electrical for barn/house question

larry@stinescorner · Feb 10, 2018

The barn and the house are on different sides of the road,The electric poles are on the barn side,,,but the electric meter is on the house side.Is it a big job to get another meter put by the barn so the electric will be separate? Maybe what would be a ballpark price?

Steve@Advance · Feb 10, 2018

That would be a question for the provider.

If it's outside the city limits, sometimes they will provide a meter base with instructions for how they want it set up.

As long as they don't have to run wire, add poles or a transformer they will usually cover the cost. Just depends on how things are laid out.

But, you will be paying a monthly minimum regardless how little power is used.

David G · Feb 10, 2018

I put a separate meter on my shop, I can deduct that from my main bill.

Keith Molden · Feb 10, 2018

Since there is no longer a dwelling where my shop is the Electric company (AEP) installed a separate meter and charge me commercial rate for it. The house is residential rate which is quite a bit cheaper. That's here in Ohio, where you live it may be completely different so you'd be better off to check with your local provider. Keith

IanC · Feb 10, 2018

Another thing to consider is that if the electricity for your farming operations is metered seperatly it may be deductible as an operating expense.

David G · Feb 10, 2018

It all depends on whether the meter for the barn is yours or the utility company.

You can sub meter anything you want once the utility meters the main.

Gene Davis (Ga.) · Feb 10, 2018

Here, the EMC,( electric membership coop), requires that if you do any work for pay you must have a commercial meter. The house is on its own meter. When I ran the shop for hire it was commercial. We had a guy whose job was to try and catch people with the wrong type meter. He thought he had me one day till I showed him my bill. Then I told him to get the H##l out of my sight and not to come back.
I finally closed the shop to the public but still do work for certain good paying appreciative people I left it as it was and there is an added bonus to that. If something happens on one service I still have power on the other.

Leroy · Feb 10, 2018

You just used a percentage of the base bill for farm use. That is how tax prep persons said to do it. Very little barn use then take figure of monthly base just to keep a meter in operation for farm use. It does not have to be metered out to deduct. No longer have that situation. The only reson to do something like that is either part of place is being sold or to get rid of wires crossing road.

AllisG · Feb 10, 2018

We just did the opposite here, house was a rental till we moved into it. In our area we get charged a 40 dollar minimum so if yours is not heated it may cost you more. I will say Ours is only used for storage mostly

paul · Feb 11, 2018

Each electric company/ coop has their own ideas on that, so you will have to ask them what their policy is.

As well, the policies change, and some people in the company might view the policies differently and allow different things to work.

So - it's a crapshoot!

Sometimes the coop/ co will add the extra service for free, and sometimes they will charge so much to do it you have to be sitting down.... one never knows until you ask. In general if what you are doing will increase the amount of electricity they can bill for, they are more likely to do it for reduced cost to you. If you approach them with, "I want this extra meter for that old shed we hard ever use any more" they are not likely to want to spend the time and money to bother with it......

But, be careful you don't open a can of worms, where having a house service and a sgpged service get you into either a higher commercial rate, or two rather high minimum monthly bills.

If you are fine with the one bill you currently get, but just want a meter to watch what the shed uses, you can put your own private meter on the lines by the shop and can share that meter yourself.

I'm not really sure of the goal you are trying to achieve, so not sure I have hit upon what you want.

Paul

sms · Feb 11, 2018

I just asked our electrition the same question. Here in NY the provider has started charging a quite high fee to add a second service on the same property. You will have to ask how things are in your area.

Bruce from Can. · Feb 11, 2018

I would leave it alone , unless you are wanting to sell the two properties separate, or sell one and keep the other. Here in Ontario there is a minimum charge for every meter, regardless of power used, so if you kept both sides of the road, you would probably end up paying more with two meters, as well as all the cost related to splitting the service. And while the electrical wiring and planel in the house may be up to code, the wiring in the barn may need to be upgraded to pass any electrical inspection your provider may demand. So this could have the potential to run into $$$$ and may be better left as is. Bruce

Stephen Newell · Feb 11, 2018

I don't think I would do that. Here they charge a minimum fee for the meter and then what electricity used. Unless you use a lot of power in the barn I think you would be spending a lot of money each month for the meter. I would be more inclined to see what it would cost to have someone horizontal bore a piece of conduit under the road to run power to the barn.

DoubleO7 · Feb 11, 2018

Sounds like it would be an easy job for the power company.
I am sure they would love to get another $50 per month out of you.

Their only expense will likely be the swag and the meter.

Donald Lehman · Feb 11, 2018

If as in NY, you will now pay the higher "non-residential" or "commercial" rate on the barn if it is separated from the house meter. I'd check into that Larry, before I made any changes.

larry@stinescorner · Feb 11, 2018

we have power to the barn,,but the bill goes to the renter of the house

larry@stinescorner · Feb 11, 2018

we are going to sell,,,that is why Im checking out options

larry@stinescorner · Feb 11, 2018

we are going to sell,,,just not sure if in one lump or sub divided yet

Stephen Newell · Feb 11, 2018

I would think it would be easier to put a usage meter on the barn yourself and just pay the renter for the power used.

ss55 · Feb 11, 2018

If you will be selling one of the properties, it makes sense to know your options and their costs. The quotes you get from your power supplier and local electricians are the only ones you can put any faith in.

I would hold off installing a second meter until after the sale. Many farmland buyers remove all older buildings to reduce property taxes, reduce the attraction for trespassers, and maximize the tillable acres: barns, houses, wells, septic systems, sheds, small older bins, meter poles, etc. all disappear.

dr sportster · Feb 11, 2018

You probably have Jersey Central but PSE&G does not allow sub-metering . They allow something called "check metering" . Info on PSE&G website about this.

buickanddeere · Feb 11, 2018

Which side is the transformer on? Possibly move the meter to the barn side of the road then supply the barn from a splitter under the relocated meter .
Better than that there are feed through outside breaker panels with a generator transfer switch . This would be handy on the barn side of the road to supply both properties . http://www.reliancecontrols.com/ProductDetail.aspx?TWB2012DR

buickanddeere · Feb 11, 2018

I missed the part about selling the one property and having a renter .
Go with two meters .

electrical for barn/house question

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