the 90 for the riser).  Other info:  2" metal
conduit is required; bends must sweep a 24" radius; must have at least 12"
from adjoining wall to center of meter face.  With some design tho't, maybe
can do.  That would just leave the aesthetic issue of a meter on the front
of the house.

Note that the design of the house and the distance to the J-box tend to
preclude a back-wall mount (even if that was acceptable to the utility,
which I doubt, given how they read meters around here).
-- 
Fred Christiansen, Motorola, 2900 S Diablo Way, Tempe, AZ 85282  "Canajun, eh?"
fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com  ||  uunet!phx.mcd.mot.com!fredch  ||  +1 602-438-3464
  On Attitude & the Immune System:  A sound heart is the life of the flesh:
    but envy the rottenness of the bones.  Prov 14:30
Newsgroups: misc.consumers.house