13-Gang Overhead Service Replacement — 12-Unit Building, Silver Lake, CA
Project Snapshot
| Property Type | 12-unit multi-family + 1 house meter (13 meters total) |
| Location | Silver Lake, Los Angeles, CA |
| Original Equipment | Federal Pacific (FPE) 13-gang overhead service; FPE sub-panels in all 12 apartments + FPE house panel; FPE Stab-Lok breakers throughout |
| Scope | Replace entire service with new Siemens meter stack; upgrade grounding/bonding; replace 12 apartment sub-panels + 1 house panel |
| Grounding & Bonding | Armor ground wire, two ground rods, and bond to the main cold-water pipe |
| Agencies | LADWP Service Planning (meter spot & meter set) • LADBS Electrical Inspection (final) |
| Outcome | Passed LADBS inspection and finaled; LADWP installed and energized all 13 new meters |
Background & Owner Goals
The property was equipped entirely with Federal Pacific gear: an FPE 13-gang service, FPE sub-panels in every unit, and Stab-Lok breakers. The owner sought a turn-key replacement to satisfy insurance requirements, resolve nuisance trips, and modernize capacity and safety—while minimizing tenant downtime.
Challenges We Solved
- Tight exterior footprint around the overhead service and working clearances.
- Thirteen meters, across 12 occupied units + house loads.
- Utility + City coordination for LADWP meter spot and LADBS permit/inspection to restore power quickly.
Our Plan
A) Site Walk & Load Calculations
- Verified service sizing, conductor paths, grounding locations, and clearances.
- Confirmed meter stack placement acceptable to LADWP and compliant with code.
B) Utility & Permits
- Coordinated with LADWP Service Planning to obtain the official meter spot.
- Pulled the LADBS electrical permit and aligned inspection timing with the cut-over.
C) Tenant & Owner Communication
- Advance outage notices; sequencing so apartments came back online quickly after energization.
Installation — What We Built
Primary Service (13-Gang Overhead)
- Installed a Siemens 13-gang meter stack / meter center, plumb and weather-tight, permanently labeled for 12 apartments + house.
- New service raceways and conductors from the weatherhead to the meter center, terminations torqued to manufacturer specifications (torque-marked).
Grounding & Bonding (Full Upgrade)
- Armor ground wire from service equipment to the grounding electrode system.
- Two 8-ft ground rods with listed clamps and continuous grounding electrode conductor.
- Cold-water bond at the main copper water line (bonding jumpers at meter/PRV as applicable).
Sub-Panels (12 Units + House Panel)
- Removed all FPE sub-panels and installed new Siemens load centers sized per load calculation.
- Separated neutrals/grounds, installed new breakers, torque-marked terminations, and affixed clear circuit directories.
- Verified required protection per current code.
Inspection & Energization
- LADBS inspection: passed on first visit; project finaled.
- LADWP field crew set all 13 new meters and restored service.
- Post-energization QA: polarity/voltage checks, breaker functionality, Etc.
Results & Benefits
- Insurance Compliance Achieved — Documentation provided showing all Federal Pacific service equipment, sub-panels, and Stab-Lok breakers were removed and replaced.
- Reliability & Safety — Modern Siemens equipment, corrected grounding/bonding, and clean terminations reduce trip and overheating risk.
- Minimal Disruption — Coordinated outage; tenants notified and restored methodically.
What’s Included in Our Multi-Family Service Upgrades
- Utility coordination (LADWP meter spot and scheduling for meter set)
- Permit pulling and LADBS inspection management
- Siemens service equipment and sub-panels
- Grounding electrode system & water-pipe bonding
- Permanent directories/labels for each unit and house loads
- Close-out packet for insurance and property records
Ready to Replace Federal Pacific Equipment?
Need Federal Pacific panels and Stab-Lok breakers removed to satisfy insurance?
