Meter Base Question - Electrician Talk - Professional Electrical Contractors Forum

chenley · 10-31-2009, 12:39 AM

Got a question for you guys. On this meter base what is the purpose of the white wire connected between the neutral lugs to phase B?

sparks134 · 10-31-2009, 01:11 AM

b phase is neutral!

cdnelectrician · 10-31-2009, 02:01 AM

Are you sure its connected to a phase conductor in the base? That looks like a typical 7 jaw meter base commonly used on 3 phase wye systems.

It is my understanding that the meter needs the 7th jaw to operate correctly.
Whenever we install a new meter off an existing service (347/600V) even if the tenant does NOT require a neutral, the neutral must still be brought into the meter base and connected to the 7th jaw.

I am wondering what the handle on the right (if it is a handle) is for....never seen something like that before.

Jlarson · 10-31-2009, 02:19 AM

I googled the part#, its a Milbank 200A 7 jaw, 6 for line and load + 1 for the meter's neutral.

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdnelectrician

I am wondering what the handle on the right (if it is a handle) is for....never seen something like that before.

Its a bypass handle, throwing it bypasses the meter so it can be changed without interupting power.

cdnelectrician · 10-31-2009, 02:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jlarson

I googled the part#, its a Milbank 200A 7 jaw, 6 for line and load + 1 for the meter's neutral.

Its a bypass handle, throwing it bypasses the meter so it can be change without interupting power.

I kind of figured that's what it was...good to know though...I have never run into one of these before!

chenley · 10-31-2009, 03:10 PM

Thanks for the answers, my apprentice asked me that while we were putting it up yesterday. We were trying to beat a storm and get everything put in before it came and only glanced at it and thought it was connected to "B" phase. Looking closer I see that 7th jaw now.

By the way we missed that rain storm by one conductor, lol. Got it tied in this morning and ready for inspection Monday.

Speedy Petey · 10-31-2009, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sparks134

b phase is neutral!

huh????

Speedy Petey · 10-31-2009, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jlarson

I googled the part#, its a Milbank 200A 7 jaw, 6 for line and load + 1 for the meter's neutral.

Its a bypass handle, throwing it bypasses the meter so it can be changed without interupting power.

Yup & yup.

We get a lot of 5th jaw meter pans around here are as well, but we rarely need them. That is just what the supply houses get sometimes.