December 3, 2011 By Dave Rongey ©2007-2012Author - Licensed Electrical Contractor Filed under Electric Meter
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Garage Wiring and Electrical Service Panel |
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Rules For Home Electrical Meter Panels
- The easiest way is to run a new panel with another meter.
- The garage is attached to my existing garage and house.
- The additional meter would be about 75 feet from my meter for the house.
My question is can I have two electric meters for 1 house?
Do I need to put up a firewall between house and garage or what?
My local electrical utility Ottertail power guy says I cant have two meters, but a couple electricians say I can.
I’m at a stand still and ground is gonna freeze soon.
Please help.
Thanks.
This electrical question came from: John, a Contractor from Tower City North Dakota, Cass county
Dave’s Reply:
Thanks for your electrical question John.
Rules For Multiple Home Electrical Meter Panels
- Typically for a home residence you cannot have more than one electrical utility company meter.
- There are some exceptions, but this is strictly up to the electrical utility provider and the local building department.
- A approved rated fire wall or fire barrier is typically required between the garage and the home when the garage is attached to the home which extends up through the attic space.
- Check with your local electric utility company and building department for complete details for your specific location.
The Following links will assist you with your electrical question:
Electrical Panel Circuit Listing
electric panel
House Wiring Circuits and Circuit Breakers
This article looks at common 120 volt and 240 volt house wiring circuits and the circuit breakers that are installed identifying the types and amperage sizes used in most homes.
How to Install Garage Electrical Wiring
Garage Electrical Wiring
Fully Explained Photos and Wiring Diagrams for Garage Electrical Wiring with Code Requirements for most new or remodel projects.
For more information about Electrical Code
Electrical Code
Home Electrical Code
Electrical Code Directory covering afci-circuit, electrical-boxes, electrical-circuit, electrical-code-outlets, electrical GFCI, electrical-grounding, electrical-project, electrical-services, electrical-underground, electrical-wiring, electrical-wiring-code, lighting-codes and smoke-detectors.
Be Careful and Be Safe - Never Work on Energized Circuits!
Consult your Local Building Department about Permits and Inspections for all projects.
For Best Results Consult a Licensed Electrical Contractor in Your Area
Hi Jonathan,
If multiple ground rods will be installed then they should e 6 feet or more apart.
A continuous conductor may be installed as long as it is protected.
The size of the ground conductor is determined by the size of the main electrical service.
Please see the Electrical Codes for Grounding for more information.
I’m very glad you enjoy the newsletters, I will be sending another one very soon.
I hope this helps,
Dave
I am told that I will need two ground rods for my garage.The garage was wired a long time ago and only has 3 #6 wires from the main panel. I want to bring it up to code. Do I need to pull a ground wire from the house main? Or can I just use the double ground rod? Also how far apart should the ground rods be. I know the code says 16 feet for separate grounds but these would be for one panel. Also can I run one continuous wire from one rod to the other and on to the panel?
Thanks.
P.S. I love your newsletter. It is the first e-mail I open.