How Do I Change the Pipe From the Electrical Meter?

Look at the power cable running from the utility pole into your home to see if it has been disconnected by the power company. Do not touch the cables running into the riser pipe unless you are absolutely sure it has been disconnected from the service drop.

Cut the seal beside your electric meter, using diagonal pliers. Unscrew the meter box cover or remove the circular clamp around the electric meter, using a screwdriver. Grab the electric meter with both hands and pull it out of the meter box.

View the terminal lugs and note carefully how each one is plugged into its corresponding terminal. Loosen each terminal lug with an Allen wrench and pull each cable out of its slot. Straighten the cable tips to allow the cables to slip through the pipe, using regular pliers.

Climb to the top of the riser pipe and unscrew the weatherhead from the top of the pipe. Pull the cable slowly and carefully out of the pipe. Unscrew the pipe from the meter socket hub that holds the base of the pipe onto the meter box. Unscrew each clamp that secures the pipe onto the wall, then remove the pipe.

Mount a new riser pipe by screwing an identical pipe into the meter socket hub on top of the meter box. Align the pipe vertically and replace the clamps that hold the pipe onto the wall. Slip the cables you removed earlier into the opening on top of the pipe, then drop the cables until they go trough the opening at the base of the pipe.

Pull the cables from inside the meter box. Plug each cable back into its corresponding terminal lug according to the configuration you noted in Step 3, using an Allen wrench. Check the cables to make sure that each one is properly seated and that the lugs are tight. Slip the wires dangling on top of the pipe into the weatherhead. Plug the weatherhead onto the top of the pipe.

Visit your local government electrical inspector's office to have the meter box inspected. Call your local power company to have the service drop reconnected and the meter sealed.