An electric meter box, also known as an electric meter pan, holds the meter socket, where the electric meter is then plugged in. Three terminal plugs are contained inside the socket. These lugs hold the electrical cables that come from the main electrical service to your home. The process of upgrading electric meter pans and installing replacement meter pans is a difficult one. This is a task that is best suited to an experienced, licensed electrician like the ones at Empire Electrical Solutions.

Why Upgrade/Install a New Meter Pan?

There are various reasons why you might find yourself in need of an upgrade or installation of a new meter pan. The components being the primary one. For example, meter cans often need replacing when the jaws on the inside become defective.

The screws on your panel and meter may come loose over time. This happens because the heat that is produced by the flow of electricity. This heat will cause contractions and expansions of the wires, then causing the screws to potentially loosen. It’s a good idea to tighten these screws a couple of times a year to help prevent some serious problems. Consider having Empire Electrical Solutions come out and service your meter pan once a year.

A meter socket is a major component of the electrical system in your home. It is often located outside the house, mounted on the wall. The way they’re designed, they often have a life span of over 30 years. However, many factors can degrade the socket and its performance. For starters, if the initial installation of the socket wasn’t up to standard, it may not have the strength or life span expected of it by the electrical system or the homeowner. Other factors include environmental contaminants, excessive moisture, frequent meter changes, overloading fuses, short-circuiting, storm damage, and sometimes vandalism.

Smart Panels

Old electric meter technology dates back to the time of Thomas Edison, but it is important to note that it wasn’t the most efficient way of calculating power usage. Many details available to us now were denied with the older tech that to allow for a cut in costs. The only information the older panels give us is the total amount of power used within each month.

However, there is the new tech that takes a step in the right direction to change the information we receive. It almost instantly transmits information to you and the utility company, making the bill more accurate. There is much more information that a new digital meter can give you.

Empire Electrical Solutions, based in San Luis Obispo, is skilled and trained in upgrading electric meters. We are experienced in installing meter pans in both new and old homes as well as multi-family and commercial construction. It’s important to leave this kind of job to professionals, as it’s not safe to do an installation with live wires unless you know what you’re doing. Picking someone who knows the risks, how to avoid them, and safely install/upgrade your electrical meter pan/socket is vital to the safety of your home and family.