I run a business flipping houses and remodeling rental properties. I was talking to the owner of the electrical supply house in our county yesterday and he told me they sold the last 200 amp meter base they had in stock the day before. They were probably one of the last stores in Tennessee that had any in stock. You can't build a house without one.
He also told me our power company has been removing transformers that are feeding barns or workshops. They don't have any spares to fix broken transformers in residential areas so they are stealing them from places that affect the fewest people. They haven't received any new transformers in several months.
The areas affected by the tornados last week are calling utility companies everywhere trying to find transformers and poles to repair the damage but there are very many spares left. He said if that storm had hit our county, he didn't think we would have the parts to get the power turned back on any time soon.
Crazy times ahead.
weird, there are panels, breakers and wire (all kinds) fully in stock at my local Home Depot. Lowe’s too. And Menards. Took me about 10sec to find them online. Not sure why you guys are having issues in your regions. Apparently the midwest isn’t seeing the same problems 🤷
When I search Home Depot’s website for a 200 amp meter base, shows out of stock. Doesn’t seem to matter what location I search it shows the same. Lowes too. I had to drive to three different stores today to find drywall mud. Maybe your town is different than the rest of the country. Can you get chips for new trucks too? Lol (kidding)
https://files.catbox.moe/qfr5yr.jpeg
and that ^ is in the chicago area as my VPN defaults to that area. in my actual location there are many more options available.
Really though, with a stock of 2 and without knowing when supplies will arrive isn't exactly confidence inspiring.
dude, that’s in a store in chicago and it’s not like Home Depot ever had dozens of 200 amp service boxes in stock before all this supply chain crap, they’re not an electrical supply store. not to mention most urban home owners aren’t even working with 200amp service to start with. idk what you want to hear, im just showing you that this supply panic simply isn’t happening in the same way in all places. seems like the eastern seaboard and the west coast are the hotspots of all the supply issues and i guess that makes some sense - isn’t that where the majority of Americans live? Just showing you that in the most densely populated city in the midwest, 200 amp boxes can in fact be had. maybe see if they’ll ship to ya ;)
That’s not a meter base. That’s a breaker panel.