If you’re installing a new meter box or changing a circuit in an existing one, it’s important to follow a few safety precautions. These will help to prevent shock or fire from electrical wires that could be in the wrong place.
Before you start wiring, you should first turn off your main switch and make sure that the breaker is not on. This is a crucial step as it avoids any possibility of electrocution or shock if you have to connect the wire to the meter box. You’ll also need a voltmeter to check the voltage of the breaker.
When it comes to wiring the meter to the breaker box, it’s essential that you use the right tools and techniques for this job. This will ensure that you’re safe and that the job will go smoothly.
You should always follow the instructions carefully and be aware of any possible hazards. This will save you from unnecessary damages and accidents in the future.
1. Measure the height of your meter base and install it accordingly.
It’s important to choose a meter base that is high enough from the ground to be accessible without a ladder. This is especially useful if you plan to install the meter in a low-slung ceiling. This is because the meter base needs to be high enough to accommodate its mechanism and the wires that it will have to use for power connections.
2. Locate the meter’s ground wire.
It is vital to connect the ground wire from the meter to the breaker’s ground bar to avoid any damage or injury if there were to be a reconnection of main power. In addition, the breaker should have an external ground support that you can attach to it using a rubber mallet or screwdriver.
3. Connect the meter’s wires to the correct terminals on the meter base.
A meter base contains three large-gauge stranded wires that enter it from a weather head on a metal mast (or from underground service). These wires are then connected to the corresponding line terminals on the hot and neutral bus bars on the upper section of the meter base. There is also a connection lug for the grounding wire, which is bonded to the center neutral bus bar in the meter base.
4. Test each phase terminal on the meter base to make sure that power is on and that the neutrals are connected correctly.
When you have made all of the proper connections, you can proceed to turning on the electricity to your meter. This will allow you to read the meter’s readings and check the status of any fuses or breakers that may need to be reset.
5. Connect the meter to Calman.
If you’re using a colorimeter or spectrophotometer, you will need to calibrate it with Calman before it can send its data back to the meter. This is done in the meter’s settings page.
In order to do this, you will need a computer running Calman and a USB cable that connects the meter to the computer. This is a simple process that can be completed with a little bit of patience and effort.