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Your breaker box houses the breakers that control the circuits in your home, shutting them off if they overload or experience similar problems. Your meter box houses your electrical meter that monitors the electricity flowing into your house and measures its use for your utility company.

In some cases, both components are in the same box, but they don’t have to be together. Many homes have them split, with the breaker box inside for easier access and the electric meter outside.

If you need to run a wire from the meter to the breaker box, start by turning off the power using the main switch to avoid injury risks from live wires. Then, locate the ground wire from your meter and connect it to the ground bar of the breaker box. Connect the neutral wire using the same method to improve your circuit efficiency.

Next, locate the hot wires running from the main switch to the meter. To connect them to the correct terminals from meter to breaker, unscrew the nuts of the breaker hotwire terminals, insert the positive hotwire, and ensure it’s firmly attached. Finally, secure the wires with electrical tape and wire tie cables before re-securing your breaker box. Keep in mind that this process can be dangerous, so don’t hesitate to hire a local electrician.

Upgrading your electrical panel is often worth the cost for safety, improved electrical performance, and potential long-term savings. A primary benefit is preventing electrical fires and other hazards from a malfunctioning panel, ensuring your household's safety. An upgraded panel also provides a steady flow of electricity, eliminating issues like flickering lights and frequently tripped breakers. It allows you to connect additional appliances without overloading the system, which is especially beneficial for older homes with 100-amp service that are prone to overheating. If you run large appliances like central air conditioning, heating systems, hot tubs, or saunas, you might consider upgrading to a 300- or 400-amp service to meet the higher electrical demand. Furthermore, an upgrade can lead to long-term savings on energy bills and potentially lower insurance costs.

There are a few reasons your lights may be on, but the rest of your electrical outlets and appliances are not working. The first is that while one circuit blew out, the lights may be on another circuit than your other electrical fixtures. Alternatively, your powerless appliances may be plugged into a GFCI outlet that was tripped and needs to be reset. If these issues aren’t responsible for the problem, you may have dead outlets or a wiring issue. Either way, you should contact an electrician to identify and fix the issue.