Meter-main replacement in Sacramento
The meter socket and main disconnect are the first piece of equipment on your side of the utility’s wire. When that combination corrodes, cracks, or the utility flags it, we replace it at the same amperage — and bring the outdoor emergency disconnect up to current code.
On this page 4 sections
Meter-main replacement: the service entrance itself, replaced at the same amperage
The meter socket and the main disconnect are the first piece of equipment on your side of the utility’s wire — a single combination enclosure the power company meters and the whole house shuts off at. When that assembly corrodes, cracks, or the utility flags it, it gets replaced at the same amperage. This is the hardware the power comes in through, not the panel it feeds and not a bigger service.
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What the assembly is
The meter socket and the service disconnect in one enclosure, sitting between the utility drop and everything inside. Older houses often have a meter outdoors and a separate main indoors; a replacement usually comes back as one outdoor combination unit.
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Why it gets replaced
A cracked socket, a burnt or loose lug, corrosion at the terminals, or a utility tag that says the equipment is no longer acceptable. The rating is not the problem — the condition is.
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Why it is showing up now
Current code (2025 California Electrical Code / NEC 2023, 230.85) wants a readily-accessible emergency disconnect outdoors, on or in sight of the dwelling. That is why old indoor-only setups often come back as an outdoor meter-main combination when they are replaced.
If the size is staying the same and the equipment is the reason, this is the right job. If the goal is more amperage, that is a 200-amp service upgrade — and we tell you which one you are looking at before anything is scheduled.
Your side of the meter, and a short handoff with the utility
Replacing the meter-main renews the socket, the disconnect, the service-entrance conductors, and the grounding and bonding that land there — brought up to current code as part of the swap. The one part that is not ours is the utility’s drop.
What we replace
The meter socket and main disconnect combination, the service-entrance conductors, the mast or riser feeding it, the grounding and bonding at the enclosure, and the surge device at the service current code wants when this equipment is replaced. This is the work we do and the permit covers.
The utility handoff
The drop or lateral belongs to the power company, so they disconnect at the start and reconnect once the inspection clears. The amperage is not changing; the disconnect window is still theirs — SMUD, PG&E, and Roseville Electric each set their own, usually part of one day.
When a meter-main is the wrong answer
A meter-main swap is the right call when the size is fine and the hardware is the fault. Three neighbors get confused with it, and each has its own page.
You actually need more amperage
If the reason is a charger, a heat pump, or an addition the service cannot carry, the meter-main is one line item inside a 200-amp service upgrade, not a standalone job. Still deciding whether you need more capacity at all is the panel upgrade page.
The problem is inside, at the panel
If the breakers and the bus are the issue and the service entrance is sound, that is a panel replacement. The meter-main and the panel are two different pieces of equipment, and only one of them is usually at fault.
The panel is full, the service entrance is not the problem
If the service rating is fine and you need more breaker spaces, that is a subpanel — not a meter-main, and not a 200-amp upgrade.
Meter-main replacement: what changes the scope
A meter-main is priced from what the service entrance looks like, not from a photo of the meter. These are what move the scope once we see the equipment and the site.
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Overhead or underground service
A mast-and-weatherhead overhead entrance and an underground lateral are different terminations to rebuild.
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Indoor-to-outdoor relocation
If the current disconnect is indoors, meeting the outdoor emergency-disconnect rule (230.85, on or in sight of the dwelling) means a new outdoor location and the conductor route to it, rather than a straight swap in place.
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Grounding and bonding corrections
The new equipment is inspected against current code. The earth connection is grounding; metal-to-metal is bonding — brought up as part of approval when they predate it.
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Which utility, and its window
The disconnect and reconnect are the utility’s to schedule, and coordination differs across SMUD, PG&E, and Roseville Electric.
Not sure this is the right job?
Tell us what you are seeing — what is tripping, what changed, or what you are planning — and we will tell you what the work actually is before anyone drives out.
Meter-main questions
Is this the same as a service upgrade?
No. A meter-main replacement keeps your amperage and renews the service-entrance equipment. A 200-amp service upgrade raises the amperage after the need is established. If your 100-amp service is fine and the meter-main is just corroded or cracked, you are not upgrading anything.
Why does my new one have to go outside?
Current code wants an emergency disconnect that is readily accessible outdoors, on or in sight of the dwelling, so the house can be shut off without going indoors. That is why an old indoor meter and separate main often come back as one outdoor combination unit.
Who handles the utility disconnect — me or you?
We do. We pull the permit, file with the power company, and schedule the disconnect and reconnect. You give access and know the window.
How long is the power off?
For a coordinated swap, part of a single day. It goes off when the utility disconnects and comes back once the inspection clears, because the service entrance cannot be left half-transferred.
Can you reuse my existing panel?
Often yes. If the interior panel is sound, the meter-main is replaced and the panel stays. If the breakers and the bus are the issue, that is a panel replacement instead — settled by looking at the panel, not assumed.
What does a meter main do?
A meter-main combines the meter socket and the main shutoff in one enclosure. Replacing it is service equipment work. We coordinate the utility shutoff.
Who is responsible for meter box replacement?
The utility owns the meter. The enclosure, the main, and the wiring on our side are ours once they pull the meter. We confirm the split before we schedule.
Still not sure it is the right job? Call (279) 972-9272 — available 24 hours.
Serving 19 communities across the Sacramento area
Litel Electric serves homeowners throughout all 19 communities in our service area — from Davis and Woodland to Roseville, Folsom, and Elk Grove.
Get estimate
Tell us what is happening, or what you are planning. We read the details, tell you what else we need to know, and explain the next step before anything is scheduled.
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You send the problem or the plan, with the address if you have it.
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We reply with what it involves and what has to be seen in person.
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Nothing is scheduled, and nothing is priced, until the equipment has been looked at.
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