21-Gang Overhead Service Upgrade — 20-Unit Building, Los Angeles, CA
Turn-key replacement of a legacy meter bank with a new Siemens system, full grounding, and all new sub-panels.
Owner Brief
Insurance carrier required replacement of an older, out-of-date meter service and panels. Goal: fast compliance, minimal tenant downtime, clean close-out docs.
Project at a Glance
- Property: 20-unit multi-family + 1 house meter (21 meters total)
- Service: New Siemens 21-position overhead meter center
- Grounding: Two ground rods + bond to main cold-water pipe
- Panels: 20 apartment sub-panels + 1 house panel replaced
- Agencies: LADWP (meter spot & meter set) • LADBS (permit & final)
Existing Conditions
The building operated on a very old style overhead meter service with aging enclosures and mixed hardware. Clearances, labeling, and grounding did not meet today’s best practices—triggering insurer concerns and the need for a comprehensive upgrade.
Key Design Decisions
Siemens Meter Center
Selected a Siemens 21-position overhead meter center for reliability, clear tenant demarcation, and future serviceability.
Grounding & Bonding
Installed dual ground rods and bonded to the main cold-water pipe with listed clamps and continuous conductors.
New Sub-Panels
Replaced 20 apartment sub-panels + 1 house panel with new gear; neutrals/grounds isolated, directories updated, breakers standardized.
Cut-Over Strategy
Sequenced work to fit a single planned outage window and staged tenant panel swaps to bring power back unit-by-unit after energization.
How the Project Ran
1) Discovery & Scope Lock
Walkthrough, photo-documentation, and scope alignment with the owner’s insurance compliance letter.
2) Utility Planning
Coordinated with LADWP Service Planning to obtain the official meter spot and confirm overhead clearances and placement.
3) Permitting
Pulled the LADBS electrical permit; pre-scheduled inspection to align with cut-over.
4) Cut-Over Day
De-energized, removed legacy meter service, installed the new Siemens 21-position meter center, completed grounding, and swapped sub-panels.
5) Inspection & Meter Set
LADBS inspection passed and the job was finaled. LADWP field crew installed and energized all 21 meters.
6) Close-Out
Delivered labeled directories, photos, and permit/inspection documentation for the owner’s insurance file.
What Made This Project Unique
- Scale: Twenty occupied units plus a house meter meant careful outage coordination and multiple crew stages.
- Legacy Hardware: Replacing a very old style meter service required meticulous demo and re-routing to meet modern working-space and mounting requirements.
- Documentation-Driven: Insurance compliance was a primary driver, so we built the paperwork trail (permit, final, labeled photos) into the plan.
Results
Compliance Achieved
Insurance requirement satisfied; LADBS permit closed with a first-pass approval.
Reliability & Safety
Modern Siemens gear, corrected grounding/bonding, clean terminations, and standardized breakers.
Tenant Experience
Single planned outage window; power restored methodically as panels were brought online.
Future-Ready
Clear labeling and spare capacity support future upgrades (HVAC, EV circuits, common-area loads).
Need a Large Multi-Family Service Upgrade?
We handle LADWP coordination, LADBS permits/inspection, and deliver the documentation your insurer expects.
