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Installing a separate watthour meter and confused by bonding neutral and ground paul.peavyhouse 01-16-2007
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Posted by on January 16, 2007, 2:31 pm


I am installing a separate watthour meter in my home to monitor the
power usage of a high load appliance in my garage. The meter is 2
phase 3 wire and is designed w/ the neutral (center pole) bonded to the
housing; there is no way around this, nor have I seen any meters that
make this an option.

I plan to run THHN 4446 wire from my main panel through metal conduit
to the meter housing; the conduit and the meter housing would both be
ground.

Thus, when I tie down the neutral to the meter I would have no choice
but to bond it to ground (as the housing is designed).

>From my understanding, neutral and ground are only supposed to be
bonded together in one location: the main service entrance breaker box.
If I am bonding neutral to ground at this second location (my meter
housing), isn't that bad?

What am I supposed to do w/ the ground in a meter housing?
Am I not supposed to bring ground in to the meter housing?
Is it OK to bond ground and neutral in a meter housing?
If not, do I not connect the conduit/housing to the main service
ground, and then just run a separate ground for my garage
conduit/housing?

Thanks!

Pv


Posted by professorpaul on January 16, 2007, 4:21 pm


I have seen a meter for just this -- you plug in the appliance and it
gives you the wattage drawn (I assume it is calculating real power, not
VA's)


Posted by RBM on January 16, 2007, 5:26 pm


It's single phase three wire, not two phase. Typical watt hour meters used
by utility companies bond their neutral to the fifth jaw of the meter, which
is grounded by the utility companies neutral and you don't run a separate
ground to the meter box. If you are trying to sub meter, you may be better
off using something like an "emon demon" designed for that purpose



>I am installing a separate watthour meter in my home to monitor the
> power usage of a high load appliance in my garage. The meter is 2
> phase 3 wire and is designed w/ the neutral (center pole) bonded to the
> housing; there is no way around this, nor have I seen any meters that
> make this an option.
>
> I plan to run THHN 4446 wire from my main panel through metal conduit
> to the meter housing; the conduit and the meter housing would both be
> ground.
>
> Thus, when I tie down the neutral to the meter I would have no choice
> but to bond it to ground (as the housing is designed).
>
>>From my understanding, neutral and ground are only supposed to be
> bonded together in one location: the main service entrance breaker box.
> If I am bonding neutral to ground at this second location (my meter
> housing), isn't that bad?
>
> What am I supposed to do w/ the ground in a meter housing?
> Am I not supposed to bring ground in to the meter housing?
> Is it OK to bond ground and neutral in a meter housing?
> If not, do I not connect the conduit/housing to the main service
> ground, and then just run a separate ground for my garage
> conduit/housing?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Pv
>



Posted by on January 16, 2007, 7:59 pm



RBM (remove this) wrote:
> It's single phase three wire, not two phase. Typical watt hour meters used
> by utility companies bond their neutral to the fifth jaw of the meter, which
> is grounded by the utility companies neutral and you don't run a separate
> ground to the meter box. If you are trying to sub meter, you may be better
> off using something like an "emon demon" designed for that purpose

Sorry, I meant 2 pole (single phase), not 2 phase.

At first I considered getting an emon, but it seemed that a watthour
meter and housing was more professional looking.

I am using an Itron Centron meter.

Do I need a "neutral isolation kit" in order to properly set up a
submeter?

Thanks!

Pv


Posted by RBM on January 16, 2007, 8:03 pm


I'm not familiar with that meter, that's why I suggested an Emon, to avoid
the problem


>
> RBM (remove this) wrote:
>> It's single phase three wire, not two phase. Typical watt hour meters
>> used
>> by utility companies bond their neutral to the fifth jaw of the meter,
>> which
>> is grounded by the utility companies neutral and you don't run a separate
>> ground to the meter box. If you are trying to sub meter, you may be
>> better
>> off using something like an "emon demon" designed for that purpose
>
> Sorry, I meant 2 pole (single phase), not 2 phase.
>
> At first I considered getting an emon, but it seemed that a watthour
> meter and housing was more professional looking.
>
> I am using an Itron Centron meter.
>
> Do I need a "neutral isolation kit" in order to properly set up a
> submeter?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Pv
>



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