Electric code mandating moving of meter - San Antonio, Texas

[vudu]

On a quote, an installer has a $1500 fee for moving the electric meter outside the back yard fence and away from the gas meter.

After, we had an electrician come over to get a quote on running conduit to our shed/office and he said the meter did not need to be moved. "The code is, the gas meter outlet needs to be 36 inches away from the center of the elect meter. It is 37 inches".

Anyone familiar with the code care to provide some clarification?

Thank you!

[acamato]

The NEC does not have any distance requirements for electric meters. The requirement will come from the utility companies.

They typically specify a minimum separation distance, not an exact distance. If they specify 36" minimum and you are at 37", you should be good. Call your gas company and elect co.

[vudu]

The NEC does not have any distance requirements for electric meters. The requirement will come from the utility companies.

They typically specify a minimum separation distance, not an exact distance. If they specify 36" minimum and you are at 37", you should be good. Call your gas company and elect co.

Thanks acamato, I'm assuming this is a POCO mandated thing - for those wanting to be eligible for the rebates. On one hand, I like the idea of putting the meter where the readers (who manually walk around reading the meters, still) don't have to come in the back yard. On the other, I don't like that they are taking this opportunity for us to foot the bill. We were told by the installer it was an electrical code - not a POCO code. Mas or menos in this case I guess. Thanks again.

[foo1bar]

Anyone familiar with the code care to provide some clarification?

The local gas company for me has 36" from gas riser (or gas meter output) to *edge* of electrical panel as their spec.

http://www.pge.com/includes/docs/pdfs/mybusiness/customerservice/otherrequests/newconstruction/greenbook/greenbook_manual.pdf#page=83

But it's quite possible/likely they'd allow an existing install to continue to exist with a smaller spacing.

I'd search your gas company's name and 'gas electric meter spacing' - see if anything pops up - and then call them to see if it applies to existing meters. If I was really concerned about it, I'd take a picture with a ruler, create a drawing with measurements showing it as it exists, and take those to their office to get them to sign off.

The Solar installer is going to see it as a lot easier to just move the meter and charge you $1500 for it - rather than setup a meeting and spend 3 hours driving there, meeting with them and driving back - all of which isn't something that looks reasonable to bill you.

[solarix]

All depends on the vagaries of your local authorities.
Building regulations are continually changing (to more and more restrictive of course), and the gas company and electric company may have their own local rules which is why you want a local installer experienced with what the local rules are.
In my area, the electric company will let existing equipment violate all sorts of issues, but when a solar installation gives them leverage over a customer - wham, they demand everything be up to the latest building standards. Your service may have been originally installed on the back of the house cause it was easy access to the powerline running down the alley, but now you have a fence around the yard and the "access" to the service is limited. We've had to move services outside fences for this reason. And if you have a dog inside that fence - oh boy....

[vudu]

Thank you foo1bar, I'm assuming our gas and electric company are one and the same - they are on the same bill at least.

The local gas company for me has 36" from gas riser (or gas meter output) to *edge* of electrical panel as their spec.

The electrician showed me 37" between the gas meter riser and the *center* of the round elect meter - so I suppose that is a little different.

In any case, I think the POCO just *wants* it moved - can't blame them - I just wanted to confirm it was not an electrical code mandate.

Thank you!

[Sunking]

Does not matter what any National Code requirement is. Al that matters is what local code dictates. Local code may or may not reflect National code. The Inspector does not give a damn about anything else. He gets what he wants end of story. The answer is found by contacting your local building permitting office and double check with both utilities for any of their requirements. Minimum separation is the longest distance requirement of the 3 authorities. Don't waste any money or time arguing, you cannot win.

[vudu]

Thank you all!

I have enough information now to make a more informed decision.

I'm always appreciative and amazed by the time pros out there in the field are willing to spend to help us noobs out.

Thank you

[acamato]

if CPS is your utility. google this "Gas_Service_Standards_CPSEnergy.pdf"
page 23/24 covers the gas meter clearances.


A meter and/or service regulator vent cannot be placed within 3 feet of a
source of ignition, such as an open flame or pilot light, an electrical panel,
circuit breakers (the CPS Energy electric meter is not considered a source of
ignition when installed in an exterior, well-ventilated location), or any other
ignition source including a CPS Energy transformer.

[inetdog]

...(the CPS Energy electric meter is not considered a source of
ignition when installed in an exterior, well-ventilated location), ...[/I]

Which is interesting if their Smart Meters, like those of most POCOs, incorporate a contactor for remotely disconnecting service. I am not sure whether the devices used are solid state, sealed contact, or open contact technology.

[acamato]

Which is interesting if their Smart Meters, like those of most POCOs, incorporate a contactor for remotely disconnecting service. I am not sure whether the devices used are solid state, sealed contact, or open contact technology.

They probably make the exception because the chance that air around will be above the lower explosive limit is very very low in a exterior well ventilated environment. The LEL of natural gas is 4.4% or 44,000 PPM.

[inetdog]

They probably make the exception because the chance that air around will be above the lower explosive limit is very very low in a exterior well ventilated environment. The LEL of natural gas is 4.4% or 44,000 PPM.

And the concentration will somehow be magically higher inside an enclosed breaker panel even though the only way the gas would get there would be through open air?
Since natural gas is close to the density of air, there is not even much of a factor for gas collecting in high or low spots of the architecture.